InboxReader
Start free
Help Center

Getting started

Connect AOL, Yahoo, iCloud and other email (IMAP)

Add AOL, Yahoo, iCloud, GMX, Zoho, hosting providers and company mail servers with an app password.

Providers other than Outlook and Gmail connect over IMAP. Most require an app password: a separate password you create in your provider’s security settings just for InboxReader. InboxReader stores it encrypted, opens Inbox and Junk read-only and never sends, moves or deletes mail.

Steps

  1. Open Dashboard → Mailboxes and choose Other providers. Select your provider for guided setup, or Hosting / company email for domain detection and manual server options.
  2. Enter your email address and choose Continue. Google and Microsoft accounts continue to their provider’s sign-in page. Company email is checked automatically to find a supported provider.
  3. Approve mailbox access on the provider’s website. InboxReader completes the connection when you return; this flow does not ask for your mailbox password in InboxReader.
  4. For a provider without integrated sign-in, choose Advanced / Manual IMAP. Select the provider or use the detected server settings; Detect server settings can check a company domain again.
  5. Follow the steps shown in the form to create an app password or turn on IMAP, paste the password and choose Connect mailbox.
  6. InboxReader signs in once to check the settings. Nothing is saved if the sign-in fails.

Provider notes

  • AOL and Yahoo: create an app password in Account Security. Your normal password does not work.
  • iCloud: two-factor authentication must be on; create an app-specific password at account.apple.com.
  • GMX: turn on POP3 and IMAP access in the GMX settings. GMX may switch it off again after a long time without use.
  • mail.com: IMAP is a Premium feature; free accounts cannot connect.
  • Fastmail and Yandex: create an app password for mail. Fastmail Basic plans do not include IMAP.
  • Zoho: turn on IMAP Access in Settings → Mail Accounts. Paid organization accounts use imappro.zoho.com.
  • Hostinger, Namecheap Private Email, cPanel and company servers: use the full email address, the mailbox password and the IMAP server your host shows.
Proton Mail is not supported yet: it offers IMAP only through the Proton Mail Bridge app on your own computer. Outlook, Hotmail and Gmail accounts use Connect Outlook or Connect Gmail instead of a password.

Security

Company email lookup sends only the domain part of your address to Cloudflare’s DNS-over-HTTPS resolver. It checks published IMAP service records and recognized mail-delivery records. It does not send your full address or password to Cloudflare, change DNS records, or connect a mailbox without your approval. Domains using forwarding or a security gateway may still need manual settings.

Connections always use SSL/TLS (port 993) or STARTTLS (port 143) with certificate checks. Most providers cannot limit an app password to reading, so delete it at your provider if you stop using InboxReader. Disconnecting the mailbox deletes the stored password.

If it does not connect

  • Sign-in rejected: use an app password, check the username (usually the full address) and that IMAP access is turned on.
  • Certificate not valid: use the exact secure server name from your host. For cPanel this is often the server’s own name rather than mail.yourdomain.com.
  • Could not connect: check the server name and port, and whether your plan with that provider includes IMAP.

Related articles