If you want to configure your GoDaddy email account in Outlook, Thunderbird, Apple Mail, iPhone, or Android, you need the correct GoDaddy IMAP and SMTP server settings. These settings allow your email client to send and receive messages from your GoDaddy mailbox securely.
GoDaddy currently operates two email systems: GoDaddy Microsoft 365 (the current platform) and GoDaddy Legacy IMAP. The server settings differ between the two, so it’s important to know which one your account uses before configuring your email client.
This guide covers the correct GoDaddy email server settings for both platforms, step-by-step setup instructions for Outlook, Thunderbird, iPhone, and Android, and troubleshooting tips for the most common connection issues.
GoDaddy Email Server Settings — Quick Summary
Here are the key GoDaddy server settings at a glance:
GoDaddy Microsoft 365 (Current)
- IMAP Server: outlook.office365.com
- IMAP Port: 993 — SSL/TLS
- SMTP Server: smtp.office365.com
- SMTP Port: 587 — STARTTLS
GoDaddy Legacy IMAP
- IMAP Server: imap.secureserver.net
- IMAP Port: 993 — SSL/TLS
- SMTP Server: smtpout.secureserver.net
- SMTP Port:
- 465 — SSL
- 587 — TLS
Not sure which platform you’re on? If you purchased GoDaddy email recently or your account is labelled Microsoft 365 in your GoDaddy dashboard, use the Microsoft 365 settings. If your account predates GoDaddy’s Microsoft 365 migration, use the Legacy IMAP settings.
GoDaddy 365 vs. Legacy IMAP: Which Settings Do You Need?
GoDaddy transitioned its email platform to Microsoft 365 several years ago. If you signed up for GoDaddy email recently, you are almost certainly on the Microsoft 365 platform and should use the outlook.office365.com server settings.
GoDaddy Legacy IMAP (using secureserver.net) is the older platform. GoDaddy is no longer investing in this system and encourages all Legacy IMAP users to migrate to Microsoft 365. If you are still on Legacy IMAP, the settings below will still work, but migration is recommended.
| Feature | GoDaddy 365 | Legacy IMAP |
| IMAP server | outlook.office365.com | imap.secureserver.net |
| SMTP server | smtp.office365.com | smtpout.secureserver.net |
| POP3 supported | No | Yes (pop.secureserver.net) |
| Recommended | Yes | Migrate when possible |
GoDaddy IMAP Settings — Microsoft 365 (Incoming Mail)
| Setting | Value |
| IMAP Server | outlook.office365.com |
| Port | 993 |
| Encryption | SSL/TLS |
| Authentication | Required |
| Username | Your full GoDaddy email address |
| Password | Your GoDaddy email password |
GoDaddy SMTP Settings — Microsoft 365 (Outgoing Mail)
| Setting | Value |
| SMTP Server | smtp.office365.com |
| Port | 587 |
| Encryption | STARTTLS |
| Authentication | Required |
| Username | Your full GoDaddy email address |
| Password | Your GoDaddy email password |
GoDaddy Legacy IMAP Settings (Incoming Mail)
Use these settings only if your GoDaddy account is on the older Legacy IMAP platform.
| Setting | Value |
| IMAP Server | imap.secureserver.net |
| Port | 993 |
| Encryption | SSL/TLS |
| Authentication | Required |
| Username | Your full GoDaddy email address |
| Password | Your GoDaddy email password |
GoDaddy Legacy SMTP Settings (Outgoing Mail)
| Setting | Value |
| SMTP Server | smtpout.secureserver.net |
| Port | 465 or 587 |
| Encryption | SSL/TLS |
| Authentication | Required |
| Username | Your full GoDaddy email address |
| Password | Your GoDaddy email password |
GoDaddy POP3 Settings (Legacy Only — Optional)
POP3 is only supported on GoDaddy Legacy IMAP accounts. It is not available on GoDaddy Microsoft 365. POP3 downloads emails to a single device and does not sync across multiple devices. IMAP is recommended for most users.
| Setting | Value |
| POP3 Server | pop.secureserver.net |
| Port | 995 |
| Encryption | SSL/TLS |
| Username | Your full GoDaddy email address |
| Password | Your GoDaddy email password |
How to Set Up GoDaddy Email in Outlook
- Open Outlook and go to File → Add Account
- Enter your full GoDaddy email address
- Select Advanced Options → Let me set up manually
- Choose IMAP
- For GoDaddy 365 — Incoming: outlook.office365.com, Port 993, SSL/TLS
- For GoDaddy 365 — Outgoing: smtp.office365.com, Port 587, STARTTLS
- For Legacy IMAP — Incoming: imap.secureserver.net, Port 993, SSL/TLS
- For Legacy IMAP — Outgoing: smtpout.secureserver.net, Port 465, SSL/TLS
- Enter your GoDaddy email password and click Connect
If Outlook prompts for authentication repeatedly, confirm you are using the correct server address for your GoDaddy platform type (365 vs. Legacy).
How to Set Up GoDaddy Email in Thunderbird
- Open Thunderbird and go to Account Settings → Account Actions → Add Mail Account
- Enter your name, GoDaddy email address, and password
- Click Configure Manually
- GoDaddy 365 — Incoming: IMAP, outlook.office365.com, port 993, SSL/TLS
- GoDaddy 365 — Outgoing: smtp.office365.com, port 587, STARTTLS
- Legacy IMAP — Incoming: IMAP, imap.secureserver.net, port 993, SSL/TLS
- Legacy IMAP — Outgoing: smtpout.secureserver.net, port 465, SSL/TLS
- Set authentication to Normal Password and click Done
GoDaddy Email Settings for iPhone (iOS Mail)
- Open Settings and go to Mail → Accounts → Add Account
- Tap Other → Add Mail Account
- Enter your name, GoDaddy email address, password, and a description
- Select IMAP at the top of the next screen
- Incoming Mail Server: outlook.office365.com (or imap.secureserver.net for Legacy) — Port 993 — SSL on
- Outgoing Mail Server: smtp.office365.com (or smtpout.secureserver.net for Legacy) — Port 587 — SSL on
- Tap Next and allow IOS to verify the settings
GoDaddy Email Settings for Android
- Open your email app and tap Add Account
- Select Other or Personal (IMAP)
- Enter your GoDaddy email address and tap Manual Setup
- Choose IMAP as the account type and enter your password
- Incoming server: outlook.office365.com (or imap.secureserver.net for Legacy) — Port 993 — SSL/TLS
- Outgoing server: smtp.office365.com (or smtpout.secureserver.net for Legacy) — Port 587 — STARTTLS
- Tap Next to finish setup
IMAP vs POP3: Which Should You Use?
| Feature | IMAP | POP3 |
| Email storage | Server | Local device |
| Sync across devices | Yes | No |
| Works on GoDaddy 365 | Yes | No |
| Best for | Most users | Single device only |
IMAP is the right choice for virtually all GoDaddy email users. POP3 is only available on Legacy IMAP accounts and downloads mail to a single device, breaking access across other devices. If you use more than one device to check email, use IMAP.
Migrating from GoDaddy Legacy IMAP to Microsoft 365
GoDaddy is no longer actively developing its Legacy IMAP platform. If your account still uses secureserver.net settings, migrating to GoDaddy Microsoft 365 (or standalone Microsoft 365) is worth planning. The migration preserves your existing emails, folders, and contacts, while giving you access to a more modern, secure, and better-supported email infrastructure.
If you’re planning this transition, it’s important to ensure your existing mailbox data is protected before starting the migration. Creating a full IMAP backup can help safeguard emails, folders, and attachments in case anything goes wrong during the process. Tools designed for IMAP backup and migration can automate the transfer while maintaining folder structure and message integrity.
If you want to securely export your mailbox before migration, you can explore our IMAP Backup Solution.
If you are moving directly between email providers, see our IMAP Migration Tool that supports transfers between platforms like Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Zoho Mail, and others.
Understanding your GoDaddy IMAP server settings is also an important first step if you plan to migrate your GoDaddy email to a different provider entirely, such as Google Workspace or Zoho Mail. Correct IMAP configuration on both the source and destination accounts ensures that messages, folders, and read status transfer completely.
Common GoDaddy Email Setup Issues and Fixes
Wrong server address for your platform: This is the most common mistake. GoDaddy 365 accounts use outlook.office365.com and smtp.office365.com. Legacy IMAP accounts use imap.secureserver.net and smtpout.secureserver.net. Using the wrong server for your account type will always fail. Check your GoDaddy dashboard to confirm which platform you are on.
Authentication errors: Make sure you are using your full GoDaddy email address as the username (e.g., yourname@yourdomain.com), not just the local part. Also confirm your password is correct by signing in at webmail.yourdomain.com or the GoDaddy webmail portal first.
Wrong port or encryption: For GoDaddy 365, use port 993 with SSL/TLS for IMAP and port 587 with STARTTLS for SMTP. For Legacy IMAP, use port 993 for incoming and port 465 with SSL/TLS for outgoing. Mixing ports between the two platforms is a common source of errors.
Outlook prompts for password repeatedly: This usually happens when the server address does not match the account type, or when modern authentication settings in Microsoft 365 conflict with the client configuration. Try removing the account from Outlook completely and re-adding it with the correct settings.
Emails not syncing across devices: Confirm your email client is set to sync all folders, not just the inbox. Some applications default to inbox-only sync. Also check that your GoDaddy email storage is not full, as a full mailbox will stop accepting new messages.
Cannot send email (SMTP failing): Check that your email client has SMTP authentication enabled and is not trying to use port 25, which GoDaddy blocks on most accounts to prevent spam. Use port 587 (GoDaddy 365) or port 465 (Legacy) instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the GoDaddy IMAP server? For GoDaddy Microsoft 365 accounts, the IMAP server is outlook.office365.com using port 993 with SSL/TLS. For Legacy IMAP accounts, the server is imap.secureserver.net using port 993 with SSL/TLS.
What is the GoDaddy SMTP server? For GoDaddy 365, the SMTP server is smtp.office365.com using port 587 with STARTTLS. For Legacy accounts, it is smtpout.secureserver.net using port 465 with SSL/TLS.
What port does GoDaddy use for IMAP? GoDaddy uses port 993 with SSL/TLS for IMAP on both the Microsoft 365 and Legacy IMAP platforms.
How do I know if I have GoDaddy 365 or Legacy IMAP? Log in to your GoDaddy account dashboard and go to My Products → Email & Office. If your email is listed under Microsoft 365, use the outlook.office365.com settings. If it appears under Workspace Email or shows secureserver.net references, use the Legacy IMAP settings.
Can I use GoDaddy email in Thunderbird? Yes. Use the manual IMAP configuration steps in this guide. Choose the correct server address based on whether your account is GoDaddy 365 or Legacy IMAP.
Does GoDaddy support POP3? POP3 is only supported on GoDaddy Legacy IMAP accounts using pop.secureserver.net on port 995. It is not available for GoDaddy Microsoft 365 accounts.
Can I use GoDaddy email on my iPhone or Android? Yes. Use the IMAP settings in this guide to configure GoDaddy email on any mobile device. Select the correct server address (365 or Legacy) based on your account type.