Mozilla Thunderbird is a free email program for Windows, macOS and Linux, and it works well with the email included in your Domain India hosting plan. Setup takes a few minutes: enter your address and password, check the server settings Thunderbird suggests, and correct them if needed. This guide gives the exact values and fixes the errors people most often hit.
In Thunderbird, open the menu (☰) and choose New Account › Email. Enter your name, full email address and mailbox password, then choose Configure manually. Incoming: IMAP, mail.yourdomain.com, port 993, SSL/TLS, Normal password. Outgoing: mail.yourdomain.com, port 465, SSL/TLS, Normal password. The username is always your full email address.
These settings are for mailboxes you created in cPanel, DirectAdmin, Webuzo or Plesk as part of a hosting plan. Domain India Business Email is a separate product with its own settings; use the Business Email client setup guide for it. Not sure which you have? See Business Email vs the email included with your hosting.
1. Before you start
Have these ready:
- Your full email address, for example
[email protected]. - The mailbox password you set when you created the address in your control panel. It is not your client area or control panel password. If you have forgotten it, reset it in the control panel.
- A working login. Sign in to webmail once with the same address and password; if that fails, Thunderbird will fail too. Webmail addresses for each panel are in how to log in to webmail.
2. The settings
These ports were measured as open on our shared servers on 20 September 2026. Replace yourdomain.com with your own domain.
| Setting | Server | Port | Connection security | Authentication |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Incoming, IMAP (recommended) | mail.yourdomain.com | 993 | SSL/TLS | Normal password |
| Incoming, POP3 | mail.yourdomain.com | 995 | SSL/TLS | Normal password |
| Outgoing, SMTP (recommended) | mail.yourdomain.com | 465 | SSL/TLS | Normal password |
| Outgoing, SMTP alternative | mail.yourdomain.com | 587 | STARTTLS | Normal password |
The username for both incoming and outgoing is your full email address. Port 587 works on cPanel, DirectAdmin and Webuzo hosting, but it is closed on Windows (Plesk) hosting, so use 465 there.
3. Add the account in Thunderbird
- Open the new account screen.On first launch Thunderbird shows it automatically. Otherwise open the menu (☰) and choose New Account › Email, or go to Account Settings › Account Actions › Add Mail Account.
- Enter your details.Your name as recipients should see it, your full email address and the mailbox password. Tick Remember password if this is your own computer, then click Continue.
- Check what Thunderbird found.It looks up settings for your domain. If it shows IMAP on
mail.yourdomain.comwith the ports above, you can accept them. If it shows anything else, or finds nothing, click Configure manually. - Set the incoming server.Protocol IMAP, hostname
mail.yourdomain.com, port 993, connection security SSL/TLS, authentication Normal password, username your full email address. - Set the outgoing server.Hostname
mail.yourdomain.com, port 465, connection security SSL/TLS, authentication Normal password, the same username. - Test and finish.Click Re-test. When both servers are found, click Done. Thunderbird starts downloading your folders.
In cPanel, open Email › Email Accounts and click Connect Devices next to the address. It lists the server names, ports and security settings for that account. If Thunderbird warns about the certificate for mail.yourdomain.com, use the server name shown on that page instead.
4. IMAP or POP3?
Choose IMAP. Mail stays on the server, so Thunderbird, your phone and webmail all show the same mailbox, and nothing is lost if your computer fails. POP3 downloads messages to one computer; use it only if you have a reason to, and remember that anything removed from the server exists only on that machine. More in IMAP vs POP3: which to choose.
Avoid the unencrypted ports 143 and 110. They are open, but they send your password across the internet in plain text.
5. After setup: folders and Sent mail
- Choose which folders to sync. Right-click the account name in the folder pane, choose Subscribe, tick the folders you want and click OK.
- Save sent mail on the server. Open Account Settings › Copies & Folders for the account and set Place a copy in to the Sent folder on this account, so sent messages also appear in webmail and on your phone.
- Keep the password in step. When you change the mailbox password in your control panel, update it in Thunderbird and on every other device at once.
6. Troubleshooting
| What you see | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Login to server failed | Wrong password, or username not the full address | Test the login in webmail; reset the mailbox password in your panel |
| Could not connect to server | Wrong port and security pair, or port blocked on your network | Use 993 and 465 with SSL/TLS; try another network such as mobile data |
| Certificate warning | The server name does not match the certificate | Use the server name from cPanel's Connect Devices page; don't accept a permanent exception blindly |
| Receives but cannot send | SMTP authentication or outgoing port wrong | Check the outgoing server uses Normal password and 465 with SSL/TLS |
| Works on mobile data, not on office Wi-Fi | That network's IP address was blocked after repeated failed logins | Fix the password on every device, then contact support with your public IP address |
| Large message rejected | The attachment is over the server's limit | Send large files as a download link |
The maximum message size is 100 MB on cPanel and 50 MB on DirectAdmin. Sending limits also apply: 200 messages per hour per account on cPanel, and 1,000 per day on DirectAdmin. For sending problems in more detail, see I can receive mail but I cannot send it.
An old password saved on a phone or another computer keeps retrying. After enough failures, the server's firewall can block your network's IP address, and then every device on that network loses mail. Update the password everywhere first, then contact support by live chat or a ticket with your public IP address.
7. Where Domain India fits
Every cPanel, DirectAdmin and Webuzo hosting plan includes email accounts at your domain, and all of them work in Thunderbird with the settings above. If you want email that runs separately from your website, Domain India Business Email is billed per mailbox and has its own webmail and setup guide.
Frequently asked questions
What server settings do I use for Domain India hosting email in Thunderbird?
Incoming: IMAP, mail.yourdomain.com, port 993, SSL/TLS, Normal password. Outgoing: mail.yourdomain.com, port 465, SSL/TLS, Normal password. The username is your full email address in both.
What username and password does Thunderbird need?
Your full email address, such as [email protected], and the mailbox password you set in your control panel. Your client area or control panel password will not work.
Can I use port 587 in Thunderbird?
Yes, on cPanel, DirectAdmin and Webuzo hosting, with STARTTLS as the connection security. Port 587 is closed on Windows (Plesk) hosting, so use 465 with SSL/TLS there.
Why does Thunderbird show a certificate warning?
The server name you entered does not match the server's certificate. On cPanel, open Email Accounts and click Connect Devices to see the exact server name for your mailbox, and use that name in Thunderbird.
Should I use IMAP or POP3 in Thunderbird?
IMAP. It keeps mail on the server so every device and webmail show the same mailbox. POP3 downloads mail to one computer.
Do these settings work for Domain India Business Email?
No. Business Email is a separate product with its own settings. Use the Business Email client setup guide instead.
Ready to set up your other devices? Follow email client settings for popular email clients for Outlook, Apple Mail, iPhone and Android, or check the port numbers list. Still stuck? Open a ticket in the client area or use the public ticket form.
Tell us your email address, your Thunderbird version, and the server, port and security you entered, and we will check it with you.
Open a support ticket