Looking to set up iCloud email in an email program for sending? Find here the iCloud Mail SMTP server and port settings to use for outgoing mail in any email client.
First, There Is a Right Way
If there is a right way to hang a t-shirt for drying—or one at least that can claim to be less wrong that others—, I believe it is this:
You fold the shirt horizontally right above the inside hems of the sleeves, of course, and hang it on the clothesline right at that fold.
Hung like this, all the fabric falls naturally with no folders and minimal wrinkles; the weight is balanced enough as well, so if the line and t-shirt face no strong winds, you can leave out the pins — no clothespinsmarks either!
Now, while the shirts hang out to dry, let’s look for a—“the”—way to send emails through iCloud Mail SMTP without any wrinkles:
These Are the iCloud Mail SMTP Server Settings
To configure an email program to send email using an iCloud email address (or custom domain set up with iCloud) using the iCloud Mail SMTP servers, use these settings:
| Name | Value |
|---|---|
| iCloud SMTP server | |
| IMAP port (SSL/TLS) | |
| STARTTLS security | yes (if available) |
| TLS security | yes (if STARTTLS is not available) |
| SSL security | yes (if neither STARTTLS nor TLS security are available) |
| Username | Your full iCloud email address (including the domain, e.g. “@me.com” or a custom domain) |
| Password | An iCloud application password |
| Authentication | Normal (plain-text) authentication |
On the receiving end: These Are the IMAP Settings for iCloud
These Are the SMTP Server Settings for iCloud Mail: FAQ
My email program does not allow ‘@’ in the username; are there alternatives?
No.
You need to use the full email address as the username for iCloud Mail IMAP including the ‘@’ sign and the domain.
(Possible workarounds like replacing @ with % or possibly the URL-encoded %40 do, alas, not work either)
Can I use port 25 for iCloud SMTP if port 587 is blocked on my device?
No.
iCloud Mail SMTP requires a secure connection to port 587. The SMTP server will not listen or accept mail on any other port.
If port 587 is blocked for you, you can try an SMTP proxy server that connects to iCloud through port 587 and serves your computer on port 25, 465 or 2025.
Do make sure you still maintain secure connections throughout (using STARTTLS).
(SMTP server settings for iCloud Mail updated November 2023)