How to set up email on Android devices

Managing email on your Android device allows you to respond to messages wherever you are. IMAP synchronisation keeps your inbox consistent across all devices, so emails you read on your phone appear as read on your computer.

You will configure Gmail to accept IMAP connections, add your email account through Android’s built-in mail client and verify that messages sync correctly. Once complete, you can send and receive email from your Android device using your custom domain address.

Enable IMAP in Gmail settings

Gmail disables IMAP by default. You need to enable it before Android can connect to your email account. IMAP keeps messages on the server rather than downloading them to your device, which preserves storage space and maintains synchronisation across multiple devices.

1. Open Gmail on your computer.
   Navigate to gmail.com in your web browser.
2. Log in to your Google Account.
   Use the same Google Account that is configured on your Android device.
3. Access Gmail settings.
   Click the settings cog icon in the top right corner of the Gmail window, then select See all settings from the dropdown menu.
4. Navigate to forwarding settings.
   Click the Forwarding and POP/IMAP tab near the top of the settings page.
5. Enable IMAP access.
   Under the IMAP access section, select Enable IMAP. This allows Gmail to receive connections from external email clients.
6. Save your changes.
   Scroll to the bottom of the page and click Save Changes. Gmail is now configured to accept IMAP connections from your Android device.

Add your email account to Android

Android’s Gmail app supports multiple email accounts through its account management interface. You will add your custom domain email as an IMAP account, which connects directly to your mail server.

1. Open the Gmail app.
   Locate and tap the Gmail icon on your Android device’s home screen or app drawer.
2. Access account management.
   Tap your profile picture or initial in the top right corner. This opens the account management interface.
3. Start adding an account.
   Tap Add another account at the bottom of the account list. This launches the account setup wizard.
4. Select account type.
   From the list of email providers, tap Other (IMAP). This option connects to mail servers that aren’t Google, Microsoft or Yahoo.

The setup wizard now displays fields for your incoming mail server configuration. You will configure both incoming and outgoing servers to complete the setup.

Configure incoming server settings

Incoming server settings tell Android where to retrieve your email messages. IMAP uses port 993 with SSL/TLS encryption to secure the connection between your device and the mail server.

1. Enter your email address.
   Type your full email address in the format you@yourdomain.co.uk. Tap Next to continue.
2. Provide your username.
   In the Username field, enter your complete email address again. This authenticates your connection to the mail server.
3. Enter your password.
   Type the password you created when setting up this email account in cPanel.
4. Specify the IMAP server.
   In the Server field, enter your domain name: yourdomain.co.uk. Replace this with your actual domain.
5. Verify security settings.
   Confirm that Port shows 993 and Security type is set to SSL/TLS. These defaults provide encrypted communication with the mail server.
6. Proceed to outgoing settings.
   Tap Next. Android validates your incoming server configuration before moving to the next step.

Configure outgoing server settings

Outgoing server settings control how Android sends email from your account. SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) handles outgoing messages and uses port 465 for secure connections.

1. Enter the SMTP server.
   In the SMTP server field, enter your domain name: yourdomain.co.uk. This matches your incoming server address.
2. Verify the port number.
   Confirm that Port displays 465. This is the standard secure port for SMTP connections.
3. Check security type.
   Ensure Security type is set to SSL/TLS. This encrypts outgoing messages.
4. Provide authentication details.
   Enter your full email address in the Username field and your email password in the Password field. These credentials must match what you entered for incoming mail.
5. Complete server configuration.
   Tap Next. Android tests the connection to your outgoing mail server.

Finalise account setup

The final setup screen configures how your account appears in Gmail and how often Android checks for new messages. These settings affect battery usage and notification behaviour.

1. Set your display name.
   Enter the name you want recipients to see when you send email. This typically matches your personal or business name.
2. Configure sync options.
   Choose how often Android checks for new messages. More frequent checking provides faster notifications but uses more battery power.
3. Complete the setup.
   Tap Next. Android performs final validation checks and adds your account to the Gmail app.

Your email account now appears in the Gmail app’s account list. You can switch between accounts by tapping your profile picture and selecting the account you want to view.

Troubleshooting connection issues

Connection errors during setup typically indicate incorrect server settings or authentication problems. Android displays specific error messages that help identify the issue.

Authentication failed errors

This error appears when your username or password is incorrect. Android cannot authenticate with the mail server using the credentials you provided.

• Verify you entered your complete email address as the username, not a shortened version.
• Reset your email password through cPanel if you’re unsure of the current password.
• Check for extra spaces before or after your username or password.

Cannot connect to server errors

Connection failures indicate Android cannot reach your mail server. This happens when server addresses or port numbers are configured incorrectly.

• Confirm your domain name is entered correctly in both incoming and outgoing server fields.
• Verify port numbers: 993 for incoming (IMAP) and 465 for outgoing (SMTP).
• Check that SSL/TLS is selected as the security type for both servers.
• Test your internet connection by opening a web page in your browser.

Messages not syncing

If your account connects but messages don’t appear, sync settings may be preventing updates. Android allows you to control sync frequency and which folders synchronise.

• Open Gmail settings by tapping the menu icon and selecting Settings.
• Tap your email account and verify that Sync Gmail is enabled.
• Check Days of mail to sync and increase it if you need access to older messages.
• Force a manual sync by pulling down on the inbox to refresh.

Further reading on IMAP and email protocols

IMAP differs from POP3 in how it handles message storage and synchronisation. POP3 downloads messages to your device and typically removes them from the server, which prevents access from other devices. IMAP keeps messages on the server and synchronises read status, folders and flags across all connected devices. This makes IMAP the preferred protocol for mobile devices where storage space is limited and multi-device access is common.

Port numbers identify specific services on mail servers. Port 993 is the standard secure port for IMAP connections, while port 465 handles secure SMTP traffic. These ports use SSL/TLS encryption to protect your credentials and message content during transmission. Some mail servers also support STARTTLS on ports 143 (IMAP) and 587 (SMTP), which begins as an unencrypted connection before upgrading to encryption. We recommend using the SSL/TLS ports (993 and 465) for better security.

Gmail’s IMAP implementation includes additional features beyond the standard protocol. Labels in Gmail map to IMAP folders, allowing you to organise messages using Gmail’s label system while accessing them through any IMAP client. Gmail also supports IMAP IDLE, which pushes new messages to your device immediately rather than waiting for the next scheduled sync. This reduces battery usage compared to frequent polling while maintaining fast notification delivery. Google’s IMAP documentation explains these features in detail.

Wrapping up

Your Android device now sends and receives email using your custom domain address. You enabled IMAP in Gmail, configured incoming and outgoing server settings and verified that messages synchronise correctly. Changes you make on your phone appear on all devices connected to this email account.

Test your setup by sending a message to yourself and verifying it appears in both the Gmail app and your webmail interface. Check that sent messages appear in your Sent folder across all devices. Our guide on setting up email on iPhone covers iOS configuration if you use multiple device types. For advanced email management, explore our article on creating custom domain email addresses.