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Hostinger email setup: mailbox, IMAP settings and spam-proof DNS
Hostinger email setup in hPanel: pick free email, Business Email or Google Workspace, create the mailbox, connect it via IMAP and add SPF, DKIM and DMARC.
By Mr. Ahmed · 20+ years in tech
Published · 7 min read
The short answer
- 01To set up email on Hostinger, open Emails in hPanel, pick the domain, create the address and set a password; the mailbox works immediately.
- 02Use IMAP on port 993 with SSL for incoming mail and SMTP on port 465 with SSL, or 587 with STARTTLS, for outgoing; the username is the full email address.
- 03SPF, DKIM and DMARC records keep new-domain mail out of spam, and Hostinger adds them automatically when both email and DNS are at Hostinger.
- 04If sending fails but receiving works, the cause is almost always the SMTP port or authentication being switched off.
Choose where the mailboxes live
You need a domain before anything else. If your plan included a free one, claim it first. Then decide which service hosts the mail. There are three, and they suit different situations.
| Option | Suits | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Free email (bundled with hosting) | One or two mailboxes on a small site | Included on many web hosting plans; basic, but real email on your domain |
| Business Email | A professional inbox with more room | Paid add-on; larger mailboxes, more accounts, better deliverability tools |
| Google Workspace | Teams that want Gmail and Google's apps | Gmail on your domain plus Drive, Docs and Meet; billed per user |
Create the mailbox
Once the plan is chosen, the address takes about a minute.
- If the domain is registered at another company, Hostinger displays the MX records to add at that registrar. The mailbox can't receive anything until they're in place.
- 1Sign in to hPanel and open Emails.
- 2Select the domain for the new address.
- 3Choose to create a new email account and type the name, for example
you@yourdomain.com. - 4Set a strong password and save. The mailbox is live straight away.
- 5Repeat for any other addresses, such as info@, support@ or sales@.
Webmail: zero setup
The quickest way in is webmail. Use the webmail link in hPanel, or go to your webmail address and sign in with the full email and its password. You can read and send from any browser immediately. It's fine for a quick look or a shared support inbox; for daily use, connect the mailbox to your devices.
Phone and desktop: IMAP and SMTP settings
To use the mailbox in Apple Mail, Gmail, Outlook or a phone's mail app, add it as an IMAP account. hPanel's email section lists the exact server names for your account. Use those if they differ from the pattern below.
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Incoming (IMAP) | Your mail host, port 993, SSL/TLS on |
| Outgoing (SMTP) | Same host, port 465 with SSL, or 587 with STARTTLS; authentication on |
| Username | The full email address |
| Password | The mailbox password you set in hPanel |
| Account type | IMAP, not POP3, so every device sees the same mail |
Keeping mail out of spam: SPF, DKIM, DMARC
Mail from a brand-new domain can land in spam until receiving servers can verify it's really you. Three DNS records handle that. When your email and DNS are both at Hostinger, it creates them for you.
- SPF lists the servers allowed to send mail for your domain.
- DKIM signs each message so the recipient can confirm it wasn't altered.
- DMARC tells inboxes what to do with mail that fails the other two checks.
Email and website on different hosts
This is where most "my email stopped" tickets originate. MX records decide where mail is delivered, and they're easy to lose during a site move.
If the mailboxes are on Hostinger but DNS lives elsewhere, or the other way round, copy the MX, SPF and DKIM records from the mail host into the authoritative DNS. Do it before switching nameservers during a migration, not after. The WordPress migration guide covers the order of operations.
Troubleshooting: symptom, cause, fix
Most email problems are one of these four.
| Symptom | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Nothing arrives | MX records point to the wrong host, or the domain expired | Correct the MX records in authoritative DNS; renew the domain |
| Receives but can't send | Wrong SMTP port or authentication off | Use 465 (SSL) or 587 (STARTTLS) with authentication on |
| Everything lands in spam | SPF, DKIM or DMARC missing or wrong | Verify all three; send slowly at first from a new domain |
| Password rejected | Password changed or mistyped on a device | Reset it in hPanel and update every device |
Still stuck
If none of those fit, hPanel live chat can read the delivery logs for a specific message. If you're new to the dashboard, the hPanel tour shows where Emails and DNS live.
Questions people ask
Does Hostinger come with free email?
Many Hostinger web hosting plans include free email, so you can create at least one mailbox on your domain at no extra cost. Business Email is a paid add-on for bigger mailboxes, and Google Workspace is available if you want Gmail on your domain.
What are Hostinger's IMAP and SMTP settings?
IMAP on port 993 with SSL for incoming, and SMTP on port 465 with SSL or 587 with STARTTLS for outgoing, using the full email address as the username. hPanel's email section shows the exact hostnames for your account.
Why does my Hostinger email go to spam?
Usually because SPF, DKIM and DMARC are missing or wrong, so receiving servers can't verify the mail. Hostinger adds them when email and DNS are both at Hostinger; otherwise you must copy them into your authoritative DNS.
Can I read Hostinger email in Gmail or Outlook?
Yes. Add the mailbox as an IMAP account in Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail or your phone's mail app using the IMAP and SMTP settings. IMAP keeps the same mail on every device.
My new mailbox receives nothing. Why?
Most often the MX records don't point to your mail host, or point to the old one after a migration. Check the MX records in your authoritative DNS and make sure the domain hasn't expired.
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