How to Add a New Email Account to Apple Mail

Adding an email account to Mail takes about five minutes and works the same way whether you're using a Mac or iPhone

Open Mail on your device, go to Settings (or Preferences on Mac), and add your email address and password. Mail will usually find your email provider's settings automatically. If it doesn't, you'll need your provider's incoming and outgoing server addresses — your email provider's support page has these, or you can search "[your provider] IMAP settings" to find them quickly.

The process is nearly identical on Mac, iPhone, and iPad. The main difference is where you find the settings menu, which this guide walks through step by step.

Key Takeaways

Mail can add most email accounts in under five minutes using just your email address and password.
If Mail cannot find your provider's settings automatically, you will need your incoming server address, outgoing server address, and port numbers — your email provider supplies these.
On Mac, Mail stores multiple accounts in the same inbox by default, but you can view them separately if you prefer.
Adding an account to your iPhone does not add it to your Mac automatically — you must add it on each device separately.

Adding an email account on Mac

Open Mail and click Mail in the top menu bar, then select Settings (or Preferences if you're using an older version). Click the Accounts tab at the top of the window.

Click the plus sign + in the lower left corner. A dialog box will appear asking for your email address and password. Type both in and click Continue. Mail will attempt to find your email provider's server settings automatically — this works for Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, and most other major providers.

If Mail finds your settings, you're done. Click Done and your account is ready to use. If Mail cannot find your settings automatically, it will ask you to enter them manually. You'll need your incoming mail server address, outgoing mail server address, username, and password. Your email provider's support page has all of this information. Once you enter these details, click Continue, then Done.

Adding an email account on iPhone or iPad

Open Settings (not Mail). Scroll down and tap Mail. Tap Accounts, then tap Add Account. Select your email provider from the list if it appears — Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, and others are listed. If your provider isn't listed, tap Other.

Type your email address and password, then tap Next. Mail will try to find your server settings automatically. If it succeeds, you'll see a confirmation screen — tap Save and you're finished. If Mail cannot find your settings, you'll need to enter them manually using the same server information your email provider supplies.

On iPhone and iPad, Mail adds the account to your device only. Adding an account to your iPhone does not add it to your Mac, and vice versa. If you want the same account on both devices, you must add it separately on each one.

What to do if Mail cannot find your email provider's settings

When Mail cannot automatically detect your provider's settings, you need four pieces of information: your incoming mail server address (usually something like imap.gmail.com), your outgoing mail server address (usually smtp.gmail.com), and the port numbers for each. Your email provider's support page lists all of this. Search "[your provider name] IMAP settings" or "[your provider name] SMTP settings" if you can't find it on their support site.

Common incoming servers use port 993 (for IMAP) or 995 (for POP3). Common outgoing servers use port 587 or 465. Your provider will specify which one to use. Enter these details exactly as your provider lists them — capitalization and spacing matter for server addresses, though not for your password.

If you enter the settings and Mail still won't connect, double-check that you've typed your email address and password correctly. A single wrong character will cause the connection to fail. If you're still stuck, contact your email provider's support team — they can confirm your settings are correct and troubleshoot connection problems.

Managing multiple accounts in Mail

Once you've added more than one account, Mail shows all your incoming messages in a single unified inbox by default. This is convenient if you want to see everything in one place. If you prefer to view each account's inbox separately, you can change this setting.

On Mac, open Mail Settings, click Viewing, and uncheck Show unified inbox. On iPhone or iPad, open Settings, tap Mail, tap Inbox, and toggle off Unified Inbox. After you make this change, Mail will show each account's inbox as a separate folder in your sidebar or account list.

You can also set which account Mail uses as your default for sending new messages. On Mac, go to Settings, click Composing, and choose your default account from the Send new messages from dropdown. On iPhone and iPad, open Settings, tap Mail, tap Default Account, and select the account you want to use.

Fixing connection problems after adding an account

If Mail added your account but messages aren't downloading, or if you see an error message when you try to send, the most common cause is an incorrect password. Open your email provider's website, log in to confirm your password is correct, then update it in Mail. On Mac, go to Settings, click Accounts, select your account, and click Account Information — you can update your password there. On iPhone or iPad, go to Settings, tap Mail, tap Accounts, select your account, and tap Account to update your password.

If your password is correct but Mail still won't connect, your email provider may require an app-specific password instead of your regular password. Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo all offer this option for security reasons. Check your email provider's security settings page to see if you need to generate an app-specific password, then use that password in Mail instead of your regular one.

If you're still having trouble after checking your password and trying an app-specific password, try removing the account and adding it again from scratch. On Mac, go to Settings, click Accounts, select your account, and click the minus sign − at the bottom. On iPhone or iPad, go to Settings, tap Mail, tap Accounts, select your account, and tap Delete Account. Then add it again following the steps above.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add the same email account to both my Mac and iPhone?

Yes, but you must add it separately on each device. Adding an account to your Mac does not automatically add it to your iPhone, and vice versa. The account will work independently on each device, though they will all receive the same incoming messages from your email provider's server.

What's the difference between IMAP and POP3?

IMAP keeps your messages on your email provider's server, so you see the same messages and folders on every device. POP3 downloads messages to your device and removes them from the server, so messages appear only on the device where you downloaded them. Most people should use IMAP unless your provider only offers POP3.

Why does Mail say my password is wrong when I know it's correct?

Your email provider may require an app-specific password for security reasons. Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo all use this system. Check your email provider's account security page to see if you need to generate a separate password for Mail, then use that password instead of your regular one.

Can I delete an email account from Mail without deleting the actual account?

Yes. Removing an account from Mail only removes it from that app — it does not delete your actual email account or any messages. Your messages stay on your email provider's server. You can add the account back to Mail anytime by following the steps above.

This guide is for general information only and is not medical, financial, legal, or other professional advice. For decisions specific to your situation, consult a qualified professional. See our Editorial Policy.