Apple Mail is the built-in email client on every Mac and offers seamless integration with macOS. In this guide, we will show you how to add your email account and configure it optimally for the best experience.

Before you begin

Make sure you have the following information at hand:

You can find this information in DirectAdmin under "Email Accounts", or in the welcome email you received when creating your account.

Adding email in Apple Mail

Step 1: Open Apple Mail settings

There are two ways to get started:

If Apple Mail is not yet configured:

  1. Open Apple Mail (in your Dock or via Spotlight with Cmd+Space)
  2. The "Add Account" window will appear automatically
  3. Select "Other Mail Account (not iCloud, Google, etc.)
  4. Click "Continue

If you already have other accounts:

  1. Open Apple Mail
  2. Go to Mail > Add Account (in the menu bar at the top)
  3. Select "Other Mail Account
  4. Click "Continue

Step 2: Enter your account details

Fill in the following details:

Field Value
Name Your name (as recipients see it)
Email Address Your full email address
Password Your email password

Click on "Log In. Apple Mail will now automatically try to find the correct settings.

Step 3: Manual configuration

If the automatic configuration does not work (this often happens), Apple Mail will ask for additional information. Fill in these server details:

Account type: Choose IMAP (recommended for synchronization)

Incoming mail server (IMAP):

Setting Value
Host name mail.yourdomain.com
Username Your full email address
Password Your email password

Outgoing mail server (SMTP):

Setting Value
Host name mail.yourdomain.com
Username Your full email address
Password Your email password

Click on "Log In to proceed.

Step 4: Configure SSL/TLS and ports

After adding, you need to check the security settings:

  1. Go to Mail > Settings (or press Cmd+,)
  2. Click on the "Accounts tab
  3. Select your recently added account
  4. Click on "Server Settings

Incoming mail (IMAP):

  • Uncheck "Automatically manage connection settings
  • Port: 993
  • Use TLS/SSL: On (checked)
  • Authentication: Password

Outgoing mail (SMTP):

  • Click on the dropdown menu next to "Account"
  • Choose "Edit SMTP Server List
  • Select your server and click on "Advanced
  • Port: 465
  • Use TLS/SSL: On (checked)
  • Authentication: Password

Optimizing synchronization settings

Synchronize all folders

By default, Apple Mail may not synchronize all server folders:

  1. Go to Mail > Settings > Accounts
  2. Select your account
  3. Click on "Mailbox Behavior
  4. Ensure that a server folder is selected for each type (Drafts, Sent, Trash, Junk)

This ensures that your folders are the same on all devices.

Setting up a signature

Add a professional signature:

  1. Go to Mail > Settings
  2. Click on "Signatures
  3. Click on "+ at the bottom left to create a new signature
  4. Give your signature a name
  5. Type your signature in the right box

Example signature:

Best regards,

Jan de Vries
Company Name B.V.
Tel: 020-123 4567
www.companyname.com

Drag the signature to your account in the left column to link it.

Troubleshooting

"Cannot connect to server"

This is the most common issue. Check the following:

  1. Check your internet connection - Open Safari and test if websites work
  2. Check the server name - Must be exactly mail.yourdomain.com
  3. Check ports - IMAP: 993, SMTP: 465
  4. Enable SSL - Both servers must use SSL/TLS

"Password not accepted"

  1. Test your password - Log in to webmail to verify it works
  2. Use your full email address - Not just the part before @
  3. Check for uppercase letters - Passwords are case-sensitive
  4. Special characters - Some special characters may cause issues

"Messages not sending"

  1. Check SMTP settings - Port 465 with SSL
  2. Check authentication - Password must be set
  3. Try port 587 - If 465 does not work, use port 587 with STARTTLS

"Folders not synchronizing"

  1. Go to Mail > Settings > Accounts > Mailbox Behavior
  2. Assign each folder type to the correct server folder
  3. Restart Apple Mail

Certificate warning

If you receive a warning about the certificate:

  1. This may occur with new domains
  2. Click on "Show Certificate to view details
  3. If the domain name is correct, click on "Always Trust

Useful tips for Apple Mail

Keyboard shortcuts

Action Keyboard Shortcut
New mail Cmd+N
Reply Cmd+R
Reply all Cmd+Shift+R
Forward Cmd+Shift+F
Send Cmd+Shift+D
Search Cmd+F
Archive Ctrl+Cmd+A

Create a smart mailbox

Automatically filter certain emails:

  1. Go to Mailbox > New Smart Mailbox
  2. Set your filter rules
  3. Emails that meet the criteria will appear automatically

Set up notifications

  1. Go to System Preferences > Notifications
  2. Find Mail in the list
  3. Set how you want to receive notifications

Need help?

We are here for you! Are you facing any issues or do you have questions? Our support team is happy to assist you personally. Send us a message via the ticket system - we usually respond within a few hours and are happy to help.

Managing multiple email accounts in Apple Mail

If you have more than one email account, Apple Mail makes it easy to manage them all in a single application. Here is how to keep your accounts organized:

Adding a second account

Go to Mail > Settings > Accounts and click the + button. Select Other Mail Account and enter your credentials. Apple Mail will add the account to the sidebar alongside your existing one. Each account gets its own inbox, sent folder, and drafts.

Setting a default sending account

When composing a new email, Apple Mail uses your default account. To change it, go to Mail > Settings > Composing and select your preferred account from the Send new messages from dropdown. You can also change the sending account per email by clicking the From field in the compose window.

Using mailbox favorites

Drag your most-used mailboxes to the Favorites bar at the top of Apple Mail for quick access. This is especially useful when you manage separate accounts for work and personal email, as you can switch between inboxes with a single click.

Unified inbox vs. separate inboxes

Apple Mail shows a unified All Inboxes view by default. If you prefer to see each account separately, simply click the disclosure triangle next to Inboxes in the sidebar. You can also create Smart Mailboxes that filter messages from specific accounts based on rules you define.

Professional email with your own domain

A professional email address makes all the difference. Instead of using a free email provider, set up Apple Mail with your own domain name for a more professional appearance.

With email hosting from Theory7, you can create email addresses like info@yourdomain.com and configure them in Apple Mail using the IMAP/SMTP settings from your hosting control panel. All plans include:

  • Easy Apple Mail setup — standard IMAP/SMTP configuration works out of the box
  • Push notifications — receive emails instantly on your Mac
  • Webmail access — check your email from any browser when you are away from your Mac
  • Anti-spam protection — advanced filtering keeps your inbox clean

Start with a domain name registration and add email hosting for a complete professional setup.