EarthLink SMTP Settings
The EarthLink SMTP settings listed below are required to use the outbound mail services without difficulty.
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| SMTP Host: | smtpauth.earthlink.net |
| SMTP Port: | 587 STARTTLS |
| SMTP Username: | Your full email address (name@domain.com) |
| SMTP Password: | Your mail account password |
EarthLink Email Server Settings For Receiving Messages
Here are the general EarthLink POP3 and IMAP settings to use incoming emails effectively.
EarthLink POP Settings
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| POP3 Host: | pop.earthlink.net (for other EarthLink domains, use pop. plus your domain, such as pop.mindspring.com) |
| POP3 Port: | 995 |
| Requires SSL: | SSL/TLS |
| POP3 Username: | Your full email address (name@domain.com) |
| POP3 Password: | Your mail account password |
EarthLink IMAP Settings
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| IMAP Host: | imap.earthlink.net |
| IMAP Port: | 993 |
| Requires SSL: | SSL/TLS |
| IMAP Username: | Your full email address (name@domain.com) |
| IMAP Password: | Your mail account password |
An EarthLink Setup That Stays Clean Automatically
Once you’ve got your IMAP or SMTP settings sorted, the next step is keeping your inbox clean. Clean Email’s Auto Clean feature does exactly that—it helps you automate repetitive actions, like deleting messages from old sales campaigns or archiving receipts after a week.
Sender Settings give you total control over what happens with emails from certain people or companies. You can block senders, mute them so their emails are marked as read, or route their messages to a specific folder. It’s inbox management without the daily maintenance.
Need to delete lots of emails at once? With Group Actions, Clean Email lets you select multiple message groups and apply a single action—like move to trash, archive, or label them. No more clicking email by email.
And with Clean Email working alongside EarthLink, you don’t have to worry about syncing issues. It works at the account level, so everything you do reflects across all your email apps automatically.
Additional Key Points to Remember
Beyond email settings, there are more points and suggestions to consider for utilizing EarthLink smoothly.
💡 Note: Use SSL/TLS for incoming mail (port 993 for IMAP or 995 for POP3) and STARTTLS for outgoing mail on port 587. Turn on authentication for both, with your full email address and password.
Second, if you use EarthLink's spamBlocker, you can see your Suspect and Known Spam folders in your mail application or on your mobile device when you use IMAP. In other words, you will not have to visit WebMail to check for spam-tagged emails anymore. You can move them directly from your Spam folder to your Inbox if you want.
Finally, if you’re switching from POP to IMAP, add IMAP to your mail program as a new account rather than editing the existing POP setup. If you stay on POP, turn on your app’s “Leave a copy of messages on the server” option to keep your mail available in EarthLink Web Mail.
Keep your mailbox active. If you don’t sign in to EarthLink Web Mail, MyEarthLink, or the EarthLink Portal for 90 days, EarthLink stops delivering new email, and messages sent in the meantime can’t be recovered. Since your mail app may not count as a sign-in, open Web Mail at least once every 90 days, or set up a vacation message or forwarding if you’ll be away longer.
💡 Note: Since POP and IMAP work differently, changes to POP or IMAP configurations may result in lost or missing messages.
Furthermore, encryption protects your email content from being intercepted and read when you download it from the EarthLink server.
When using IMAP, choose SSL/TLS as the security method for the incoming server in your mail client’s advanced settings, and STARTTLS for the outgoing server.
Looking for CenturyLink settings or Bluehost email settings? Our Blog's Email Settings category contains specs for all major mail service providers.
POP3 vs. IMAP: What's The Difference
Incoming messages get handled via the POP3 and IMAP protocols. However, the differences between them make one more useful in some situations than the other.
POP3, or Post Office Protocol, enables you to use your inbox like a post office, downloading emails to your computer and deleting them from the mail server.
On the other hand, IMAP, or Internet message access protocol, allows you to read the same messages across many mail applications or webmail interfaces. Because IMAP stores emails on the mail server rather than on your PC, this feature is accessible.
In the end, your choice of protocol is determined by how you wish to access your messages. POP3 should be utilized if you only use one client application on a single dedicated device, such as your work computer at the office.
On the other hand, you should use IMAP if you check your mailing on several devices, such as a phone, a computer, a tablet, etc. You want your devices to sync, including emails and any organizational structure you have built.
Because of its flexibility, many people adopt IMAP rather than POP3.
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