What Is a Host Name for Email?

Definition

💡 A host name (also written as hostname) in the context of email is the address of a server whose purpose is to handle the sending and/or receiving of emails.

The server behind the host name works a lot like the traditional post office. The biggest difference is that virtually all mail servers are intended to be constantly online (and most achieve an availability of around 99.9%).

When the server to which a particular host name points isn't online or is experiencing some sort of an issue, emails sent to addresses associated with that server may bounce back to the sender. This is known as a hard bounce.

Examples

The hostname typically follows a specific format, often starting with "smtp" or "imap." Here are some examples from popular email service providers:

Gmail:

  • IMAP: imap.gmail.com
  • SMTP: smtp.gmail.com

Outlook.com / Hotmail:

  • IMAP: outlook.office365.com
  • SMTP: smtp.office365.com

Yahoo Mail:

  • IMAP: imap.mail.yahoo.com
  • SMTP: smtp.mail.yahoo.com

Apple iCloud:

  • IMAP: imap.mail.me.com
  • SMTP: smtp.mail.me.com

Zoho Mail:

  • IMAP: imap.zoho.com
  • SMTP: smtp.zoho.com

The words "imap" and "smtp" aren't just some random prefixes; they actually represent the email protocols used for different purposes. IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) is used to receive and manage emails on the server, while SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) is used to send emails.

Other email-related technologies you might encounter include POP3 (Post Office Protocol version 3), another protocol to receive emails, and Exchange ActiveSync, a proprietary protocol from Microsoft for syncing emails, calendars, and contacts.

How to Find the Host Name for Email

Hostnames are often needed when setting up third-party email clients like Microsoft Outlook, Apple Mail, or Thunderbird.

Mail service providers typically list hostnames (along with corresponding port numbers, which are specific channels used for different types of connections, such as those used for encryption) on their websites:

If you can't find the hostname information for your specific email provider, you can try a Google search using terms like "[Your email provider] IMAP SMTP settings" or "[Your email provider] email server settings." Should that fail too, then don't hesitate to ask the provider directly or post a question on a community forum.

Related content

Related terms

Try Clean Email for Free
*****4.4based on 1011 user reviews
Get Started
InboxClean Your Mailbox

Tools like Quick Clean and Smart Views to help you quickly clean out an overloaded inbox

Mute unwanted emailsUnsubscribe

Keep unwanted emails out of your Inbox by unsubscribing - even from email lists that don’t have an unsubscribe link

Clean your emailsKeep it Clean

Automate repetitive with Auto Clean rules to archive emails as they become old or sort them into folders

Background
Use filters to find emails you want to clean.Arrow
Screener FeatureArrow
UnsubscribeArrow
Auto CleanArrow
Sender SettingsArrow