Enable IMAP in your GMX email account in 11 easy steps. Includes the GMX IMAP server settings you need to connect to Outlook, Thunderbird or iPhone Mail. Duration: 3 min.
Video Transcript
In this video we show you how to enable IMAP in your GMX email account in 11 easy steps and connect it to an email client like Outlook, Thunderbird or iPhone Mail.
GMX Mail is a free email service that supports IMAP access. IMAP lets you connect your GMX account to any email client while keeping all your emails synced across devices. Before you can use GMX with an email client, you must first enable IMAP from within your GMX account settings.
To start, open your browser and go to www.gmx.com. Sign in with your GMX email address and password.
Once you are logged in, click the gear icon or Settings option at the top of the page. From the dropdown, select Email Settings or Account Settings.
In the settings panel on the left, find the POP3 and IMAP section and click on it. This is where GMX keeps all the settings related to connecting your account to external email clients.
Under the IMAP section, you will see an option to enable IMAP. Click the toggle or checkbox to turn it on.
GMX will display the IMAP server settings you need. Make a note of these: the incoming IMAP server is imap.gmx.com, the port is 993 and the security type is SSL/TLS. For outgoing mail, use smtp.gmx.com on port 587 with STARTTLS security.
Click Save to apply the settings. Now open your email client and add a new account. Select IMAP as the account type, enter your GMX email address and password, and fill in the server details you noted down.
Your GMX account will now connect via IMAP and your emails will begin syncing to the email client. Any changes you make, such as reading or deleting emails, will be reflected in your GMX webmail as well.
What is GMX IMAP and Why Enable It?
IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) lets you access your GMX emails from any email client without removing them from the GMX server. Unlike POP3, IMAP keeps everything in sync across all your devices. If you read an email on Outlook, it appears as read in GMX webmail too. To set this up, you first need to enable IMAP inside your GMX account at gmx.com and then use the GMX IMAP server details to configure your email client. The entire process takes about 3 minutes.
11 Steps to Enable GMX Email Account IMAP Settings
- Open your browser and go to www.gmx.com.
- Sign in with your GMX email address and password.
- Click the gear icon or Settings option at the top of the page.
- Select Email Settings or Account Settings from the dropdown menu.
- In the left panel, click on POP3 and IMAP.
- Under the IMAP section, enable the IMAP option by clicking the toggle or checkbox.
- Note down the GMX IMAP server settings: Server: imap.gmx.com · Port: 993 · Security: SSL/TLS.
- Click Save to apply the settings.
- Open your email client such as Outlook, Thunderbird or iPhone Mail.
- Add a new account, select IMAP as the type, and enter your GMX email address, password and the IMAP server details.
- Your GMX account is now connected via IMAP and emails will start syncing to your email client.
Things to Keep in Mind
- Use the full GMX IMAP server settings when setting up your email client: Incoming: imap.gmx.com, Port 993, SSL/TLS. Outgoing: smtp.gmx.com, Port 587, STARTTLS. Using the wrong port or security type will cause connection errors.
- Always use your complete GMX email address as the username when setting up IMAP. Using only the username part without @gmx.com is a common mistake that causes authentication to fail.
- If your GMX account has two-factor authentication enabled, some email clients may need an app password instead of your regular GMX password.
- IMAP syncs emails in real time, but the first sync after adding your account may take a few minutes if you have a large inbox. Keep the email client open and connected to the internet during the initial sync.
- If you switch from POP3 to IMAP, emails already downloaded by POP3 will remain locally but new emails will be fetched via IMAP. Consider clearing the old POP3 account from the client before adding the IMAP account.
GMX IMAP Server Settings Reference
- Incoming mail (IMAP): Server imap.gmx.com · Port 993 · Security SSL/TLS · Username: your full GMX email address
- Outgoing mail (SMTP): Server smtp.gmx.com · Port 587 · Security STARTTLS · Username: your full GMX email address
- If port 587 for SMTP does not work, try port 465 with SSL/TLS as an alternative. Some older email clients require this.
- Keep a screenshot of these settings saved on your phone. They are the same for every GMX account and you will need them each time you add GMX to a new device or client.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is IMAP and why do I need it for GMX Mail?
IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) lets you access your GMX emails from any email client such as Outlook, Thunderbird or iPhone Mail while keeping all emails synced across devices. Unlike POP3, IMAP keeps your emails on the GMX server so any changes you make in one app are reflected everywhere.
How do I enable IMAP in my GMX email account?
Sign in to gmx.com, click the gear icon to open Settings, go to Email Settings, select POP3 and IMAP from the left panel, enable the IMAP option and click Save. Then use the GMX IMAP server details to set up your email client.
What are the GMX IMAP server settings?
The GMX IMAP server settings are: Incoming mail server: imap.gmx.com, Port: 993, Security: SSL/TLS. For outgoing SMTP: smtp.gmx.com, Port: 587, Security: STARTTLS. Use your full GMX email address and password when prompted.
Can I use GMX IMAP with Outlook or Thunderbird?
Yes. Once IMAP is enabled in your GMX account settings, you can add your GMX account to Outlook, Thunderbird, iPhone Mail, Android Mail or any other IMAP-compatible email client using the server details: imap.gmx.com on port 993 with SSL/TLS security.
What is the difference between GMX IMAP and POP3?
IMAP keeps your emails on the GMX server and syncs them across all your devices. If you read an email on your phone, it appears as read on your computer too. POP3 downloads emails to one device and removes them from the server, so they are not accessible on other devices. IMAP is recommended for most users.