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Create an app password

Many mail providers don't let other apps sign in with your normal password. Instead you create an app password: a separate password just for PlainMailOS, which you can revoke at any time without changing your main password. Use it in the password field when you connect (or update) an IMAP mailbox, with your full email address as the username.

Yahoo Mail

  1. Sign in to your Yahoo account and open Account security.
  2. Choose Generate app password (or Manage app passwords).
  3. Name it “PlainMailOS”, generate it, and copy the password shown.

iCloud Mail

  1. Two-factor authentication must be on for your Apple Account.
  2. Sign in at account.apple.com, open Sign-In and Security, then App-Specific Passwords.
  3. Create one named “PlainMailOS” and copy it.

Gmail (over IMAP)

  1. Turn on 2-Step Verification in your Google Account (myaccount.google.com/security).
  2. Open myaccount.google.com/apppasswords, create an app password named “PlainMailOS”, and copy it.
  3. Google Workspace accounts: your administrator may have turned app passwords off. Ask them, or wait for direct Gmail connection, which is coming soon.

Outlook, Hotmail and Microsoft 365

Microsoft no longer accepts passwords or app passwords for IMAP on these accounts. Connect them with the Connect Outlook / Microsoft 365 button instead; it uses Microsoft's own sign-in.

Server settings

Port 993 with SSL/TLS works for all of these:

  • Yahoo Mail: imap.mail.yahoo.com (App password required)
  • iCloud Mail: imap.mail.me.com (App-specific password required; username is your iCloud email address)
  • Gmail: imap.gmail.com (App password required (2-Step Verification must be on))
  • AOL Mail: imap.aol.com (App password required)
  • Zoho Mail: imap.zoho.com (App-specific password if two-factor sign-in is on)

For other providers, look for “IMAP settings” in their help pages. PlainMailOS connects on port 993 (SSL/TLS) or 143 (STARTTLS).

Still refused? Check for typing mistakes (paste the app password), make sure IMAP is turned on in your mailbox's settings, or contact us.