How to configure Windows Mail on Windows 10?
- Start Windows Mail.
- Select the “+ Add account” option.
- Scroll down the selection window until you can select the “Advanced setup” option.
- In the advanced setup, now select the “Internet email” account type.
- In the “Email address” field, enter the email address of the account to be configured.
- In the “User name” field, also enter the email address of the account to be configured.
- In the “Password” field, enter the password of the email account to be retrieved.
- In the “Account name” field, enter the name you want to set as the sender.
- As the incoming server, configure mail.routing.net.
- As the outgoing server, configure mail.routing.net.
- Check the box “Outgoing server requires authentication”.
- Also check the box “Use the same user name and password to send email”.
- SSL encryption for receiving and sending is optional, but strongly recommended.
- Then click “Sign in”.
- Windows Mail now starts configuring your mailbox and will give you feedback once the configuration is successful.
Recommended settings summary
Windows Mail setup often fails due to minor input errors: incorrect port, missing encryption, or an incomplete username. A compact, copy-ready settings block reduces these errors and speeds up setup, especially when configuring multiple devices.
Use these standard values as your baseline configuration:
Login format
- Username: your full email address (for example, name@yourdomain.tld)
- Password: the mailbox password (not your Windows account password)
Incoming mail (IMAP recommended)
- Server (IMAP): mail.routing.net
- Encryption: SSL/TLS (recommended)
- Port: 993 (typical for IMAP with SSL/TLS)
Outgoing mail (SMTP)
- Server (SMTP): mail.routing.net
- Encryption: STARTTLS or SSL/TLS (recommended)
- Port: 587 (typical for STARTTLS) or 465 (typical for SSL/TLS)
- Authentication: enabled (username and password required)
If the guide you’re following lists different ports for your specific mailbox environment, always prioritize those values. Otherwise, the settings above are the common secure defaults used for mailbox configuration.
IMAP vs POP in Windows Mail: Which should you choose?
When Windows Mail asks whether you want IMAP or POP, choose based on how you intend to use the mailbox. The decision affects synchronisation, folder visibility, and long-term usability.
IMAP is recommended for most users. IMAP keeps the mailbox synchronised across devices. Messages remain on the server, and actions such as reading, moving to folders, or deleting mail are reflected consistently across your phone, desktop clients, and webmail. IMAP is also the best choice if you use multiple folders (Sent, Archives, custom folders) and want a consistent state.
POP is only recommended for specific workflows. POP often downloads messages to the device and may not synchronise folder changes in the same way. Depending on client settings, accessing the same mailbox from multiple devices can also lead to confusion, because “what you see” can differ from device to device.
In most modern setups, especially business mail, IMAP provides fewer surprises and significantly better consistency.
Outgoing mail requirements in Windows Mail
Receiving email and sending email are separate functions. Windows Mail can sometimes be configured to receive but fail to send because the SMTP settings are incomplete. The most essential requirement is that outgoing mail must be authenticated; Windows Mail must use your mailbox username and password to send mail through the SMTP server.
Key requirements for reliable sending:
- SMTP authentication must be enabled. Even if the app presents it as optional, it is required in practice for secure mail submission.
- Use the full email address as the SMTP username. Using only the local part (before @) often causes authentication failures.
- Use encryption (STARTTLS or SSL/TLS). This protects credentials and message submission and aligns with modern mail server expectations.
- Match ports to encryption. If you use STARTTLS, port 587 is the common choice; for SSL/TLS, port 465 is standard.
The correct outgoing configuration is critical because most “cannot send mail” problems trace back to missing authentication or a mismatched port/encryption.
Quick verification checklist after setup
After you finish configuration, verify immediately so you can fix issues while the settings screen is still open, and your changes are fresh. A short test reduces the chance of discovering problems later during honest communication.
Use this verification checklist:
- Receive test: confirm new inbound messages appear in the Inbox (send yourself a test email from an external address).
- Send test: send an email to an external address and confirm it is delivered.
- Sent folder check: confirm the sent message appears in the Sent folder, and that it is visible in other clients if you use them (webmail/phone). This confirms IMAP synchronization is working.
- Reply test: reply to a received email. This validates both receiving and sending in the same workflow.
- Folder sync sanity check: if you have custom folders, confirm they appear and that moving a message updates correctly after a short sync interval.
If any of these tests fail, the fastest fix is usually to re-check SMTP authentication, username format, and port/encryption values before changing anything else.