Reading time: 8 min · Last verified: August 2026 · SMTPedia editorial team
CenturyLink email settings are shared across a family of sixteen domains, not just @centurylink.net. The same three servers serve @embarqmail.com, @qwest.net, @centurytel.net, @mebtel.net and eleven other names CenturyLink absorbed through decades of telephone company mergers. If your address ends in any of them, the values below are the ones to enter. There is one exception, @qwestoffice.net, and it is the exception that generates most of the failed setups.
CenturyLink’s IMAP server is mail.centurylink.net, not imap.centurylink.net. Almost every other provider in this directory follows the imap. prefix convention, so mail clients that guess the hostname guess wrong here, and the account fails to connect with a generic server not found error. The POP and SMTP hosts do follow the convention: pop.centurylink.net and smtp.centurylink.net. Type the incoming host by hand rather than accepting the client’s suggestion.
Quick Reference: CenturyLink Server Settings
These are the values CenturyLink publishes in its own support documentation. The username is always the full email address, including the part after the at sign, and the password is the CenturyLink account password.
| Protocol | Server | Port | Encryption | Authentication |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IMAP (incoming, recommended) | mail.centurylink.net | 993 | SSL/TLS | Full email address |
| POP (incoming, single device) | pop.centurylink.net | 995 | SSL/TLS | Full email address |
| SMTP (outgoing) | smtp.centurylink.net | 587 (TLS) or 465 (SSL) | TLS, or SSL where TLS is unavailable | Full email address, authentication required |
The outgoing server requires authentication. In Outlook this is the checkbox labelled “My outgoing server (SMTP) requires authentication”, and it is off by default. Leaving it off is the single most common cause of an account that receives mail correctly but refuses to send.
CenturyLink IMAP Settings
Use mail.centurylink.net on port 993 with SSL/TLS. CenturyLink recommends IMAP over POP, and for anyone reading mail on more than one device that recommendation is correct: IMAP keeps the mailbox on the server, so a message read on a phone shows as read in Outlook, and a message filed into a folder is filed everywhere.
Port 993 is the implicit TLS port, which means the connection is encrypted from the first byte rather than upgraded mid-session. There is no STARTTLS variant documented for CenturyLink IMAP, so if a client offers a choice between SSL/TLS and STARTTLS on the incoming server, choose SSL/TLS. For the general difference between the two, see the reference on email protocols, ports and TLS configuration.
CenturyLink POP Settings
Use pop.centurylink.net on port 995 with SSL/TLS. POP downloads messages to one device and, depending on the client’s setting, deletes them from the server afterwards. That is worth knowing before choosing it: once a message has been pulled down by a POP client configured to remove server copies, webmail will not show it again and a second device will never see it.
Choose POP only if you read mail on exactly one computer and want a local archive that survives the account. In every other case IMAP on 993 is the better setting, and it is the one CenturyLink itself recommends.
CenturyLink SMTP Settings
Use smtp.centurylink.net on port 587 with TLS. Port 465 with SSL is also documented and works, but 587 is the submission port defined for authenticated mail clients and it is the one to try first. CenturyLink’s own wording on the primary settings page is “TLS if available”, which is an invitation to fall back to 465 on older clients that cannot negotiate STARTTLS on 587.
Three things have to be right at once for sending to work:
- The username is the full email address. Entering only the part before the at sign is a silent failure that looks like a wrong password.
- Outgoing authentication is enabled, and the client is told to use the same credentials as the incoming server rather than prompting separately.
- The port and the encryption method match: 587 with TLS/STARTTLS, or 465 with SSL. Pairing 587 with SSL, or 465 with STARTTLS, produces a connection that hangs rather than a clear error.
The Sixteen Domains That Share These Settings
This is the part that most CenturyLink setup guides leave out. CenturyLink documents an “extended domains” list: fifteen additional email domains that use exactly the same servers, ports and encryption as centurylink.net. They are the residue of the regional telephone companies CenturyLink acquired, and many of their users have no idea their mail is a CenturyLink account at all.
SAME SERVERS AS centurylink.net
centurytel.net · clds.net · coastalnow.net · cochill.net · cswnet.com · elpasotel.net · embarqmail.com · emadisonriver.com · emadisonriver.net · gallatinriver.net · grics.net · gulftel.com · madisonriver.biz · mebtel.net · qwest.net
If your address ends in any of the fifteen names above, use mail.centurylink.net, pop.centurylink.net and smtp.centurylink.net. Do not try to build a hostname from your own domain: there is no mail.embarqmail.com and no smtp.qwest.net to connect to. This pattern of one infrastructure serving many inherited consumer domains is the norm rather than the exception among American telecom providers, and it is catalogued in the roundup of legacy consumer email domains still running on successor infrastructure.
The nearest comparison in this directory is AT&T, which consolidated att.net, sbcglobal.net, bellsouth.net, ameritech.net and pacbell.net onto shared servers in the same way, though it added a Secure Mail Key requirement that CenturyLink does not impose. See the AT&T SMTP, IMAP and POP3 settings for that variant.
QwestOffice.net Is the Exception
One domain in the CenturyLink family does not follow the settings above. Addresses ending in @qwestoffice.net have their own servers, their own ports, and a different security posture.
| Protocol | Server | Port | Encryption |
|---|---|---|---|
| POP (incoming) | pop.qwestoffice.net | 110 | None documented |
| SMTP (outgoing) | smtp.qwestoffice.net | 465 | SSL |
Port 110 is the cleartext POP port. CenturyLink documents no encryption for qwestoffice.net incoming mail, which means the mailbox password and every retrieved message cross the network unprotected unless the client can negotiate STARTTLS on its own. Treat that as a reason to move the mailbox rather than as a setting to be satisfied with. No IMAP host is documented for qwestoffice.net at all, so multi device access is not available on this domain the way it is on centurylink.net.
Do not mix the two families. A qwestoffice.net address entered against smtp.centurylink.net will fail authentication, and a centurylink.net address pointed at pop.qwestoffice.net will fail to find the mailbox. The domain after the at sign decides which table applies, and there is no overlap between them.
Entering the Settings in Common Clients
Outlook on Windows
Choose manual setup rather than letting Outlook autodiscover the account, because autodiscovery will look for imap.centurylink.net and find nothing. Select IMAP, enter mail.centurylink.net and smtp.centurylink.net, set the incoming port to 993 with SSL/TLS and the outgoing port to 587 with TLS, then open the outgoing server tab and tick the authentication checkbox. Related walkthroughs for the same client are in the guides on scheduling mail in Outlook and recalling a sent message.
iPhone and Android
On iOS, add the account under Mail, Accounts, Add Account, then Other and Add Mail Account. On Android, use Add another email account and pick Other from the provider list. Both platforms will offer to detect the servers; decline and enter them manually for the same reason as Outlook. Both will also ask for the username twice, once for incoming and once for outgoing, and both want the full email address in each field.
Thunderbird
Thunderbird’s automatic configuration probes common hostnames and will typically settle on something that does not answer. Click Configure manually before it finishes, then enter the hostnames from the table above and set the authentication method to normal password on both servers. Thunderbird and Outlook are both listed in the email clients directory with their platform coverage.
When the Account Will Not Connect
Work through the failures in the order they occur, because a sending problem cannot be diagnosed until receiving works.
- Server not found, or the connection times out on the incoming server. The hostname is wrong. Confirm it reads
mail.centurylink.netand notimap.centurylink.net, which does not resolve to a mail server. - Incoming works, outgoing fails. Outgoing authentication is disabled, or the outgoing username is missing. Enter the full address in the outgoing credentials rather than inheriting a blank.
- The client reports an authentication failure on both servers. The username is probably the local part only. CenturyLink expects
name@centurylink.net, notname. - The connection opens then drops without an error message. The port and encryption are mismatched. Pair 587 with TLS or 465 with SSL, never the reverse.
- Sending is rejected with a permanent 5.7.x reply. That is a policy rejection rather than a settings problem; the 550 5.7.1 reference and the SMTP error code directory cover what the receiving side is objecting to.
If IMAP folders sync but stop updating after a while, that is a known and long running complaint against this platform rather than a misconfiguration on your side. Reports of centurylink.net IMAP folders failing to stay in sync with Outlook have been open on Microsoft’s own support forum since 2024, with no documented fix from either vendor. Switching a stuck account from IMAP to POP is not a repair; it trades a sync problem for a single device mailbox.
What CenturyLink Does Not Publish
Two things people look for are absent from CenturyLink’s public documentation, and this page will not invent them.
- No app specific password mechanism. Unlike AT&T’s Secure Mail Key or the app passwords used by Yahoo and Google, CenturyLink documents the plain account password for third party clients. If a client refuses that password, the cause is one of the four items in the troubleshooting list above and not a missing key.
- No OAuth2 support is documented for third party mail clients. Password authentication is what the published settings describe.
CenturyLink email support is served from a helpdesk on a separate domain from centurylink.com, which is worth knowing when judging whether a page giving these settings is authoritative. Both the primary support site and that helpdesk publish the same hostnames and ports, and this page reproduces only values that appear on both.
Frequently asked questions
What are the IMAP settings for CenturyLink email?
The incoming IMAP server is mail.centurylink.net on port 993 with SSL/TLS. The username is the full email address and the password is the CenturyLink account password. Note that the host is mail rather than imap, which is where most manual setups go wrong.
What is the CenturyLink SMTP server and port?
The outgoing server is smtp.centurylink.net on port 587 with TLS, or port 465 with SSL on clients that cannot use TLS on 587. Outgoing authentication must be enabled and it takes the same full email address and password as the incoming server.
Do embarqmail.com and qwest.net use the same settings?
Yes. CenturyLink lists embarqmail.com, qwest.net, centurytel.net and twelve other inherited domains as sharing the centurylink.net servers exactly. There is no separate hostname built from those domain names. The one domain that does not share them is qwestoffice.net.
Where do I find my email server settings?
For CenturyLink they are published on the provider’s own support site rather than inside the webmail interface, which is why the account setup screen does not offer them. The values on this page are taken from that documentation. For other providers, the settings directory on this site lists them per domain.
Should I use IMAP or POP for a CenturyLink account?
IMAP, unless you read mail on exactly one device and want a local archive. CenturyLink recommends IMAP as well. POP on port 995 downloads messages to a single machine and, with the usual default, removes them from the server, so no second device and no webmail session will show them afterwards.
Why does my CenturyLink email receive but not send?
Almost always because the outgoing server has authentication switched off, or because the outgoing username was left blank or entered without the domain. Enable outgoing authentication, set it to use the same credentials as the incoming server, and enter the address in full.
IMAP, POP3 and SMTP Integration into Gmail
Configure Gmail with external IMAP/POP3/SMTP to send/receive emails from your custom domain through Gmail’s interface. Perfect for professionals managing multiple accounts in one place.
- Google Account → Security → App passwords (2-Step Verification must be enabled).
- Generate App Password for “Mail” → copy 16-character password.
- Gmail → Settings → See all settings → Forwarding and POP/IMAP.
- Enable IMAP → Save Changes.
- Incoming (IMAP):
[IMAP SERVER]:993 SSL| Outgoing (SMTP):[SMTP SERVER]:587 STARTTLS. - Use your full email + App Password (not regular password) for authentication.
✅ Gmail Result: Send/receive custom domain email directly in Gmail interface with full search/folder integration.
WordPress SMTP Plugin Configuration (WP Mail SMTP + MailPoet)
Configure SMTP in WordPress to fix email delivery issues and prevent spam folder placement. WP Mail SMTP and MailPoet ensure reliable transactional emails, contact forms, and newsletters deliver successfully.
- Install and activate WP Mail SMTP or MailPoet plugin from your WordPress dashboard.
- Navigate to WP Mail SMTP → Settings or MailPoet → Settings → Sending tab.
- Select “Other SMTP” as your mailer method from the dropdown.
- Enter SMTP settings with Port
587and STARTTLS encryption (when available). - Input your full email address and password in the authentication fields.
- Click Save Settings and send a test email to verify the configuration works.
✅ Result: WordPress contact forms, user registrations, and newsletter emails now deliver reliably via your SMTP server.
This configuration includes these plugins and tools within WordPress:
- HappyForms
- Elementor Forms
- Gravity Form
- WooCommerce Checkout Form
- Contact Form by BestWebSoft
- Fluent Forms
- Contact Form 7
- WPForms
- Ninja Forms
- Default WordPress Reg Form
- Forminator Forms
- Formidable Form
- WordPress Comment Form
- Mail Mint Form
Thunderbird OAuth2 Email Setup (IMAP + SMTP)
Secure IMAP & SMTP using OAuth2 token authentication in Thunderbird. This modern method eliminates password storage for enhanced security.
- Open Thunderbird → Account Settings → Account Actions → Add Mail Account.
- Enter your email address and click Continue to begin setup.
- Select IMAP protocol and choose OAuth2 authentication method.
- Thunderbird opens a browser window → log in to your provider → Grant access permissions.
- Automatic configuration applies: Incoming: use the IMAP server address from the settings table above, port 993, SSL
- Click Done → Thunderbird begins syncing folders and emails immediately.
OAuth2 advantage: Token-based authentication enhances security over traditional password methods while maintaining full functionality.
Outlook IMAP, POP3 & SMTP Setup (Auto + Manual)
Outlook configuration supports both automatic server detection and manual IMAP/POP3/SMTP settings for complete control over your email setup.
🔄 Auto Setup (Recommended):
- Go to File → Add Account → Enter your email address + password.
- Outlook automatically detects IMAP, POP3, and SMTP server settings.
- Click Connect → setup completes in approximately 30 seconds.
⚙️ Manual Setup (Advanced Users):
- Authentication: Use your full email address + password for both servers
BlueMail Two-Factor Authentication + OAuth2 Setup
BlueMail security setup combines OAuth2 authentication with two-factor authentication (2FA) for maximum account protection.
- Open BlueMail → Account Settings → Security → Enable Two-Factor Authentication.
- Link your phone number or authenticator app for 2FA verification codes.
- Add email account → Choose OAuth2 or manual server configuration.
- Enter server details from the table above
- Complete login with 2FA code → enhanced security layer activated.
Apple Mail IMAP Configuration (iCloud + Manual)
Setup IMAP in Apple Mail for seamless synchronization across Mac, iPhone, and iPad devices with full folder support.
- Open Apple Mail → Mail → Add Account → Other Mail Account.
- Enter your name, email address, and password → click Continue.
- Select IMAP account type → Incoming server.
- Next: Outgoing server
- Click Sign In → Mail verifies settings and begins folder synchronization.
iOS Mail App Setup (iPhone/iPad)
iPhone/iPad Mail configuration syncs IMAP folders across all Apple devices with native push notifications.
- Go to Settings → Mail → Accounts → Add Account → Other.
- Enter name, email, password → Next.
- Account Type: IMAP → Incoming:
[IMAP SERVER]Port993SSL. - Enter your outgoing SMTP server and port.
- Next → Save → iOS verifies and syncs immediately.
Push enabled automatically: new emails appear instantly on Lock Screen.
Android Mail App Configuration
Android Gmail/Email app setup works with any IMAP/SMTP provider for native device integration.
- Go to: Settings → Accounts → Add Account → Email (or Gmail app).
- Enter email + password → Next.
- Account Type: IMAP
- Outgoing server details → Require authentication.
- Next → Sign In → Android syncs contacts/calendar if enabled.
Sync interval: 15min default (battery optimized) – change in Account Sync settings.
eM Client Manual IMAP & POP3 Sync Configuration
Configure your email settings on eM Client with either automatic setup or through precise IMAP/POP3 server settings for reliable email synchronization and full folder support.
- Click New Account → Mail
Authentication requires full email address + password for both incoming and outgoing servers.Click Next → Finish → Send/Receive All Folders to begin synchronization.
Mailbird OAuth2 IMAP & SMTP Integration
Secure Mailbird setup using OAuth2 authentication eliminates password storage while providing full IMAP/SMTP functionality.
- Mailbird → Add Account → Enter your email address to begin.
- Choose Manual Setup → OAuth2 authentication method from options.
- Browser opens your provider’s login page → enter credentials → Authorize Mailbird.
- Mailbird receives access token and automatically configures IMAP/SMTP servers.
- Setup completes → full email synchronization begins automatically.
Mailspring OAuth2 IMAP Configuration
Mailspring OAuth2 setup provides secure email access without storing passwords directly in the application.
- Add new email account → Select Custom IMAP configuration option.
- Incoming
IMAP SERVERand outgoingSMTP SERVER. - Mailspring prompts OAuth2 authorization via browser window for secure login.
- Log into your provider account and grant Mailspring access permissions.
- Mailspring automatically manages authentication tokens → seamless email access established.
Postbox Manual IMAP Synchronization
Postbox IMAP setup with manual synchronization control for precise email folder management and immediate updates.
- Add IMAP account → Enter IMAP Server details.
- Outgoing SMTP with full email authentication.
- Postbox connects and displays folder structure automatically.
- Right-click any folder → Get Messages for immediate manual synchronization.
- Manual sync updates local mailbox instantly with server changes (read status, deletions, organization).
SendBlaster SMTP Configuration (Bulk Email)
Bulk email SMTP configuration in SendBlaster requires precise server authentication for reliable campaign delivery.
- Open SendBlaster → Settings → SMTP Configuration section.
- Enter SMTP Server and Port: do not forget to Enable TLS encryption.
- Authentication: Your full email address + password (required).
- Click Test Connection → verify green success indicator appears.
- Save settings → SendBlaster ready for bulk email campaigns and newsletters.
MailJerry IMAP Real-Time Synchronization
MailJerry IMAP setup enables real-time access to email folders stored on your provider’s server across all devices.
- Incoming Server and encryption required.
- Authentication: Full email address + password for secure connection.
- Enable real-time folder synchronization settings in MailJerry preferences.
- Folders update instantly with new messages, read status, and deletions across devices.
Clean.email OAuth2 Synchronization Setup
Clean.email OAuth2 setup provides secure mailbox access without sharing passwords directly with the application.
- Add new account → Select OAuth2 authorization method.
- Your provider opens login portal → enter credentials securely.
- Grant Clean.email permissions for email read/write access.
- OAuth2 token enables real-time message management, filtering, and organization.
- Setup complete → Clean.email maintains secure, ongoing mailbox synchronization.
Common IMAP/POP3/SMTP Troubleshooting
- Authentication failed: Always use your complete email address, never just the username portion.
- Port blocked by ISP: Try alternative SMTP port as fallback.
- SSL certificate errors: Ensure certificate validation is enabled in client settings.
- Slow or no IMAP sync: Check folder subscriptions and enable all folders in client settings.
More Popular Email Settings Guides
| Guide | Region | Type |
|---|---|---|
| T-Online.de SMTP Settings | 🇩🇪 Germany | ISP |
| Fibertel.com.ar Webmail | 🇦🇷 Argentina | ISP |
| QQ Mail SMTP Server | 🇨🇳 China | Global |
| Volny Mail Settings | 🇨🇿 Czech Republic | ISP |
| Freemail.hu IMAP Settings | 🇭🇺 Hungary | Regional |
| Etisalat/EIM Mail Settings | 🇦🇪 UAE | ISP |
| Hotmail IMAP Settings | 🌐 Global | Global |
| 126.com IMAP Server Settings | 🇨🇳 China | Regional |
| Waoo Mail SMTP/IMAP | 🇩🇰 Denmark | ISP |
| GMX SMTP Server Settings | 🌐 Global | Global |
| 163.com IMAP Server Settings | 🇨🇳 China | Regional |
| Webmail.co.za IMAP Settings | 🇿🇦 South Africa | Regional |
About the Author
Alaa · LinkedIn
Email infrastructure specialist with 8+ years of hands-on experience in SMTP, deliverability, and email verification. I’ve configured and troubleshot mail systems across Postfix, Exchange, and cloud relays, managed IP reputation and warmup campaigns, and built verification pipelines processing millions of addresses. My work spans DNS authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC, BIMI), bounce handling, blocklist monitoring, and compliance frameworks including CAN-SPAM and GDPR. I write every article on SMTPedia to give email professionals, developers, and marketers the accurate, RFC-grounded reference they need.
About SMTPedia
SMTPedia is an independent email industry reference covering SMTP, IMAP, POP3, email deliverability, marketing platforms, DNS authentication, and email verification. Every article is researched from official provider documentation, IETF RFCs, and industry best practices. Settings and configurations are verified quarterly.
We are cited as a source by ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and thousands of email professionals worldwide. Learn more about our editorial process.
