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Set up MailSprout in Outlook (Windows or Mac)

Outlook supports MailSprout out of the box. The trick is to skip the auto-discover step and tell Outlook to set the account up manually as IMAP. Outlook's auto-discover assumes Microsoft 365 and gets confused otherwise. Manual takes about four minutes.

Last verified: May 27, 2026

Before you start

  • Outlook 2019 or later on Windows, or any version of Outlook on Mac (including the new Outlook on Mac).
  • A MailSprout email account already created (open the dashboard if you haven't).
  • The credentials panel open with the password and server settings visible.
1

Open the add-account panel

On Windows, click File in Outlook's top-left, then Add Account.

On Mac, click Outlook in the menu bar, then Settings, then the Accounts tab, then the + button in the bottom-left.

2

Type your email and choose manual setup

Type your full MailSprout email address (for example, you@yourdomain.com).

On Windows: click Advanced options, check Let me set up my account manually, then click Connect.

On Mac: the dialog asks for a provider. Pick IMAP. If you don't see that option, click Not Outlook at the bottom of the wizard.

If you skip the manual step, Outlook's auto-discover tries to log in to Microsoft 365 with your MailSprout address and fails. Pick the manual path on the first try.
3

Pick IMAP

On the account-type screen, pick IMAP (not POP, not Exchange, not Office 365).

4

Enter the server settings

Fill in:

  • Username: your full email address
  • Password: from the credentials panel
  • Incoming (IMAP) server: fusion.mxrouting.net
  • Incoming port: 993
  • Incoming encryption: SSL/TLS
  • Outgoing (SMTP) server: fusion.mxrouting.net
  • Outgoing port: 465
  • Outgoing encryption: SSL/TLS
  • Require authentication for outgoing: on (use the same username and password)
5

Connect and send a test

Click Connect (Windows) or Add Account(Mac). Type the password if Outlook asks again. Once the spinner stops, you're in.

Send yourself a test message to confirm. Outlook may show the new account at the bottom of the folder list on Windows or in its own section in the sidebar on Mac.

Troubleshooting

Outlook keeps redirecting me to a Microsoft 365 sign-in.
That happens when auto-discover runs. Cancel the dialog, start over, and on the email-address step click Advanced options then check Let me set up my account manually before continuing.
It says "encrypted connection to your mail server is not available".
Confirm both ports: incoming 993 with SSL/TLS, outgoing 465 with SSL/TLS. Some Outlook builds default outgoing to 587 with STARTTLS, which we don't support. Edit the account, switch outgoing back to 465 SSL/TLS, and reconnect.
I get "Cannot send the message" but receiving works.
Receiving uses IMAP (port 993); sending uses SMTP (port 465). If only sending fails, the outgoing-server section is the culprit. Make sure Require authentication for outgoing is on and the username is the full email address, not just the part before the @.
I use the new Outlook on Mac and it looks different.
The new Outlook on Mac hides the manual-IMAP setup. Click Outlook in the menu bar, then Legacy Outlook to get the full-featured account setup. After the account is added you can switch back.

Setting up a different device?

Stuck on a step?

Email support@mailsprout.io with the step number and a screenshot. We reply same day.