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GMX Mail IMAP, POP3 and SMTP settings

By Julien CoulaudPublished November 1, 20263 min read

These are the settings GMX publishes for gmx.com addresses, checked on GMX's help pages on November 1, 2026. Before you doubt the server names, check two things GMX documents: POP3 and IMAP access must be switched on in your account, and the app must use TLS 1.2 or newer.

Julien Coulaud on X

Founder of Shipmail, the email platform for businesses and their AI agents. Every guide here draws on mail servers running in production.

  • GMX Mail
  • IMAP
  • SMTP
  • POP3
  • App passwords

Short answer

The GMX Mail IMAP server is imap.gmx.com on port 993 with SSL/TLS, and the SMTP server is mail.gmx.com on port 587 with STARTTLS (or port 465 with SSL). POP3 is pop.gmx.com on port 995 with SSL. GMX switches POP3 and IMAP access off by default, so turn it on under Email, Settings, POP3 & IMAP before you add the account to an app. With two-factor authentication on, sign in with an application-specific password.

GMX Mail server settings

ProtocolServerPortEncryption
IMAP, incomingSources[1]GMX Help: setting up Outlook (IMAP)[2]GMX Help: problems setting up GMX in an email programimap.gmx.com993SSL/TLS
POP3, incoming[2]pop.gmx.com995SSL
SMTP, outgoingSources[1]GMX Help: setting up Outlook (IMAP)[2]GMX Help: problems setting up GMX in an email programmail.gmx.com587 (or 465)STARTTLS on 587, SSL on 465, authentication on

Turn on POP3 and IMAP access first

GMX keeps retrieval over POP3 and IMAP switched off by default. Until you turn it on, an email app cannot sign in, even with the right server and password.[2]

  • Sign in at gmx.com on a computer.
  • Open Email, then Settings, then POP3 & IMAP.
  • Turn on the option that allows sending and receiving emails through an external program.
  • Save, then add the account to your app with the settings below.
[1]

GMX IMAP, POP3 and SMTP servers

  • Incoming (IMAP): imap.gmx.com, port 993, SSL/TLS
  • Incoming (POP3): pop.gmx.com, port 995, SSL
  • Outgoing (SMTP): mail.gmx.com, port 587 with STARTTLS, or port 465 with SSL
  • Outgoing server authentication: on (My outgoing server requires authentication)
  • Username: your GMX email address
Sources[1]GMX Help: setting up Outlook (IMAP)[2]GMX Help: problems setting up GMX in an email program

The outgoing server is mail.gmx.com, not smtp.gmx.com. If your app has no STARTTLS option, GMX says to pick TLS, and if it has neither, pick the generic encryption option. SMTP-after-POP, where an app sends without signing in after checking mail, is no longer supported.[2]

Two-factor authentication and app passwords

With two-factor authentication on, an email program that uses POP3 or IMAP signs in with an application-specific password instead of your GMX password. The same applies to calendar and contact sync over CalDAV or CardDAV.[3]

  • Sign in at gmx.com and click the profile icon at the top right.
  • Open Security Options, then Manage application-specific passwords.
  • Click Create new application-specific password and give it a name.
  • Copy it at once: GMX shows it only one time. Paste it into the app's password field.
[3]

After you turn on two-factor authentication, GMX says apps using POP3 or IMAP must sign in again once, and that POP3 and IMAP access may need to be switched on again in the email settings.[4]

Common GMX setup problems

  • The app cannot sign in at all: POP3 and IMAP access is still off in the GMX settings.
  • The password is rejected but works on the website: two-factor authentication is on, so the app needs an application-specific password.
  • The connection fails with correct settings: the app uses TLS 1.0 or 1.1. Update it.
  • Automatic setup picked the wrong values: delete the account in the app and add it manually with the servers above.
  • Mail stopped with no clear error: sign in at gmx.com. Some messages, such as a temporary block, only show there.
  • Nothing connects on one computer: a virus scanner or firewall may block mail traffic.
Sources[2]GMX Help: problems setting up GMX in an email program[3]GMX Help: setting up application-specific passwords

GMX lets you attach files of up to 50 MB to one email.[5]

Using a mailbox on your own domain instead

A gmx.com address belongs to GMX, so it stays behind if you ever leave. To keep the same address across providers, it has to be on a domain you own.

A Shipmail mailbox on your own domain works in the same apps with one set of settings: server mx1.shipmail.to, IMAP on port 993 with SSL/TLS, SMTP on port 465 with SSL/TLS or 587 with STARTTLS, and your full address as the username. Plans start at $4 a month for 2 mailboxes. It is not free, and it only makes sense if you want an address you own rather than one tied to a provider.Sources[6]Shipmail email client connection settings[7]Shipmail pricing

Sources7 sourcesVerified 2026-11-01
  1. [1]
    GMX Help: setting up Outlook (IMAP)

    IMAP sync must first be activated in the GMX account under Email, Settings, POP3 & IMAP. Incoming server `imap.gmx.com`, port 993, SSL/TLS; outgoing server `mail.gmx.com`, port 587, STARTTLS (TLS in Outlook 2010/2013), with outgoing authentication turned on. The mail program must use TLS 1.2 or 1.3; TLS 1.0 and 1.1 are no longer supported.

    support.gmx.com · 2026-11-01

  2. [2]
    GMX Help: problems setting up GMX in an email program

    POP3/IMAP retrieval is switched off by default and must be activated in the GMX settings. Server data: IMAP `imap.gmx.com` port 993 with SSL; POP3 `pop.gmx.com` port 995 with SSL; SMTP `mail.gmx.com` port 587 with STARTTLS or TLS, or port 465 with SSL. TLS 1.2 or 1.3 required. SMTP-after-POP is no longer supported. Some errors, such as temporary blocks, only show when you log in at gmx.com. Test the address and password at gmx.com; security software can block mail.

    support.gmx.com · 2026-11-01

  3. [3]
    GMX Help: setting up application-specific passwords

    Application-specific passwords are used in external email programs that connect over POP3/IMAP, and for CalDAV/CardDAV, in place of the regular GMX password. Create one at gmx.com: profile icon, Security Options, Manage application-specific passwords, Create new application-specific password. It is shown only once.

    support.gmx.com · 2026-11-01

  4. [4]
    GMX Help: two-factor authentication

    After turning on two-factor authentication, users of the GMX Mail app, GMX MailCheck or POP3/IMAP must log in again once, and POP3/IMAP use requires (re)activating access in the email settings. Two-factor authentication requires the latest GMX Mail app.

    support.gmx.com · 2026-11-01

  5. [5]
    GMX Mail: sending large attachments

    GMX Mail lets you send attachments of up to 50 MB in one email for free.

    gmx.com · 2026-11-01

  6. [6]
    Shipmail email client connection settings

    Shipmail IMAP, SMTP, and JMAP settings: mx1.shipmail.to, IMAP on port 993 with SSL/TLS, SMTP on port 465 with SSL/TLS or 587 with STARTTLS, the full email address as username, and the mailbox password or an app password.

    shipmail.to · 2026-10-15

  7. [7]
    Shipmail pricing

    Shipmail plan prices, mailbox limits, team access, and send limits.

    shipmail.to · 2026-10-15

Questions worth answering

Common questions about gmx imap settings.

What is the GMX IMAP server?
imap.gmx.com on port 993 with SSL/TLS.[1]
What is the GMX SMTP server?
mail.gmx.com on port 587 with STARTTLS, or port 465 with SSL. Turn on authentication for the outgoing server.Sources[1]GMX Help: setting up Outlook (IMAP)[2]GMX Help: problems setting up GMX in an email program
Why does my email app not connect to GMX?
GMX switches POP3 and IMAP off by default. Turn it on at gmx.com under Email, Settings, POP3 & IMAP. Also check that the app uses TLS 1.2 or newer.[2]
Do I need an app password for GMX?
Only with two-factor authentication on. Then create an application-specific password under Security Options and use it in the email program.[3]
What are the GMX POP3 settings?
pop.gmx.com on port 995 with SSL for incoming mail, and mail.gmx.com on port 587 with STARTTLS for sending.[2]

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