Skip to content
Sign inGet startedDashboard

BlogNamecheap

Namecheap Private Email IMAP and SMTP settings

By Julien CoulaudPublished November 1, 20263 min read

These are the settings Namecheap publishes for Private Email, checked on its knowledgebase on November 1, 2026. Namecheap says the server name should not be changed, and only encrypted connections are accepted, so when setup fails, check the password and the client options before the host.

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.

  • Namecheap
  • Private Email
  • IMAP
  • SMTP
  • App passwords

Short answer

Namecheap Private Email uses mail.privateemail.com for both incoming and outgoing mail: IMAP on port 993 with SSL (or 143 with STARTTLS), POP3 on port 995 with SSL, and SMTP on port 465 with SSL or 587 with STARTTLS. Sign in with your full email address and the mailbox's app password. Turn on outgoing server authentication and leave SPA (secure password authentication) off.

Namecheap Private Email server settings

ProtocolServerPortEncryption
IMAP, incoming[1]mail.privateemail.com993 (or 143)SSL on 993, TLS/STARTTLS on 143
POP3, incoming[1]mail.privateemail.com995SSL
SMTP, outgoing[1]mail.privateemail.com465 (or 587)SSL on 465, TLS/STARTTLS on 587, authentication on

Private Email IMAP, POP3 and SMTP servers

  • Server (incoming and outgoing): mail.privateemail.com
  • IMAP: port 993 with SSL, or 143 with TLS/STARTTLS
  • POP3: port 995 with SSL
  • SMTP: port 465 with SSL, or 587 with TLS/STARTTLS
  • Username: your full email address
  • Password: the mailbox's app password (Namecheap also calls it the Application password)
  • Outgoing server authentication: on. SPA: off.
[1]

The mail servers accept only encrypted connections. An app set to no encryption on any port fails even with the right password.[1]

Master password vs app password

Private Email has two passwords. The Master password signs in to Webmail. The app password is used for IMAP, POP3, SMTP, CalDAV and CardDAV. When a mailbox is created they are the same, which is why setup often works at first.[2]

  • Sign in to Webmail at privateemail.com and open Settings.
  • Launch the Security Center and open the App passwords tab.
  • Click Create new password, name it, then confirm with your regular password.
  • Copy it at once: Namecheap shows it only one time. It has six groups of four characters separated by hyphens.
[2]

One app password can be used in several apps, or you can make one per app and delete it to disconnect that app. If you delete all of them, no email app can connect until you create a new one in Webmail.[2]

Private Email sending limits

  • Paid plans (Launch, Expand, Scale): 500 emails per hour per mailbox
  • Trial plans: 20 emails per hour per mailbox
  • Every email: up to 50 recipients across To, Cc and Bcc
[3]

The limit is hourly, not daily, so a burst from a contact form or mail merge can reach it quickly, especially on a trial.[3]

Common Private Email problems

  • Password rejected in the app but accepted in Webmail: the app needs the app password, not the new Master password.
  • No email app connects at all: all app passwords were deleted. Create a new one in the Security Center.
  • Outlook setup fails with the right password: check that SPA (secure password authentication) is off and outgoing server authentication is on.
  • The app is set to no encryption: Namecheap accepts only encrypted connections. Use SSL on 993 and 465, or STARTTLS on 143 and 587.
  • Sending stops after a burst: the hourly limit was reached, 500 per mailbox on paid plans and 20 on trials.
  • Sending fails or messages bounce with correct app settings: Namecheap says to check the domain's SPF and DKIM records first.
Sources[1]Namecheap: general Private Email configuration for mail clients[2]Namecheap: how to use App passwords for Private Email[3]Namecheap: email sending and usage limits for Private Email[4]Namecheap: why can't I send or receive emails

Receiving needs the domain's MX records to point at mx1.privateemail.com and mx2.privateemail.com. The record-by-record steps for a Namecheap domain are in our Namecheap custom domain email guide.[4]

Using a mailbox on your own domain instead

Private Email runs on your own domain, so the address is yours to move. The mailboxes and their hourly limit belong to the Namecheap plan, so keep the plan active until the new host has imported your mail.

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[5]Shipmail email client connection settings[6]Shipmail pricing

Sources6 sourcesVerified 2026-11-01
  1. [1]
    Namecheap: general Private Email configuration for mail clients

    Server `mail.privateemail.com` for incoming and outgoing, which should not be changed. IMAP 993 SSL or 143 TLS/STARTTLS; POP3 995 SSL; SMTP 465 SSL or 587 TLS/STARTTLS. Only encrypted connections are accepted. Username is the full email address; password is the Master or Application password. Outgoing server authentication on, SPA off.

    namecheap.com · 2026-11-01

  2. [2]
    Namecheap: how to use App passwords for Private Email

    App passwords are used for IMAP, POP3, SMTP, CalDAV and CardDAV. A new mailbox has its Master and App passwords synchronized; changing the Master password ends that, so the new password only works in Webmail and email clients keep the old one as App password. Create one in privateemail.com Settings, Security Center, App passwords, Create new password; it is shown once and has six groups of four characters. If all app passwords are deleted, email clients cannot connect until a new one is made.

    namecheap.com · 2026-11-01

  3. [3]
    Namecheap: email sending and usage limits for Private Email

    Paid plans (Launch, Expand, Scale): 500 emails per hour per mailbox. All trial plans: 20 per hour per mailbox. Every email is limited to 50 recipients across To, Cc and Bcc.

    namecheap.com · 2026-11-01

  4. [4]
    Namecheap: why can't I send or receive emails

    Receiving needs MX records to `mx1.privateemail.com` and `mx2.privateemail.com`. For sending problems, check SPF and DKIM first, then contact Namecheap support. Bounce-backs: check DNS, then send full headers to support. Record changes take up to 30 minutes, nameserver changes up to 48 hours, domain verification for a new subscription up to 4 hours.

    namecheap.com · 2026-11-01

  5. [5]
    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

  6. [6]
    Shipmail pricing

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

    shipmail.to · 2026-10-15

Questions worth answering

Common questions about namecheap private email settings.

What is the Namecheap Private Email IMAP server?
mail.privateemail.com on port 993 with SSL, or 143 with STARTTLS.[1]
What is the Namecheap Private Email SMTP server?
mail.privateemail.com on port 465 with SSL or 587 with STARTTLS, with outgoing authentication on.[1]
Why is my Private Email password not working in Outlook?
If you changed the Master password, email apps still need the app password. Also turn SPA off in Outlook's settings.Sources[2]Namecheap: how to use App passwords for Private Email[1]Namecheap: general Private Email configuration for mail clients
How many emails can I send with Namecheap Private Email?
500 per hour per mailbox on paid plans and 20 per hour on trials, with up to 50 recipients per email.[3]
Should I use smtp.privateemail.com?
Namecheap's settings page gives mail.privateemail.com for incoming and outgoing mail and says it should not be changed.[1]

Related guides

More on Shipmail pricing, comparisons, and team workflows.

Email, newsletters and booking pages on your own domain, in one plan.

Get started for free