Where to Find Email Settings (Every Major Client)

When someone searches "where do I find my email settings," they usually mean one of two things. Either they're trying to change a preference in their inbox app, or they're configuring a new account and need server names, ports, and authentication details. As a sender, you'll also care about the settings that live outside the client entirely — DNS records that decide whether your mail authenticates at all.

This guide covers both. I'll walk through how to reach settings in every major email client, list the IMAP and SMTP values you usually need, and then point out the sender-side settings that actually decide whether your mail lands in the inbox.

Email client settings locations

Client	Where to find settings
Gmail (web)	Gear icon top-right > "See all settings"
Outlook (Windows)	File > Account Settings > Account Settings
Outlook (web)	Gear icon top-right > "View all Outlook settings"
Apple Mail (Mac)	Mail menu > Settings > Accounts tab
iPhone Mail	Settings app > Mail > Accounts > select account
Android (Gmail app)	Tap profile picture > Manage your Google Account, or app Settings menu
Android (default Mail)	Settings > Accounts > select account
Thunderbird	Tools > Account Settings, or right-click account > Settings
Spectrum / ISP webmail	Login > account profile > preferences

For each, you can usually change signature, reply behavior, forwarding, vacation responder, and notification preferences. Server settings (IMAP, SMTP, ports) are typically under a sub-panel like "Account information" or "Server settings."

IMAP, SMTP, and POP3 server settings

If you're configuring an account, you need server hostnames, ports, and authentication. The common patterns:

IMAP server:   imap.example.com   port 993   SSL/TLS
SMTP server:   smtp.example.com   port 587   STARTTLS
POP3 server:   pop.example.com    port 995   SSL/TLS
Authentication: username + password (or OAuth for Google/Microsoft)

For the big providers:

• Gmail: imap.gmail.com:993, smtp.gmail.com:587. Requires app password or OAuth.
• Outlook.com: outlook.office365.com:993, smtp.office365.com:587.
• iCloud: imap.mail.me.com:993, smtp.mail.me.com:587.
• Yahoo: imap.mail.yahoo.com:993, smtp.mail.yahoo.com:587.

For the difference between these protocols, see SMTP vs IMAP vs POP3.

Practitioner note: Port 587 with STARTTLS is the right default for modern SMTP. Port 465 with implicit SSL still works on most providers but is technically deprecated by RFC 8314. Port 25 is server-to-server only and is blocked outbound on most consumer ISPs and cloud providers.

The settings that actually matter for senders

If you're sending bulk or transactional mail, the settings in your client matter much less than the settings on your sending domain. None of these live in Gmail or Outlook — they live in DNS.

1. SPF — a TXT record listing IPs and includes allowed to send from your domain. See the SPF setup guide.
2. DKIM — a CNAME or TXT record carrying a public key that signs your mail. See the DKIM setup guide.
3. DMARC — a TXT record at _dmarc.yourdomain.com telling receivers what to do with mail that fails SPF or DKIM alignment. See the DMARC setup guide.
4. MX records — where your inbound mail goes.
5. PTR (reverse DNS) — if you're running your own mail server, the IP must reverse-resolve to a hostname.

Practitioner note: Half the "my mail goes to spam" tickets I get start with someone hunting for a setting in Gmail. The fix is almost always in DNS. Check SPF, DKIM, and DMARC first with a tool like MXToolbox or the Mailhardener checker before you touch any client setting.

Where to change forwarding, signatures, and filters

These really do live in the client.

• Gmail filters: Settings > Filters and Blocked Addresses
• Outlook rules: File > Manage Rules & Alerts
• Apple Mail rules: Mail > Settings > Rules
• iPhone signature: Settings > Mail > Signature
• Auto-forward in Gmail: Settings > Forwarding and POP/IMAP

If you can't find a setting after five minutes, your provider's help docs are usually the fastest path. The big ones (Google, Microsoft, Apple) all have screenshots that match the current UI.

If you're trying to fix deliverability

Finding the right setting in your client won't fix mail going to spam. The fix is almost always at the domain level. If you want a complete picture of what to check, book a consultation. I run audits that cover SPF, DKIM, DMARC, sending IP reputation, list hygiene, and content patterns — all the things that actually decide inbox placement.

Sources

• Change Mail settings on iPhone — Apple
• Change or update email account settings in Outlook for Windows — Microsoft
• Get Gmail on Android — Google
• RFC 8314 — Cleartext Considered Obsolete — IETF
• Gmail IMAP/SMTP settings — Google

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v1.0 · May 2026