POP, IMAP, SMTP Clients

Important note: IMAP and POP do NOT support multi-factor authentication (MFA). As Middlebury moves forward to protect all its accounts by MFA, these clients will no longer be allowed to connect to Middlebury's Exchange mail servers. See our Multi-factor Authentication Readiness for more information.

Our recommended method is to configure an Exchange connection using a supported mail client for all computers and mobile devices. Webmail is another excellent option that provides reliable access to your mailbox and calendar from anywhere. As a last resort, to access only the e-mail in your main inbox (not subfolders, calendars, or contacts), you can configure an e-mail client like Thunderbird that supports an IMAP connection. (POP connections are outdated and not supported.)

What is IMAP?

IMAP is a standardized protocol for retrieving e-mail. Almost any e-mail program can be configured to connect to our servers using IMAP, and the connection works anywhere in the world as long as you have internet access. However, POP and IMAP do not allow you access to the advanced features of our Exchange email server, such as the Calendar, Contacts, Notes, or Journal folders. These features are only available through Exchange connections or WebMail.

IMAP keeps all mail on the server and accesses it remotely, so it will still be there no matter where you access your e-mail from.

Configuring IMAP email access

To configure IMAP email access, use the generic configuration settings listed below. While alternate email clients and configurations aren't officially supported by the Helpdesk, we may be able to offer some guidance if you're having trouble, so feel free to contact us if you're stuck.

Incoming Mail

IMAP Settings

• Server name: outlook.office365.com
• Port: 993
• Encryption method: SSL
• Username: <username>@middlebury.edu
• Password: Your Middlebury Password

Outgoing Mail

NOTE that the below instructions only apply to your Middlebury e-mail. For other e-mail addresses you may have, see Accessing other e-mail accounts from on campus.

SMTP Settings

• Server name: smtp.office365.com
• Port: 587
• Encryption method: STARTTLS
• Username: <username>@middlebury.edu
• Password: Your Middlebury Password