> ## Knowledge Base Index > Fetch the complete knowledge base index at: https://help.serverfreak.com/sitemap.xml > Use this file to discover available pages before exploring further. > Pure-Markdown content can be obtained by appending a '.md' suffix to the content URLs listed in the sitemap (without the trailing slash). # How to change an account from POP to IMAP in Outlook ## Back up your mailboxes * Switching from a POP3 connection to an IMAP account could delete your existing emails. To avoid losing anything important, you need to create a backup of your mailboxes. 1. Open Outlook and select **File**. 2. Select **Open & Export**, then **Import/Export**. ![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/3/0/c/4/30c43b4318b81000/image_4vfliy.png) 3. In the **Import and Export** window, select **Export to a file** and click **Next >** ![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/3/0/c/4/30c43b4318b81000/image_pphg7o.png) 4. Click **Export to a File** in the next window, then select **Outlook Data File (.pst)**.  5. Click **Next >** ![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/3/0/c/4/30c43b4318b81000/image_v0bc4v.png) 6. 6. Select the mailboxes that need to back up. We recommend that you backup all your mailboxes. **Select your email address** in the **Export Outlook Data File** window and check the box next to **Include subfolders**.  7. Click **Next >** to continue. ![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/3/0/c/4/30c43b4318b81000/image_18bsl0j.png) 8. Use the **Browse** button to select a location on your computer to save your backup.  9. Click **Finish** to continue. ![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/3/0/c/4/30c43b4318b81000/image_10uzp2k.png) 10. To keep your backed-up emails secure, you can create an optional password for the file. If you’d like to create a password, enter it now and click **OK**, or **Cancel** to proceed without a password. Your backed-up emails will now be saved to your computer. ![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/3/0/c/4/30c43b4318b81000/image_3epyut.png) ## Delete your POP account from your computer * Now that your email backup is complete, you can delete your POP account in Outlook. You should also delete the account from any other devices you use for email. 1. Select **File** from the top menu, then **Info**. ![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/3/0/c/4/30c43b4318b81000/image_df0kyg.png) 2. Click the arrow next to **Account Settings** and select the **Account Settings…** option. ![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/3/0/c/4/30c43b4318b81000/image_awi95y.png) 3. In the **Account Settings** window, click on your email account.  4. Click **Remove** to delete your email account from Outlook. ![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/3/0/c/4/30c43b4318b81000/image_rpub4n.png) 5. You will receive a warning that your offline messages will be deleted. Click **Yes** to continue. ![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/3/0/c/4/30c43b4318b81000/image_aq1hgv.png) ## Set up your IMAP account on your computer * The final step is to create a new email account on your computer using your IMAP server details.  1. Click the **New…** button in the **Account Settings** window to get started, or click **File** in the top menu, then **Add Account**. ![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/3/0/c/4/30c43b4318b81000/image_1gfn74l.png) 2. Click the radio button next to **Manual setup or additional server types**, then **Next >** to proceed. ![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/3/0/c/4/30c43b4318b81000/image_d5u2i3.png) 3. Under **Choose Your Account Type**, select **POP or IMAP**, then click **Next >** once again. ![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/3/0/c/4/30c43b4318b81000/image_8olcf.png) 4. Enter the IMAP server settings for your email account. You can find your server settings in your cPanel Hosting by heading to **My cPanel > Email Accounts** and selecting **Set Up Email Client**. ![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/3/0/c/4/30c43b4318b81000/image_o9jlmi.png) 5. 5. Enter the following details: * **Email Address**: Your full email address. * **Password**: Your email server password. * **User Name**: Your email account user name. * **Account Type**: Use the dropdown menu to select IMAP. * **Incoming Mail Server**: mail.domain.com * **Outgoing Mail Server (SMTP)**: mail.domain.com * **Logon Information:** Enter your email account username and password. 6. 6. Click the **More Settings…** button >> Next ![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/3/0/c/4/30c43b4318b81000/image_timvf8.png) 7. In the **Internet Email Settings** window, select the **Advanced** tab. ![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/3/0/c/4/30c43b4318b81000/image_wuvlr0.png) 8. Enter the following details: * **Incoming server**: Ensure the default port is set to **993** for IMAP accounts. Use the dropdown menu next to **Use the following type of encrypted connection** to select **SSL**. * **Outgoing server (SMTP)**: Change the default port (25) to **465**. Use the dropdown menu next to **Use the following type of encrypted connection** to select **SSL**. For Non SSL settings you may change to: * **Incoming server**: Ensure the default port is set to **143** for IMAP accounts. Use the dropdown menu next to **Use the following type of encrypted connection** to select Non **SSL**. * **Outgoing server (SMTP)**: Change the default port 587/25/26 and the dropdown menu next to **Use the following type of encrypted connection** to select Non **SSL**. ![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/3/0/c/4/30c43b4318b81000/image_wxph5v.png) 9. Switch to the **Outgoing Server** tab. Check the box next to **My outgoing server (SMTP) requires authentication**, then click the radio button next to **Use same settings as my incoming mail server**. ![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/3/0/c/4/30c43b4318b81000/image_u4z7xj.png) 10. 10. Click **OK** to close the **Internet E-mail Settings** window, then **Next >** to proceed. Outlook will now test your email settings. If the test fails, make sure your server and account details are correct. ![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/3/0/c/4/30c43b4318b81000/image_1knsqnn.png) 11. Once the test completes successfully, click **Close** and then **Finish** to wrap up. ![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/3/0/c/4/30c43b4318b81000/image_nvc1vx.png) ## Restore your mailbox 1. If you wish to restore the mailboxes and email you backed up earlier, choose **File** from the top menu, then **Open & Export**. Now select **Import/Export**. ![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/3/0/c/4/30c43b4318b81000/image_ppk5rp.png) 2. In the **Import and Export Wizard** window, select **Import from another program or file** and click **Next >** ![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/3/0/c/4/30c43b4318b81000/image_4t2o61.png) 3. Click **Import a File**, select **Outlook Data File (.pst),** and then **Next >** ![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/3/0/c/4/30c43b4318b81000/image_wra64d.png) 4. 4. Use the **Browse** button to navigate to your Outlook backup file. When restoring your email and mailboxes, you can use the radio buttons under **Options** to configure how Outlook treats duplicate items. Click **Next >** to continue. ![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/3/0/c/4/30c43b4318b81000/image_11uhmh3.png) 5. If you secured your backup with a password, you’ll be asked to enter it once again to authorize the import. Enter the password, then click **OK**. 6. Finally, use the dropdown menu to select which folder you’d like to restore your data into and click **Finish** to complete. ![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/3/0/c/4/30c43b4318b81000/image_scgj2s.png)