Google Workspace - Professional Emails
Protect your Lenovo Server
Contact WhatsApp
Mailfence Email Setup in Microsoft Outlook & Mozilla Thunderbird – Complete Configuration Guide – Bison Knowledgebase

Mailfence Email Setup in Microsoft Outlook & Mozilla Thunderbird – Complete Configuration Guide

📅 19 Jan 2026 📂 General 👁 58 views

This Knowledge Base article provides a detailed, professional, and technically accurate guide to configure Mailfence email accounts in Microsoft Outlook and Mozilla Thunderbird.

It is intended for IT administrators, helpdesk engineers, and privacy-conscious users who need to access Mailfence email through standard desktop email clients while maintaining strong security and encryption controls.

Product Overview

Product Name

Mailfence Secure Email

Service Provider

Mailfence

Category

Privacy-focused email with OpenPGP support

Product Features Description

  • Secure email hosting with privacy focus

  • IMAP and SMTP support (unlike some encrypted providers)

  • OpenPGP end-to-end encryption (user-controlled)

  • Digital signatures (OpenPGP)

  • SSL/TLS encrypted transport

  • Calendar, contacts, and documents

  • Custom domains (paid plans)

  • Webmail, desktop, and mobile compatibility

Supported Mailfence Email Domains

@mailfence.com
@yourdomain.com   (custom domain – paid plans)

All Mailfence accounts use the same IMAP/SMTP infrastructure.

Technical Explanation

Mailfence Encryption Model

Mailfence uses OpenPGP-based encryption, allowing:

  • Encrypted emails between Mailfence users

  • Encrypted emails to external recipients using OpenPGP

  • Optional encryption (user-controlled)

Unlike Tuta or Proton, Mailfence allows IMAP/SMTP access, meaning:

  • Outlook and Thunderbird are supported

  • Encryption depends on user key management

  • Transport security (SSL/TLS) is mandatory

IMAP Configuration (Recommended)

Incoming Server (IMAP): imap.mailfence.com
Port: 993
Encryption: SSL/TLS
Authentication: Normal password / App password
Username: Full email address
Password: Mailfence password or App password

SMTP Configuration

Outgoing Server (SMTP): smtp.mailfence.com
Port: 465 (SSL) or 587 (STARTTLS)
Encryption: SSL/TLS
Authentication: Required
Username: Full email address
Password: Mailfence password or App password

POP3 Support

❌ POP3 is not recommended
Mailfence focuses on IMAP-based synchronization.

Step-by-Step Implementation

Step 1: Generate App Password (Recommended)

  1. Log in to Mailfence Webmail

  2. Go to Settings → Account → Security

  3. Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) (if not already enabled)

  4. Generate an App Password for:

    • Outlook

    • Thunderbird

  5. Copy the generated password securely

? App passwords are recommended for all third-party clients.

Configure Mailfence in Microsoft Outlook

  1. Open Outlook

  2. Go to File → Add Account

  3. Select Advanced options → Let me set up my account manually

  4. Choose IMAP

  5. Enter the Mailfence IMAP & SMTP settings

  6. Enable Outgoing server authentication

  7. Use the App Password

  8. Finish setup and test send/receive

Configure Mailfence in Mozilla Thunderbird

  1. Open Thunderbird

  2. Click Add New Account → Email

  3. Enter Name and Mailfence email address

  4. Click Configure Manually

  5. Select IMAP

  6. Enter Mailfence server settings

  7. Authentication method: Normal password

  8. Password: App Password

  9. Save and verify configuration

Use Cases

  • Secure desktop email for privacy-focused users

  • Business email with OpenPGP encryption

  • Journalists, researchers, and legal professionals

  • GDPR-compliant European email hosting

  • Custom domain secure email deployment

Price Information (Indicative)

PlanDesktop Client Support
Free❌ IMAP/SMTP not available
Entry / Pro✅ Supported
Business✅ Supported

IMAP/SMTP access requires a paid Mailfence plan.

Commands / Connectivity Tests (Advanced)

Test IMAP SSL Connection

openssl s_client -connect imap.mailfence.com:993

Test SMTP STARTTLS

openssl s_client -connect smtp.mailfence.com:587 -starttls smtp

Common Issues & Fixes

Issue: Authentication Failed

Fix

  • Use App Password, not webmail password

  • Confirm IMAP access is enabled (paid plan)

Issue: Cannot Send Emails

Fix

  • Enable SMTP authentication

  • Switch between ports 465 and 587

  • Check firewall or antivirus SMTP scanning

Issue: Encryption Not Working in Outlook

Fix

  • Outlook does not natively support OpenPGP

  • Use Thunderbird + OpenPGP for encryption

  • Or rely on Mailfence webmail encryption

Issue: Repeated Password Prompts

Fix

  • Remove stored credentials

  • Regenerate app password

  • Re-add the account

Security Considerations

  • Always use SSL/TLS

  • Enable Two-Factor Authentication

  • Use App Passwords for third-party clients

  • Store OpenPGP private keys securely

  • Avoid POP or local-only mail storage

Best Practices

  • Prefer IMAP over POP

  • Use Thunderbird for OpenPGP support

  • Keep email clients updated

  • Rotate app passwords periodically

  • Use strong passphrases for encryption keys

  • Educate users on encryption limitations in Outlook

Conclusion

Mailfence provides a rare balance between strong privacy and traditional email client compatibility. Unlike some encrypted providers, it supports IMAP and SMTP, making it usable with Microsoft Outlook and Mozilla Thunderbird.

For maximum security, use IMAP with SSL/TLS, App Passwords, and OpenPGP encryption (preferably via Thunderbird or Mailfence webmail). This guide serves as a standard technical reference for Mailfence desktop email configuration.


#Mailfence #SecureEmail #EncryptedEmail #OpenPGP #PrivacyEmail #IMAP #SMTP #Outlook #Thunderbird #EmailConfiguration #EmailSetup #EmailSecurity #SSL #TLS #BusinessEmail #CustomDomainEmail #EmailClients #ITSupport #Helpdesk #KnowledgeBase #EmailGuide #DesktopEmail #MailServer #AppPassword #EmailTroubleshooting #EmailBestPractices #MailConfiguration #EmailAdmin #ITDocumentation #EmailErrors #EmailFix #SecureCommunication #CloudEmail #EmailProtocol #EmailSync

mailfence email setup mailfence outlook configuration mailfence thunderbird setup mailfence imap settings mailfence smtp settings mailfence secure email mailfence email server settings imap.mailfence.com smtp.mailfence.com mailfence app password
Was this article helpful?
← Back to Home
Sponsored
Web Hosting Affiliate Ad
Insurance Affiliate Ad
Insurance Affiliate Ad