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SMTP Configuration Guide for Major Email Platforms (Step-by-Step)

SMTP Configuration Guide for Major Email Platforms (Step-by-Step)

When configuring SMTP for an AI email generation tool, the most confusing part is often "what exactly are my username and password?" — for most platforms, you cannot use your regular login password. Instead, you need to generate an App Password or Authorization Code. Below are the core SMTP settings and step-by-step instructions for each major platform.

Gmail

  • SMTP Server: smtp.gmail.com
  • Ports: 587 (STARTTLS) or 465 (SSL)
  • Username: Your full Gmail address (e.g., you@gmail.com)
  • Password: App Password (not your Gmail login password)

⚠️ Google permanently disabled "Less Secure Apps" access on May 1, 2025 — regular passwords can no longer be used for SMTP connections. You must use an App Password or OAuth 2.0.

How to get an App Password:

  1. Ensure 2-Step Verification is enabled (go to myaccount.google.com/security)
  2. Visit myaccount.google.com/apppasswords
  3. Enter a name for the app (e.g., "SMTP Tool")
  4. Click "Create" — a 16-digit App Password will be generated — copy and save it immediately

💡 Select "Mail" as the app type, or choose "Other (custom name)". The 16-digit password has no spaces — don't add any when copying.

Detailed Tutorials:

Outlook / Microsoft 365

  • SMTP Server: smtp-mail.outlook.com (personal) or smtp.office365.com (business)
  • Port: 587 (STARTTLS — the only supported configuration)
  • Username: Your full email address
  • Password: Email password (personal) or OAuth 2.0 (business)

⚠️ Microsoft disabled Basic Authentication in October 2022 — business Microsoft 365 accounts must use OAuth 2.0 Modern Auth. Personal Outlook.com accounts can still use passwords.

How to enable SMTP AUTH for business accounts:

  1. Log in to the Microsoft 365 admin center
  2. Go to "Users" → "Active Users" → select your username
  3. Click "Manage email apps" (under "Email apps")
  4. Enable "Authenticated SMTP"

💡 New Microsoft 365 tenants have SMTP AUTH disabled by default — an admin must enable it for each mailbox.

Detailed Tutorials:

Yahoo Mail

  • SMTP Server: smtp.mail.yahoo.com
  • Ports: 465 (SSL) or 587 (TLS)
  • Username: Your full Yahoo email address
  • Password: App Password (recommended) or your Yahoo password

How to get an App Password:

  1. Log in to your Yahoo account security page
  2. Find "App Passwords" or "App-specific passwords"
  3. Select "Generate password" and name the app
  4. Copy the generated password for SMTP authentication

Detailed Tutorials:

iCloud Mail

  • SMTP Server: smtp.mail.me.com
  • Port: 587 (TLS/STARTTLS)
  • Username: Your full iCloud email address (e.g., you@icloud.com)
  • Password: App-Specific Password (not your Apple ID password)

⚠️ iCloud no longer allows direct use of your Apple ID password for SMTP authentication — you must use an App-Specific Password.

How to get an App-Specific Password:

  1. Log in to your Apple ID account page (appleid.apple.com)
  2. Go to "Security" → "App-Specific Passwords"
  3. Click "Generate Password", enter a name, and generate
  4. Copy the generated password for SMTP authentication

Detailed Tutorials:

QQ Mail

  • SMTP Server: smtp.qq.com
  • Port: 465 (SSL, recommended) or 587 (TLS)
  • Username: Your full QQ email address
  • Password: Authorization Code (not your QQ login password)

How to get the Authorization Code:

  1. Log in to QQ Mail web version (https://mail.qq.com)
  2. Click "Settings" → "Account" at the top
  3. Find the "POP3/IMAP/SMTP/Exchange/CardDAV/CalDAV Services" section
  4. Click "Enable" for IMAP/SMTP service and follow the SMS verification prompt
  5. After verification, a 16-digit authorization code will be displayed — copy and save it immediately (it only shows once)

⚠️ The authorization code is not your email password — it's a random 16-character alphanumeric string. If lost, you need to reset it in the settings, which will invalidate the old one.

Detailed Tutorials:

NetEase Mail (163 / 126)

  • SMTP Server: 163 Mail smtp.163.com; 126 Mail smtp.126.com
  • Port: 465 (SSL)
  • Username: Your full email address
  • Password: Authorization Code (not your login password)

How to get the Authorization Code:

  1. Log in to 163 Mail web version (https://mail.163.com)
  2. Click "Settings" → "POP3/SMTP/IMAP" in the top-right corner
  3. Find the "POP3/SMTP Service" section and click "Enable"
  4. Complete SMS verification using your linked phone number
  5. After verification, a 16-digit authorization code will be displayed — copy and save it immediately

⚠️ The authorization code is displayed only once when you enable the service. If you forget it, go back to settings and click "Reset" to generate a new one.

Detailed Tutorials:

General Search Suggestions

If your email provider is not listed above, or the links above don't meet your needs, try these searches:

Summary: For most email platforms, the SMTP "password" is not your regular login password — it's a specially generated Authorization Code or App Password. Keep this in mind when configuring your SMTP settings.