How to manage email and account settings on Windows 10

Although, on Windows 10, signing in with a Microsoft account makes it easier to access additional benefits, such as the ability to sync settings, preferences, and files across devices without additional configuration, you still have to configure access manually for apps and services using a different account.

However, if you use multiple services with different accounts, the Settings app allows you to add them ahead of time allowing apps easier and faster access to your services.

In this Windows 10 guide, we’ll walk you through the steps to add and remove accounts from your device.

Important: These instructions are meant to include additional accounts to your Windows 10 profile. If you’re looking to add a new user account, you need to use these instructions.

How to add emails and accounts using Settings

To preload accounts for the Mail, Calendar, People, and other apps on Windows 10, you have two choices.

Adding a new account for emails

To add an account for emails and apps, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Accounts.
3. Click on Email & accounts.

Click the Add an account button to include a new email account to allow the Mail, Calendar, and People apps to access your emails, calendar, and contacts.

Select your service provider — for example, Outlook.com.

Click the Next button.

Click the Sign-in button.

Click the OK button.

Click the Done button.

Once you complete the steps, the new account will be added to your device to access your email, calendar, and contacts. If you’re adding a Microsoft account, then the information will also be available to sign in to other apps. (This option is like adding an account directly into the Mail app for Windows 10.)

Adding extra Microsoft accounts for apps

If you use apps with a different Microsoft account, such as for OneDrive, Xbox Live, and others, you can preload those credentials for easier access with these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Accounts.
3. Click on Email & accounts.
4. Under the «Accounts used by other apps» section, click the Add a Microsoft account option.
5. Type your Microsoft account information.

Click the Next button.

Type your account password.

Click the Sign-in button.

Click the OK button.

Click the Done button.

After completing the steps, the account information will be available for apps to sign in automatically. (You may need to repeat the steps to add more accounts.)

Managing accounts for apps

When adding accounts for other apps, Windows 10 will use the information to sign you in to services automatically, but you can change the settings to ask for permission before using your credentials.

To manage a different Microsoft account for apps on Windows 10, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Accounts.
3. Click on Email & accounts.
4. Select the account that you want to change.

Use the drop-down menu, and select the Apps need to ask me to use this account option.

After completing the steps, apps will prompt to allow access before signing in to the service.

How to remove emails and accounts using Settings

If you’re no longer using an account, you can remove it from the Windows 10 settings using these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Accounts.
3. Click on Email & accounts.
4. Select the account that you’re planning to remove.

Click the Manage button.

Click the Delete account from this device option.

Click the Delete button.

Click the Done button.

Once you complete the steps, the account information will only be removed for the Mail, Calendar, and People experiences. If you want to remove a Microsoft account information completely, you also need to delete the information from the «Accounts used by other apps» section with the steps below.

Removing accounts for apps

If you need to remove an account for apps, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Accounts.
3. Click on Email & accounts.
4. Under the «Accounts used by other apps» section, select the account that you’re planning to remove.

Click the Remove button.

Click the Yes button.

After completing the steps, the account information will no longer be available on Windows 10.

More Windows 10 resources

For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10, visit the following resources:

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Set up email in the Mail app for Windows 10

Stay connected and on schedule

You can be organized, on time, and buttoned up with Outlook — your life organizer.

If you log on to Windows 10 using a Microsoft account with an Outlook.com, Live, Hotmail, or MSN address, that account is added to the Mail and Calendar apps. You can add that and many other email accounts to the Mail and Calendar apps to start sending and receiving email and creating and managing events.

Seeing a message that your account is out of date? You probably need to update your account settings. See Fixing an out-of-date account for more information.

Did you set up your email, but you don’t see your messages? Change your mailbox sync settings.

Add a new email account

Open the Mail app by clicking the Windows Start menu and choosing Mail.

If this is the first time you’ve opened the Mail app, you’ll see a Welcome page. Select Add account to get started.

If you’ve used the Mail app before, at the bottom of the left navigation pane, select Settings , and then choose Manage Accounts.

Note: On a phone or tablet, tap the three dots at the bottom of the page to access Settings.

Select Add account.

Choose the type of the account you want to add.

You may need to scroll down the Add an account dialog box to view all options.

If you choose Google, you’ll need to sign in to your Google account, enter your 2-step verification code if you’ve enabled that security feature, and give Windows permission to access your information. Click Allow and your account will be created.

If you choose another email account, you’ll need to follow the special instructions under Special instructions for other accounts below.

Enter the required information and click Sign in. For most accounts, this is your email address, password, and the account name. The account name is what you’ll see in both the left pane of Mail for Windows 10 as well as the Manage Accounts pane.

Note: If you receive the message “We couldn’t find info for that account. Make sure that the email address is correct and then try again,” you’ll need to click Try again three times before the button changes to Advanced. Click Advanced and follow the steps in the next section to add your account.

Click Done. Your data will start syncing as soon as your account is set up.

Note: It may take a few minutes for your account to synchronize. During this time, you may see «Not synced yet» in the message pane. If this message persists, see Resolve sync issues in Mail and Calendar apps in Windows 10.

Add an account using advanced setup

There are two ways you can access the Advanced setup options for your email account.

Click Advanced setup if your automatic email setup fails in Step 3 above.

Click Advanced setup from the Choose an account window in Step 2 above. The Advanced setup option is the last option on the list, and you may have to scroll to see it.

You can choose an Exchange ActiveSync account or an Internet email account. Unless your administrator has instructed you to use Exchange ActiveSync, click Internet email.

Enter the following information in the Advanced setup window.

Email address This is the name you’ll see in the left pane of the Mail app.

User name This is your full email address.

Password Enter your email account password.

Account name This is the name that you’ll see in the left pane of Mail for Windows 10, as well as in the Manage Accounts pane. You can choose any name you want.

Send your messages using this name Enter the name you want recipients to see when they receive your message.

Incoming email server You can get this information from your ISP or administrator. Usually, an incoming mail server address is in the format of mail.contoso.com or imap.google.com . For many email accounts, you can find this information in our POP and IMAP server name reference.

Account type Choose POP3 or IMAP4. Most email accounts use IMAP4. If you don’t know which one to choose, contact your ISP.

Outgoing (SMTP) email server You can get this information from your ISP or administrator. Usually, an outgoing email server address is in the format of mail.contoso.com or smtp.contoso.com .

By default, all four checkboxes at the bottom of the window will be selected. Most email accounts don’t require any changes to these options.

Your email provider can give you the settings you need to fill in the Advanced setup but you can also go to the POP and IMAP server name reference we’ve provided for the most popular email providers.

After you’ve entered the required information, click Sign in > Done.

Note: If you’re adding an account other than Gmail, see Special instructions for other accounts.

Troubleshooting

If you’re having problems setting up your account, try the following.

If you upgraded to Windows 10, you will need to re-add your accounts to Mail for Windows 10.

Make sure your email address and password are correct. Passwords are case-sensitive.

If you see your most recent messages but no older messages, you probably need to change your email sync duration.

If you see a message that your account is out-of-date, you probably need to either update your password, your incoming or outgoing servers, or your SSL settings. See Fixing an out-of-date account for more information.

Special instructions for other accounts

If you’ve enabled two-factor authentication on your iCloud account, you’ll need to generate an app-specific password to add your iCloud account to the Mail app.

Select Generate Password below App-Specific Passwords.

Follow the instructions on your screen.

Microsoft has added OAuth support for Yahoo! accounts in the Windows 10 Creators update. To install the Creators Update now, go to the software download site, and select Update now. For more information about the update, see Windows 10 Creators Update is here.

If you have a Japanese Yahoo! email account you will need to do the following:

You’ll need to add your Yahoo! account as an IMAP account. To do this, follow the steps in Add an account using advanced setup using imap.mail.yahoo.co.jp for your incoming mail server and smtp.mail.yahoo.co.jp for your outgoing mail server.

To sync your QQ mailbox with the Mail and Calendar apps, you need to enable IMAP on QQ.

Sign in to your QQ account.

Select Settings > Account > POP3/IMAP/SMTP/Exchange/CardDAV/CalDAV Service > Find IMAP/SMTP Service > Open.

You might need to send a text message to enable this service. After you select Open in step 2, a dialog might appear prompting you to use your phone to send a message to the displayed phone number.

After the text message is sent, QQ will open a new dialog with an authorization code. Copy the authorization code as you’ll need this to add your QQ mail account in the Mail and Calendar apps.

In the Mail and Calendar apps, remove your QQ account and add it again using the authorization code.

Your QQ account should now sync automatically.

When you try to connect your GMX.de or WEB.de account to the Mail and Calendar apps, you’ll receive an email in your GMX.de or WEB.de mailbox with instructions about how to enable access.

In a web browser, sign in to your GMX.de or WEB.de account.

Find the email message with instructions about how to connect your account to the Mail and Calendar apps, and follow the instructions.

Your account should now sync with the Mail and Calendar apps automatically.