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An email address that carries your own name

Something like [email protected] is yours to set up. This site explains it in plain words, one step at a time.

An address points to a mailbox, the place where your messages are delivered.^[1]

Start with the basics → New

You type a message, it goes to the mail server for your domain, then to their inbox. Below, the sender address you@example.com. — Mail from your own address passes through your domain's mail server.

Three words you'll meet first

1
The four kinds of address you will meet.

Mailbox
Where your messages are kept. It has its own password.
2
Two alias names can lead to one mailbox.

Alias
A second name that delivers to a mailbox you already have.
3
IMAP keeps mail on the server. POP3 normally downloads it.

IMAP
A way for apps to read mail that stays on the server.^[2]

Pick a job

The address jane@example.com with two brackets under it. The part before the @ is labelled the mailbox name. The part after is labelled the domain you own. — An address has a name part and a domain part.

Understand the pieces

What each kind of address does, and what the mail protocols are for.

Four steps in a column joined by arrows: enter your name, email address and password; the app tries to find the settings by itself; if it can't, pick IMAP or POP; type the incoming and outgoing server. — How adding an account to a phone's Mail app goes.

Get it working

Add an account to your phone and plan a move to a new provider.

Five stacked steps: block sign-in; save the mailbox contents; forward the mail, or make it shared; give the new owner access; remove the license when it is safe. A note says these are five of the steps in Microsoft 365's former-employee guide. — A tidy order for when someone leaves.

Keep it tidy

Catch-alls, automatic replies, and what to do when someone leaves.

Quick answers

What does SMTP do?

It carries your outgoing mail. Its aim is to transfer mail reliably and efficiently.^[3]

Do I have to use an app?

No. You can read mail in a web browser too.

Which page should I read first?

The one on why use email at your own domain.

Newest pages

Why use email at your own domain added November 3, 2026
Mailboxes, aliases, forwarders and shared inboxes added November 3, 2026
IMAP, POP3 and SMTP in plain words added November 3, 2026
Adding your domain email to a phone or computer added November 3, 2026
Planning a switch to a new email provider added November 3, 2026

How this site works

Every guide page lists its sources at the bottom.
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Sources

Email address, Wikipedia (accessed 2026-11-03)
RFC 3501: Internet Message Access Protocol - Version 4rev1, IETF (accessed 2026-11-03)
RFC 5321: Simple Mail Transfer Protocol, IETF (accessed 2026-11-03)