EarthLink Email works in any mail app that speaks IMAP. Incoming mail (IMAP): imap.earthlink.net, port 993 (SSL/TLS). Outgoing mail (SMTP): smtpauth.earthlink.net, port 587 (STARTTLS). The user name is your full email address, and the password is your EarthLink email password. In LocalInbox, choose Other IMAP account and type these in under Server settings.
Server settings
| Server | Host name | Port | Security |
|---|---|---|---|
| Incoming (IMAP) | imap.earthlink.net | 993 | SSL/TLS |
| Outgoing (SMTP) | smtpauth.earthlink.net | 587 | STARTTLS |
| Incoming (POP3) | pop.earthlink.net | 995 | SSL/TLS |
The same for earthlink.net, mindspring.com, ix.netcom.com and EarthLink's other domains, except POP3, whose server follows the domain (pop.mindspring.com, pop.peoplepc.com).
What the ports and security mean: IMAP ports and SMTP ports.
POP3 is for apps that use it. LocalInbox uses IMAP, so read, moved and deleted mail stays the same on every device: POP3 and IMAP compared.
Steps
- In LocalInbox, open Settings › Accounts and click Add Account (or use the welcome screen the first time).
- Choose Other IMAP account. Enter your EarthLink address, and your EarthLink email password as the password.
- Open Server settings. Under Incoming mail (IMAP), enter imap.earthlink.net and port 993, and choose TLS.
- Under Outgoing mail (SMTP), enter smtpauth.earthlink.net and port 587, and choose STARTTLS.
- Leave User name empty, and LocalInbox signs in with your full address, which is what EarthLink expects.
- Click Connect. LocalInbox signs in and starts syncing your mail.
Troubleshooting
LocalInbox says the password is wrong
LocalInbox needs your EarthLink email password. Copy it again, without spaces before or after.
LocalInbox says it can't connect
The message says what to fix: nothing answering at the port, the wrong kind of TLS for the port, an untrusted certificate, an unknown server name, or a timeout. Check what you typed under Server settings against the table at the top of this page.
Sources
EarthLink Email's settings were checked against its own help pages in November 2026 and can change. The steps in LocalInbox come from the app.
Questions
What are the EarthLink Email IMAP and SMTP settings?
Incoming (IMAP): imap.earthlink.net, port 993, SSL/TLS. Outgoing (SMTP): smtpauth.earthlink.net, port 587, STARTTLS. The same for earthlink.net, mindspring.com, ix.netcom.com and EarthLink's other domains, except POP3, whose server follows the domain (pop.mindspring.com, pop.peoplepc.com).
Where does LocalInbox keep the password?
In the macOS Keychain on your Mac. It's never written to a file or sent anywhere except your mail server.
What are the EarthLink Email POP3 settings?
Incoming (POP3): pop.earthlink.net, port 995, SSL/TLS, for apps that use POP3; outgoing mail goes through the same SMTP server as with IMAP. LocalInbox uses IMAP instead, which keeps read, moved and deleted mail the same in webmail, on your phone and on your Mac. POP3 downloads mail to one device.
Can I add EarthLink Email on iPhone or iPad?
Yes, the same way, in LocalInbox for iPhone and iPad: Settings › Accounts › Add Account, then Other IMAP account. Type in the same server settings and password. Already added it on your Mac? Add Account › From your Mac copies it with a QR code, password included. https://localinbox.app/iphone