Using Airmail with Nextcloud (and Any Other Custom Mail Server) - IMAP/SMTP Setup

Several users ask whether Airmail can be used with Nextcloud, or with another mail provider that is not listed among the built-in options. This article explains what is and is not possible, and how to set the account up.

Is there a dedicated Nextcloud integration?

No. Airmail does not have a dedicated Nextcloud button when adding an account, and it does not integrate with Nextcloud Files for attachments. The same applies to most self-hosted platforms. This does not mean you cannot use your mail with Airmail. In almost all cases you can.

The key point: Nextcloud is not an email provider

This is the most common source of confusion. Nextcloud Mail is a webmail client, not a mail service. It does not host your mailbox: it connects to an existing IMAP mailbox, exactly as Airmail does.

So the question is not "does Airmail support Nextcloud", but "who actually hosts my mailbox". That is the server whose details you will enter in Airmail. It may be your hosting provider, your company mail server, or a mail service you subscribe to.

Airmail supports any standard mail server

Airmail works with any mail server that uses the standard IMAP (or POP) and SMTP protocols. This covers self-hosted servers, custom domains, and the great majority of independent providers.

What you need before you start

Ask your provider or your system administrator for the following. These are the same details that any mail client requires:

Incoming mail server (IMAP): host name, port, and whether SSL/TLS is used
Outgoing mail server (SMTP): host name, port, and whether SSL/TLS is used
Your username (often, but not always, your full email address)
Your password

If your provider publishes a page titled "IMAP settings" or "Connect a mail client", that page contains everything you need.

How to add the account

Open Airmail and go to Preferences (on Mac) or Settings (on iPhone and iPad).
Open the Accounts section and choose to add a new account.
Rather than selecting a named provider such as Gmail or iCloud, choose the generic option: Other, Custom, or IMAP.
Enter your email address and password, then enter the incoming (IMAP) and outgoing (SMTP) server details supplied by your provider.
Save the account and allow Airmail a few minutes to synchronise your folders.

If the account will not connect

Check the port and encryption first. The most frequent cause of failure is a mismatch between the port and the SSL/TLS setting. Use exactly the combination your provider documents, rather than assuming a default.
Check the username. Some servers expect the full email address, while others expect only the part before the @ sign.
Check for two-factor authentication. If your mail host has two-factor authentication enabled, your normal password will be refused. You will need to generate an app-specific password in your provider's security settings and use that in Airmail instead.
Confirm the mailbox works elsewhere. If you can sign in to your webmail in a browser, the account is active and the problem lies in the connection settings. If you cannot sign in there either, contact your mail host first.

A note on attachments and files

Airmail cannot browse or attach files directly from a Nextcloud Files instance. To send a file stored in Nextcloud, either download it to your device first and attach it in the normal way, or generate a share link in Nextcloud and paste that link into your message.

Still stuck?

If the account still will not connect, contact us and include the provider or domain you are using, the server settings you entered, and the error message Airmail displays. We will be glad to help you complete the setup.

Updated on: 07/12/2026

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