IMAP, SMTP, and POP3 setup

Proton Mail Bridge lets you connect your Proton Mail account to desktop email clients while keeping your messages encrypted. It works with any client that supports IMAP and SMTP, including Microsoft Outlook, Mozilla Thunderbird, and Apple Mail.

Bridge encrypts and decrypts your mail as it enters and leaves your computer, making it possible to use Proton Mail in a desktop client without giving up Proton’s privacy features.

Bridge is available on macOS, Windows, and Linux, but not on mobile devices.

Bridge can also be useful if you want to import messages from other email accounts connected to the same client, and it supports full-text search across your Proton Mail emails.

You can download it from the Proton Mail Bridge homepage.

Proton Mail Bridge is currently available only with a paid Proton Mail plan.

IMAP and SMTP

IMAP handles incoming mail, while SMTP handles outgoing mail. If you’re setting up Proton Mail in a desktop app, Bridge manages both the incoming and outgoing server connections for you — this is what allows your client to sync messages and send email securely through Proton Mail.

For step-by-step setup instructions, see our configuration guide for Proton Mail Bridge, which includes links to the relevant client setup guides for supported email apps and plans.

POP3

We do not offer POP3 support. However, Bridge allows you to download all of your mail into your client and export it from there.

Business SMTP setup

If you are using one of our business plans, you can also set up SMTP on your business applications or devices to send emails with Proton Mail. The feature which allows you to do this is called SMTP Submission.