How to Solve Email Not Working on Hostinger

Few things are as frustrating as when your email stops working. Whether you rely on it for business communication, client interactions, or personal correspondence, a non-functional email can bring your productivity to a screeching halt. If you’re hosting your website with Hostinger and suddenly find yourself unable to send or receive emails, you’re not alone. This is a common issue that many users encounter, and thankfully, most problems can be resolved with a systematic approach.

This in-depth guide is designed to help you diagnose and fix common email issues on Hostinger, taking you from basic checks to advanced configurations. We’ll cover everything from verifying your domain’s DNS records to correctly configuring your email client, ensuring your Hostinger email is back up and running smoothly.

Table of Contents

1. Diagnosing the Root Cause: Where’s the Problem?

   • Sending vs. Receiving: A Key Distinction
   • Quick Checks Before Diving Deep

2. Step 1: Verify Hostinger Email Account Status and Settings

   • Checking Email Accounts in hPanel
   • Reviewing Email Forwarders and Filters
   • Storage Quota and Usage

3. Step 2: Ensure Correct DNS Configuration (MX, SPF, DKIM, DMARC)

   • Understanding MX Records
   • SPF Record for Email Authenticity
   • DKIM and DMARC: Further Protection

4. Step 3: Correctly Configure Your Email Client

   • Essential Hostinger Email Settings (IMAP/POP3, SMTP)
   • Step-by-Step Client Setup (General Guide)
   • Common Email Client Issues and Fixes

5. Step 4: Test with Hostinger Webmail

   • Why Webmail is Your Best Friend for Diagnosis
   • How to Access Hostinger Webmail

6. Step 5: Advanced Troubleshooting & Common Scenarios

   • Emails Going to Spam Folder
   • Delayed Email Delivery
   • Cannot Send Emails
   • Cannot Receive Emails

7. When to Contact Hostinger Support

   • What Information to Prepare

8. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
9. Conclusion

Diagnosing the Root Cause: Where’s the Problem?

Before you start tinkering with settings, it’s crucial to identify the source of the problem. Is it an issue with sending emails, receiving emails, or both? Is it affecting all your email addresses or just one? Understanding the scope will narrow down your troubleshooting efforts significantly.

Sending vs. Receiving: A Key Distinction

• Cannot send emails? This usually points to issues with your SMTP (Outgoing Mail Server) settings, sender authentication (SPF, DKIM), or potential IP blacklisting.
• Cannot receive emails? This often indicates problems with your MX (Mail Exchanger) records, email storage capacity, forwarding rules, or local email client setup.
• Cannot send and receive? This suggests a more fundamental issue, possibly with your domain’s DNS records, email account status on Hostinger, or a broader server-side problem.

Quick Checks Before Diving Deep

Sometimes, the simplest solutions are the most effective. Rule out these common culprits first:

1. Internet Connection: Ensure your device has a stable internet connection. Try accessing other websites.
2. Password: Double-check your email password. It’s a common mistake! If you’re unsure, try resetting it via your Hostinger hPanel.
3. Email Client Status: Is your email client (Outlook, Thunderbird, Apple Mail) reporting any errors? Look for specific error codes or messages.
4. Hostinger Services Status: Briefly check Hostinger’s official status page or social media for any widespread service outages affecting email services.
5. Domain Expiration: Is your domain name still active? An expired domain means no website and no email.
6. Hosting Plan Status: Is your Hostinger hosting plan active and paid up? An expired or suspended plan will lead to email service interruption.

Step 1: Verify Hostinger Email Account Status and Settings

Your email service originates directly from your Hostinger account. This is the first place to check for any discrepancies.

Checking Email Accounts in hPanel

1. Log in to hPanel: Go to Hostinger’s website and log in to your hPanel.
2. Navigate to Email Accounts: In the hPanel dashboard, find the “Emails” section and click on “Email Accounts.”
3. Verify Account Existence: Ensure the email address you’re troubleshooting actually exists and is listed.
4. Check Status: Look for a “Status” indicator next to your email address. It should be active. If it’s suspended or disabled, reactivate it.
5. Review Settings: Click on the email account to see its configuration details. Note down the IMAP, POP3, and SMTP settings, including ports and encryption types. These are crucial for configuring your email client later.

(Screenshot Description: A screenshot showing the Hostinger hPanel “Email Accounts” section with a list of email addresses, their status, and options to manage them.)

Reviewing Email Forwarders and Filters

Sometimes, emails might be working perfectly fine, but they’re being redirected or caught by a filter you set up previously.

• Email Forwarders: In hPanel, under the “Emails” section, check “Email Forwarders.” Make sure there aren’t any unintended forwarders that are sending your emails to another address, causing them to “disappear” from your primary inbox.
• Email Filters: Similarly, check “Email Filters.” You might have created a filter that’s sending certain emails to spam, a specific folder, or even deleting them entirely. Review these rules and temporarily disable any suspicious ones to see if your emails start arriving.

Storage Quota and Usage

A full email inbox is a surprisingly common reason for not receiving emails. Once your email account reaches its storage limit, new incoming emails will bounce back to the sender.

1. Check Usage: In the “Email Accounts” section in hPanel, you’ll usually see the storage usage next to each email account.
2. Clear Space: If your inbox is full, log into Hostinger Webmail (we’ll cover this in Step 4) and delete old or unnecessary emails, especially those with large attachments. You can also empty the Trash and Sent folders.
3. Increase Quota: If you consistently hit your storage limit, consider upgrading your email plan or deleting old emails regularly.

Step 2: Ensure Correct DNS Configuration (MX, SPF, DKIM, DMARC)

DNS records are like the postal service for your domain. Incorrect DNS settings are a leading cause of email delivery problems. Even if your website is loading correctly, your email might not be, especially if your domain’s nameservers aren’t managed by Hostinger, or if you’ve recently migrated.

Understanding MX Records

MX (Mail Exchanger) records tell other mail servers where to send emails for your domain. If these are incorrect, emails simply won’t know where to go.

1. Access DNS Zone Editor: In your Hostinger hPanel, navigate to the “Advanced” section and click on “DNS Zone Editor.”

2. Verify MX Records: Look for records with the “MX” type. Hostinger typically provides standard MX records that should look something like:

   • Priority 0: mx.hostinger.com
   • Priority 10: alt.mx.hostinger.com

   Important: If your domain’s nameservers are not pointing to Hostinger, you’ll need to update these MX records at your domain registrar’s DNS management interface.

3. Add/Edit MX Records: If they are missing or incorrect, delete the old ones (if any) and add the correct Hostinger MX records.

(Screenshot Description: A screenshot of the Hostinger hPanel DNS Zone Editor, highlighting the section where MX records are listed and can be managed.)

SPF Record for Email Authenticity

SPF (Sender Policy Framework) is an email authentication method designed to prevent sender address forgery, a common tactic in spam and phishing. An SPF record specifies which mail servers are authorized to send emails on behalf of your domain.

• Locate SPF Record: In the DNS Zone Editor, look for a TXT record that starts with v=spf1.
• Hostinger’s SPF: For Hostinger, a typical SPF record might look like: v=spf1 include:_spf.mail.hostinger.com ~all
• Importance: If this record is missing or incorrectly configured, emails you send might be flagged as spam or rejected by recipient servers. Ensure you only have one SPF record per domain.

DKIM and DMARC: Further Protection

While MX and SPF are crucial, DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) and DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance) add further layers of email authentication, significantly improving your email deliverability and protecting your domain from impersonation.

• DKIM: This record adds a digital signature to your outgoing emails, allowing recipient servers to verify that the email was indeed sent by your domain and wasn’t tampered with in transit. Hostinger typically adds DKIM records automatically when you set up an email account. You’ll find it as a TXT record, often looking like default._domainkey.yourdomain.com.
• DMARC: This policy tells recipient servers what to do with emails that fail SPF or DKIM checks (e.g., quarantine, reject, or allow). A basic DMARC record might look like: _dmarc.yourdomain.com TXT v=DMARC1; p=none; sp=none; rua=mailto:your@email.com (replace your@email.com with an actual address to receive reports).

Summary of Essential Email DNS Records:

DNS Propagation: Remember that any changes made to DNS records can take anywhere from a few minutes to 48 hours to propagate across the internet. Be patient after making changes. You can check propagation using online tools like DNS Checker.

Step 3: Correctly Configure Your Email Client

Even if your Hostinger email service and DNS records are perfect, an improperly configured email client on your computer or phone will prevent you from sending or receiving messages.

Essential Hostinger Email Settings (IMAP/POP3, SMTP)

Hostinger provides specific settings for configuring your email clients. It’s crucial to use these exact details. You can find these by logging into hPanel, going to “Emails” > “Email Accounts,” clicking on your email, and then looking for “Configuration Settings” or “Connect Devices.”

Here are the typical settings for Hostinger:

IMAP vs. POP3:

• IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol): Recommended. Keeps emails on the server, syncing across multiple devices.
• POP3 (Post Office Protocol 3): Downloads emails to your device and often deletes them from the server. Not ideal for multiple devices.

Step-by-Step Client Setup (General Guide)

While each email client has a slightly different interface, the core steps are similar:

1. Open your Email Client: Launch Outlook, Thunderbird, Apple Mail, Gmail app, etc.
2. Add Account: Look for an option like “Add Account,” “Account Settings,” or “New Mail Account.”
3. Manual Setup: Choose “Manual Setup” or “Other Account Types” if prompted, as automatic setup might not always retrieve the correct Hostinger settings.
4. Enter Details:

   • Your Name: How you want your name to appear to recipients.
   • Email Address: Your full Hostinger email address (e.g., contact@yourdomain.com).
   • Password: Your email account password.

5. Configure Incoming Server (IMAP/POP3):

   • Select IMAP or POP3.
   • Enter the Hostinger IMAP/POP3 server (e.g., imap.hostinger.com).
   • Enter the correct port (993 for IMAP SSL, 995 for POP3 SSL).
   • Select the appropriate encryption method (SSL/TLS).

6. Configure Outgoing Server (SMTP):

   • Enter the Hostinger SMTP server (smtp.hostinger.com).
   • Enter the correct port (465 for SSL, 587 for STARTTLS).
   • Select the appropriate encryption method.
   • Crucially, enable “Outgoing server requires authentication” and use the same username (full email address) and password as your incoming server.

7. Test Settings: Most clients have a “Test Account Settings” or “Verify” button. Use it! This will try to connect to the servers and confirm your credentials.

(Screenshot Description: A generic screenshot of an email client’s “Add Account” wizard, showing fields for incoming and outgoing server settings, ports, and encryption types.)

Common Email Client Issues and Fixes

• “Authentication Failed” or “Incorrect Password”:

  • Triple-check your password.
  • Ensure your username is your full email address.
  • Verify “Outgoing server requires authentication” is checked and uses the same credentials.

• “Cannot connect to server” or “Connection refused”:

  • Double-check server names, ports, and encryption types. Even a single digit or letter wrong will cause failure.
  • Temporarily disable your local firewall/antivirus to see if it’s blocking the connection (remember to re-enable!).
  • Your ISP might be blocking certain ports. Try a different network or contact your ISP.

• Only sending works, not receiving (or vice-versa): This points to an issue specific to one server. Re-check IMAP/POP3 settings for receiving, and SMTP settings for sending.

Step 4: Test with Hostinger Webmail

Webmail is a critical diagnostic tool because it bypasses your local email client entirely. If you can send and receive emails via Hostinger Webmail, it confirms that your email account and Hostinger’s mail servers are functioning correctly. This means the problem lies solely with your local email client configuration or your internet connection.

Why Webmail is Your Best Friend for Diagnosis

• Isolates the problem: If webmail works, the issue is on your end (client, network). If webmail doesn’t work, the issue is with Hostinger’s setup (email account, DNS, server).
• Direct access: You connect directly to Hostinger’s mail server without any intermediary client software.

How to Access Hostinger Webmail

1. Log in to hPanel: Access your Hostinger hPanel.
2. Navigate to Email Accounts: Go to the “Emails” section, then click on “Email Accounts.”
3. Access Webmail: Next to your email address, you’ll see an option like “Webmail” or a small envelope icon. Click this, and it will redirect you to Hostinger’s webmail interface (usually Roundcube or a similar client).
4. Test Functionality: Once logged into webmail, try sending an email to yourself or a different email address. Then, send an email from another address to your Hostinger account and check if it arrives in webmail.

If webmail works flawlessly, spend more time reviewing Step 3 to fix your email client settings.

Step 5: Advanced Troubleshooting & Common Scenarios

If the basic and intermediate steps haven’t solved your problem, let’s look at some more specific scenarios.

Emails Going to Spam Folder

This is a common frustration where emails are sent successfully, but recipients never see them because they land in the junk folder.

• Sender Reputation: If your domain or IP has a poor reputation (e.g., due to past spamming from your server, even if not by you), your emails might be flagged.
• Missing/Incorrect SPF, DKIM, DMARC: As discussed in Step 2, these records are crucial for authenticating your emails. Without them, recipient servers are more likely to mark your emails as suspicious.
• Email Content: Certain keywords, excessive links, or poorly formatted emails can trigger spam filters.
• Attachments: Suspicious file types (e.g., .exe, .zip with no context) or very large attachments can also cause issues.
• Solution:

  • Ensure your SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records are correctly configured.
  • Ask recipients to “whitelist” your email address or mark your emails as “Not Spam.”
  • Review your email content for anything that might look spammy.
  • Consider using a professional email service or transactional email provider for critical communications if issues persist.

Delayed Email Delivery

Sometimes emails aren’t lost, just very slow to arrive.

• Server Load: High traffic or load on mail servers can cause delays. This is often temporary.
• Recipient Server Issues: The problem might be on the recipient’s end, not yours.
• Network Latency: General internet slowdowns can affect delivery times.
• Large Attachments: Emails with large files take longer to process and transmit.
• Solution:

  • Check Hostinger’s status page for any reported mail server issues.
  • Ensure your email doesn’t have excessively large attachments.
  • If a specific recipient experiences delays, ask them to check their server status.

Cannot Send Emails

If you can receive but not send, the problem almost always lies with your outgoing SMTP server settings or sender authentication.

• SMTP Settings: Revisit Step 3 and double-check your SMTP server name, port (465 SSL/TLS or 587 STARTTLS), and ensure “Outgoing server requires authentication” is checked with your full email address and password.
• Firewall/Antivirus: Your local firewall or antivirus software might be blocking the outgoing port. Temporarily disable it to test.
• ISP Blocking: Some ISPs block outgoing SMTP port 25 (unencrypted) to prevent spam. Hostinger uses 465 (SSL/TLS) or 587 (STARTTLS), which are generally not blocked. Ensure you’re using these.
• Sender Reputation/Blacklisting: If your IP address or domain has been blacklisted for spamming, your emails will be rejected. This is less common for shared hosting but can happen. You can use online tools (like MXToolbox) to check if your domain/IP is on a blacklist.
• Solution: Focus on SMTP settings, network/firewall, and ensuring proper SPF/DKIM records.

Cannot Receive Emails

If you can send but not receive, the problem is usually with incoming mail routing or storage.

• MX Records (Revisit Step 2): This is the most common cause. Your MX records must point correctly to Hostinger’s mail servers.
• Domain Not Resolving: Use a tool like whois or dig to confirm your domain is resolving correctly and pointing to Hostinger’s nameservers. If your domain’s nameservers are set elsewhere, you must manage your MX records at that registrar.
• Email Storage Full (Revisit Step 1): Check your quota and clear space.
• Email Forwarders/Filters (Revisit Step 1): Ensure no rules are diverting or deleting incoming emails.
• Firewall on Hostinger (Less likely for user control): If everything else fails and webmail also doesn’t receive, this might be a server-side issue.
• Solution: Prioritize checking MX records and email storage/forwarders.

When to Contact Hostinger Support

If you’ve systematically gone through all the steps above and your email is still not working, it’s time to reach out to Hostinger’s customer support. They have access to server-side diagnostics and can investigate deeper.

What Information to Prepare

To help them resolve your issue quickly, provide as much detail as possible:

• Your Domain Name: Crucial for identifying your account.
• The Specific Email Address(es) Affected: (e.g., info@yourdomain.com).
• Problem Description: Are you unable to send, receive, or both? Are emails going to spam?
• Error Messages: Any exact error messages from your email client or webmail.
• Troubleshooting Steps Taken: List what you’ve already tried (e.g., “I checked MX records in hPanel, tested webmail, verified client settings, etc.”).
• When the Problem Started: Did it work before? What changed? (e.g., “Stopped working after I changed nameservers,” or “Suddenly stopped yesterday”).
• Screenshots: If you have screenshots of error messages or your email client settings, attach them.

Hostinger’s support team is generally responsive and knowledgeable, and providing them with this information upfront will streamline the resolution process.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: My emails are going to spam, what should I do?

A: Ensure your SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records are correctly configured in your domain’s DNS Zone Editor. Ask recipients to add your email to their safe sender list. Review your email content for any spammy characteristics.

Q2: I can send emails, but I’m not receiving any. What’s the most likely cause?

A: The most common culprit is incorrect or missing MX (Mail Exchanger) records. Check your DNS Zone Editor in hPanel to ensure your MX records point to Hostinger’s mail servers. Also, check your email storage quota and any active email forwarders or filters.

Q3: What’s the difference between IMAP and POP3, and which should I use?

A: IMAP keeps your emails on the server, syncing across all your devices. POP3 downloads emails to a single device and often deletes them from the server. IMAP is generally recommended for modern email usage, especially if you access email from multiple devices.

Q4: I reset my email password in hPanel, but my email client still won’t connect.

A: After resetting, you must update the password in all your email clients (Outlook, phone, etc.). Ensure your email client is configured to use your full email address as the username.

Q5: How long does it take for DNS changes to take effect?

A: DNS changes, like updating MX or SPF records, can take anywhere from a few minutes to 48 hours to fully propagate across the internet. This delay is known as DNS propagation. You can use online DNS checker tools to monitor the status.

Q6: Can my local firewall or antivirus block my Hostinger email?

A: Yes, occasionally, a strict firewall or antivirus program on your computer can interfere with your email client’s ability to connect to the mail servers. You can try temporarily disabling them (with caution) to see if it resolves the issue. Remember to re-enable them afterward.

Q7: Where can I find my Hostinger email client configuration settings?

A: Log in to your Hostinger hPanel. Navigate to “Emails” > “Email Accounts.” Click on the specific email account, and you should find an option or section titled “Configuration Settings” or “Connect Devices” that lists the IMAP, POP3, and SMTP details.

Conclusion

Email problems can be incredibly frustrating, but with a systematic approach, most “email not working on Hostinger” issues are entirely resolvable. By carefully checking your email account status, verifying critical DNS records (MX, SPF, DKIM, DMARC), ensuring your email client is correctly configured, and utilizing webmail for diagnosis, you can pinpoint and resolve the underlying cause.

Remember to be patient with DNS propagation, double-check every setting, and don’t hesitate to contact Hostinger support if you’ve exhausted all troubleshooting steps. Getting your email back online means smoother communication and uninterrupted productivity.

Did this guide help you fix your Hostinger email issues? Share your experience in the comments below, or let us know if you found another solution!

Fash ViRal

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