QQ Mail SMTP Settings
Tencent's free consumer mailbox tied to your QQ account, at qq.com and foxmail.com.
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Outgoing mail (SMTP)
SMTP server
smtp.qq.com
Port. STARTTLS
587
Port. SSL/TLS
465
Security
SSL/TLS on 465 (recommended) or STARTTLS on 587.
Incoming mail (IMAP)
IMAP server
imap.qq.com
Port. SSL/TLS
993
Port. STARTTLS
143
Incoming mail (POP3)
POP3 server
pop.qq.com
Port. SSL/TLS
995
Sending limits & login
Daily send limit
Per-account daily caps apply and Tencent throttles bursts.
Authentication
Enable IMAP/SMTP service in QQ Mail settings, then sign in with an authorisation code instead of your QQ password.
App password
Generate the authorisation code under Settings > Account > POP3/IMAP/SMTP service.
QQ Mail uses an authorisation code, not your account password, for third-party clients.
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QQ Mail SMTP, IMAP and POP3 settings
QQ Mail ships with POP3, IMAP and SMTP switched off by default, so you have to turn the service on before any outside client can connect. Once it is on, Tencent hands you a 16-character authorisation code, a string of lowercase letters rather than digits, that takes the place of your QQ password in mail clients. Changing the QQ password wipes every code you have made, so every client stops collecting mail at the same moment.
For incoming mail, use the IMAP server imap.qq.com on port 993, or POP3 at pop.qq.com on port 995. Pick the exact values from the tool above and copy them straight into your mail client.
Checked against QQ Mail's own documentation: help.mail.qq.com. Ports and limits change, so check there too if something will not connect.
QQ Mail settings at a glance
One card with every server and port on it. Right click to save it, or share the page and this is the preview people see.
What to enter as your QQ Mail username and password
Wrong credentials, not a wrong port, are the usual reason a QQ Mail connection fails. These are the exact values to type.
Your full QQ Mail address, for example 123456789@qq.com
The 16-character authorisation code generated in the web mailbox, never your QQ password
Get your 授权码 (authorisation code)How to set up QQ Mail in a mail client
The exact path through QQ Mail's own settings, in order.
- 1
Sign in to QQ Mail on the web
Open mail.qq.com in a browser and sign in. The protocol switches exist only in the web version, not in the phone app.
- 2
Open Settings, then Account and Security
Click 设置 (Settings) in the top bar, choose the 账号与安全 (Account and Security) tab, and find the POP3/IMAP/SMTP/Exchange/CardDAV service block.
- 3
Switch the service on and pass the SMS check
Flip the 开启 (Enable) switch. Tencent asks you to send a set text message from the mobile number bound to the account, then click 我已发送 (I have sent it).
- 4
Copy the 16-character authorisation code
The code appears once in a popup. Copy it straight away; you can generate a new one later at 设置 > 账号与安全 > 设备管理 > 授权码管理, but you cannot read an old one again.
- 5
Enter the servers in your mail client
IMAP imap.qq.com port 993 SSL/TLS, or POP3 pop.qq.com port 995 SSL/TLS. Outgoing is smtp.qq.com on port 465 or 587 with SSL/TLS.
What QQ Mail looks like filled in
Every mail client asks for the same handful of fields. Here they are with QQ Mail's values already in place.
Account settings: QQ Mail
Server
smtp.qq.comPort
465Encryption
SSL/TLSAuthentication
RequiredUsername
Your full QQ Mail address, for example 123456789@qq.comPassword
The 16-character authorisation code generated in the web mailbox, never your QQ passwordServer
imap.qq.comPort
993Encryption
SSL/TLSAn illustration of the fields, not a screenshot of any one app. Field names differ slightly between Outlook, Apple Mail and Thunderbird; the values do not.
QQ Mail SMTP settings in Thunderbird
The outgoing server dialog with QQ Mail's details entered. Outlook and Apple Mail ask for the same four things under slightly different names.
Which port should you use for QQ Mail?
SSL/TLS on 465 (recommended) or STARTTLS on 587.
STARTTLS
Starts as a plain connection, then upgrades to an encrypted one. The modern standard for sending.
SSL/TLS
Encrypted from the first byte. Widely supported and a good choice when 587 is blocked.
Plain SMTP
Meant for server-to-server relay. Home networks and cloud hosts block it, so do not use it to send from a client.
Why your QQ Mail connection is failing
The failures people actually hit with QQ Mail, and what fixes each one.
QQ returns one catch-all string for several causes. Check first that POP3/IMAP/SMTP is actually switched on under 设置 > 账号与安全, and that you pasted the 16-character authorisation code rather than the QQ password.
Tencent invalidates all existing authorisation codes the instant the master password changes. Generate a fresh code and paste it into each client.
The text message has to come from the number registered as the QQ security phone. Re-verify or re-bind that number in QQ Security Centre, then retry the switch.
Outlook's POP3 defaults delete the server copy. In Account Settings > More Settings > Advanced, tick "Leave a copy of messages on the server", or rebuild the account as IMAP.
QQ Mail sending limits
Total ordinary attachments sent in one day are capped at 200 MB; Tencent publishes no daily message count.
Recipients per message
No fixed number; Tencent says the cap tightens or loosens according to its anti-spam scoring
Max attachment
50 MB per ordinary attachment, and 55 MB for message body plus attachments
QQ Mail servers by region and plan
QQ Mail does not use one set of hostnames everywhere. Match the row to your account.
| Region or plan | SMTP | IMAP | POP3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tencent Exmail (business plan) | smtp.exmail.qq.com | imap.exmail.qq.com | pop.exmail.qq.com |
| Tencent Exmail, Xinchuang (信创) deployment | xcsmtp.exmail.qq.com | xcimap.exmail.qq.com | xcpop.exmail.qq.com |
QQ Mail quirks by mail client
Apple Mail
Tencent's Mac guide says that if SMTP on port 465 fails in Mac Mail, retry on port 587 with TLS/SSL selected.
Outlook
In classic Outlook you must tick "My outgoing server (SMTP) requires authentication" on the Outgoing Server tab or sending fails.
other
Foxmail and the QQ Mail app are Tencent's own products and sign in by QQ or WeChat QR scan, so they need no authorisation code.
Sending cold email through QQ Mail
Per-account daily caps apply and Tencent throttles bursts. Enable IMAP/SMTP service in QQ Mail settings, then sign in with an authorisation code instead of your QQ password.
Those caps make single-mailbox sending fine for personal mail but a poor fit for cold outreach at volume. Emailchaser spreads sending across warmed inboxes and manages deliverability, so you can scale without burning QQ Mail accounts.
Other consumer email providers
Setting up more than one mailbox? These sit in the same category as QQ Mail.
Common questions about QQ Mail SMTP settings
What are QQ Mail's SMTP settings?
QQ Mail's outgoing (SMTP) server is smtp.qq.com. Use port 587 (STARTTLS) or 465 (SSL/TLS). SSL/TLS on 465 (recommended) or STARTTLS on 587. Sign in with your full email address and password (or app password).
What is QQ Mail's IMAP or POP3 server?
QQ Mail's incoming IMAP server is imap.qq.com on port 993 (SSL/TLS). If you prefer POP3, use pop.qq.com on port 995.
Which port should I use for QQ Mail?
Use port 587 with STARTTLS wherever it's offered, it's the modern standard for authenticated sending. Port 465 with SSL/TLS is a solid alternative. Avoid port 25, which most networks block for client sending. QQ Mail's recommended value is above.
Why won't my QQ Mail SMTP connection work?
Check authentication first: Enable IMAP/SMTP service in QQ Mail settings, then sign in with an authorisation code instead of your QQ password. Generate the authorisation code under Settings > Account > POP3/IMAP/SMTP service. Then confirm the host, port and security method match exactly, a 587/SSL or 465/STARTTLS mismatch will fail to connect.
Can I send bulk or cold email through QQ Mail?
Not at scale. Per-account daily caps apply and Tencent throttles bursts. Providers throttle bursts to fight spam, so pushing cold email through one mailbox hits limits and wrecks deliverability. High-volume outreach belongs on dedicated infrastructure that spreads sending across warmed inboxes, which is what Emailchaser does.
Do I type my QQ number or my email address as the SMTP username?
Type the full address, for example 123456789@qq.com. Tencent's own Windows and Mac setup guides show the whole address in the username box for both incoming and outgoing servers. The bare QQ number is only used when signing in to Tencent's own apps.
Is there a way to avoid the authorisation code entirely?
Yes, but only with Tencent software. Foxmail and the QQ Mail app log in with a QQ or WeChat QR scan and fetch the server settings themselves. Every other client, Outlook and Apple Mail included, has to use the 16-character code.
QQ Mail blocked my account from sending. What now?
Tencent's automated anti-spam system temporarily suspends sending when it sees a burst of messages, a login from a risky network, or signs of malware on your machine. It runs an automatic unblock: change your password, turn on login protection, scan your devices, then wait. If sending is still blocked, use Tencent's feedback form.
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