title: AutoConfig and Autodiscover created at: Tue Dec 03 2024 13:06:56 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) updated at: Sat Feb 08 2025 14:22:50 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) --- # AutoConfig and Autodiscover # Overview The AutoConfigure (AutoConfig) and Autodiscover services quickly and easily configure a user’s mail client to receive their cPanel email. These services work with Microsoft Outlook®, Outlook Express®, Thunderbird, and most other popular mail clients. !! Warning: !! The Autodiscover feature doesn’t work with email addresses that you add in the following mail clients: !! Microsoft Outlook 2016 !! Microsoft Outlook 2019 !! Microsoft Outlook for Office 365 !! Any mobile mail client. # Enable AutoConfig and Autodiscover To enable AutoConfig and Autodiscover, perform the following steps: 1. Navigate to the *Domains* section of WHM’s [*Tweak Settings*](https://docs.cpanel.net/whm/server-configuration/tweak-settings)  interface (*WHM » Home » Server Configuration » Tweak Settings*). 2. Locate the *Service subdomains* setting. If the setting is disabled, select *On*. 3. Locate the *Thunderbird and Outlook autodiscover and autoconfig support (enables service subdomain and SRV record creation)* setting and select *On*. 4. Click *Save*. !! Note: !! In cPanel & WHM version 120 and later, we enable the *Service subdomains* and *Thunderbird and Outlook autodiscover and autoconfig support (enables service subdomain and SRV record creation)* settings by default. For more information, read the *Domains* section of our [*Tweak Settings*](https://docs.cpanel.net/whm/server-configuration/tweak-settings#domains)  documentation. !! For more information on service subdomains, read our [Service and Proxy Subdomains](https://docs.cpanel.net/knowledge-base/general-systems-administration/service-and-proxy-subdomains)  documentation. # Additional settings You can find the following additional AutoConfig and Autodiscover settings in the *Domains* section of WHM’s [*Tweak Settings*](https://docs.cpanel.net/whm/server-configuration/tweak-settings)  interface (*WHM » Home » Server Configuration » Tweak Settings*): * *Preferred mail service to configure to use for Thunderbird and Outlook*®\* autodiscover and autoconfig support\* — This setting allows you to choose the email transfer method to use with Thunderbird and Outlook with Autodiscover and AutoConfig support. * This setting defaults to *imap*. !! Note: !! We recommend that you select IMAP and not POP3. !! You **must** enable the *Thunderbird and Outlook autodiscover and autoconfig support (enables service subdomain and SRV record creation)* option in order to configure this setting. * *Host to publish in the SRV records for Outlook autodiscover support.* — Microsoft Outlook’s Autodiscover service searches DNS for an SRV record for an email inbox’s domain that points to a particular server for Autodiscover. By default, this server is `cpanelemaildiscovery.cpanel.net`. This setting allows system administrators to perform the following actions: * Choose the host that the system publishes to the SRV records. * Change the default host if they have an SSL-enabled host with an SSL certificate that a Certificate Authority signs. * Use their own server for Outlook® Autodiscover. Enter that server’s Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) in the available text box. * When you enable the *Host to publish in the SRV records for Outlook autodiscover support* feature, the system queries the server that you specify for the Autodiscover settings. * You **must** have a custom XML file for this feature to function properly. This setting defaults to `cpanelemaildiscovery.cpanel.net`. !! Note: !! For more information about how to use a custom XML file, visit Mozilla’s [autoconfiguration page](https://wiki.mozilla.org/Thunderbird:Autoconfiguration) , or the Exchange’s [Autodiscover](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/exchange/client-developer/exchange-web-services/autodiscover-for-exchange\(v=exchg.80\)) page. !! You **must** enable the *Thunderbird and Outlook autodiscover and autoconfig support (enables service subdomain and SRV record creation)* option in order to configure this setting. For more information about Microsoft Outlook’s Autodiscover feature, visit Microsoft’s [Support](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/exchange/architecture/client-access/autodiscover?view=exchserver-2019)  website. !! Warning: !! We recommend that you use signed certificates that a Certificate Authority (CA) signed, rather than self-signed certificates, which may cause security issues. If you use a self-signed certificate, the browser may generate a warning message. # Use AutoConfig and Autodiscover To use AutoConfig and Autodiscover, enter a cPanel email address and password in your mail client. The services will automatically configure your mail client. ## Apple mail clients Apple® mail clients do **not** support AutoConfig or AutoDiscover for IMAP servers. To use AutoConfig and AutoDiscover with Apple products, your server **must** run Exchange rather than IMAP. When you configure an Apple mail client to access your cPanel email address, we **strongly** recommend that you follow the directions in our [Email Accounts](https://docs.cpanel.net/cpanel/email/email-accounts)  documentation.