Plesk Email Setup: Create Mailboxes, DKIM and Spam Filtering
To set up email in Plesk, open Mail, click Create Email Address, and set the address, password and quota. Then make sure MX, SPF, DKIM and DMARC records exist for the domain. Webmail opens at webmail.yourdomain.com, and mail apps connect on IMAP port 993 and SMTP port 465 or 587.
For site owners on Plesk hosting setting up domain mailboxes, phone and Outlook access, and reliable inbox delivery.
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- 3 min
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- 5
- Updated
- 14 Nov 2026
- Written by
- WebJi® team
Last editorial update: 14 November 2026. Prices follow the dated sources on this page; checkout confirms current charges.
How do you create an email account in Plesk?
Go to Mail, click Create Email Address, enter the part before the @, set a strong password and a mailbox size, and click OK. The mailbox works immediately in webmail; delivery from the outside world depends on the DNS records in the next section.
- Open Mail in the sidebar and pick the domain if you host more than one.
- Click Create Email Address and type the local part, for example
sales. - Set a password (or let Plesk generate one) and the mailbox quota.
- Clear the Mailbox checkbox instead if the address should only forward, such as
info@to an existing inbox. - Click OK. Forwarding and an auto-reply can be added on the address's own settings tabs.
Every WebJi® Plesk hosting plan includes the mail service, so no separate mail product is needed for a few mailboxes.
Which DNS records does Plesk email need?
Plesk email needs four DNS records: MX to receive, SPF to authorise sending, DKIM to sign messages and DMARC to tell receivers what to do when checks fail. If the domain's DNS is hosted in Plesk, MX and SPF come from the DNS template and DKIM records are added when you switch signing on.
| Record | Type and name | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| MX | MX on the domain, pointing to the mail host | Plesk DNS template, or add it at your external DNS provider |
| SPF | TXT on the domain, starting v=spf1 | Plesk template; edit if another service also sends |
| DKIM | TXT on default._domainkey | Created when DKIM signing is enabled |
| DMARC | TXT on _dmarc | Add it yourself, starting with p=none |
To enable DKIM, go to Websites & Domains → your domain → Mail tab → Mail Settings and tick "Use DKIM spam protection system to sign outgoing email messages".[2] When DNS is hosted elsewhere, copy the DKIM public key Plesk shows into a TXT record at that provider. Record syntax is explained in SPF and DMARC setup.
What are the Plesk webmail, IMAP and SMTP settings?
Webmail opens at webmail.yourdomain.com; mail apps use IMAP on port 993 and SMTP on port 465 with SSL/TLS, signing in with the full email address. On Plesk for Linux the default webmail client is Roundcube.[1]
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Incoming (IMAP) | mail.yourdomain.com, port 993, SSL/TLS |
| Outgoing (SMTP) | mail.yourdomain.com, port 465 SSL/TLS, or 587 with STARTTLS |
| Username | The full address, e.g. sales@yourdomain.in |
| Authentication | Required for sending, same password as the mailbox |
If the certificate on mail.yourdomain.com does not match, the app warns; use the server hostname your host gives you, or secure mail with the domain's certificate in Mail Settings. In Outlook, choose File → Add Account → manual IMAP setup; full screenshots are in set up business email in Outlook.
How do you turn on spam filtering for a Plesk mailbox?
Open the address under Mail, go to its Spam Filter tab and switch filtering on; Plesk uses SpamAssassin, and you choose whether spam is tagged, moved to the Spam folder or deleted. Start with tagging or moving, never deleting, until you trust the score.
- Sensitivity: the default score of 7 is a reasonable start; lower numbers catch more and misfire more.
- Allow and block lists: add regular senders that are wrongly flagged to the allow list.
- Server-wide tools: greylisting and DNSBL checks are set by the administrator under Tools & Settings.
Why is mail from Plesk landing in spam?
Outgoing mail usually lands in spam because SPF or DKIM fails, DMARC is missing, or the server IP is on a blocklist. Check the headers of a test message before changing anything.
- Send a test to a Gmail address and open "Show original"; it lists SPF, DKIM and DMARC as PASS or FAIL.
- If SPF fails, add every service that sends for you to the single SPF record.
- If DKIM fails, confirm the
default._domainkeyTXT record matches the key in Plesk. - Run an email blacklist check on the sending IP; on shared servers the host requests delisting.
- Send through authenticated SMTP and avoid bulk mailing unverified lists from a new mailbox.
When volume or mailbox count outgrows a hosting plan, dedicated business email hosting keeps mail separate from the web server; plans start at ₹2,520 a year for five 5 GB mailboxes, before 18% GST.
How does Plesk email compare with cPanel email?
The protocols, ports and DNS records are identical; only the menus differ. Skills move between the two panels without relearning mail itself.
| Task | Plesk | cPanel |
|---|---|---|
| Create mailbox | Mail → Create Email Address | Email → Email Accounts → Create |
| Webmail address | webmail.yourdomain.com | yourdomain.com/webmail |
| Spam filtering | SpamAssassin, per-mailbox Spam Filter tab | Spam Filters (Apache SpamAssassin) |
| DKIM | Mail Settings checkbox | Email Deliverability |
The cPanel route is in create an email account in cPanel.
Sources
- Plesk Obsidian documentation, Access from Webmail.
- Plesk Obsidian documentation, Enabling DKIM Email Signing.
Frequently asked questions
Can I keep the website on Plesk and email on Google Workspace?
Yes. Point the MX records at Google, update SPF to include Google, and turn off the mail service for the domain in Plesk so local delivery does not intercept messages sent from the same server, such as contact-form notifications.
How do I change a Plesk mailbox password?
Open Mail, click the address and enter a new password on its General tab. Update it in every phone and desktop client afterwards, or they will keep failing to log in and can trigger temporary blocks.
How large can a Plesk mailbox be?
The limit is the quota you set, capped by your plan's total disk space. Mail counts against the same disk as the website and backups, so large mailboxes on a small plan can fill it.
Why does webmail.yourdomain.com not open?
The webmail subdomain needs a DNS record. Plesk adds it automatically when it hosts the zone; with external DNS, create an A record for webmail pointing to the server IP.
Menu paths checked against Plesk Obsidian documentation on 14 November 2026 · Reviewed by the WebJi® team, Jaipur.
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