CenturyLink Email Settings: IMAP, POP & SMTP
CenturyLink’s current IMAP, POP and SMTP settings — the ones that changed in 2022 — for centurylink.net, centurytel.net, embarqmail.com and other legacy addresses.
Quick answer
CenturyLink Email server settings
- IMAP Incoming SSL/TLS
-
mail.centurylink.netport 993
- SMTP Outgoing STARTTLS
-
smtp.centurylink.netport 587
- POP3 Download SSL/TLS
-
pop.centurylink.netport 995
- Username
- Your full email address
- Mailbox storage
- 700 MB
- Largest email you can send
- 10 MB
- qwestoffice.net
- Different servers — see the settings guide
CenturyLink moved all its email accounts to a new service in October 2022. If your email app stopped working around then, or you’re setting up a new device, these are the settings CenturyLink publishes now.
Server settings
| Server | Port | Security | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Incoming — IMAP (recommended) | mail.centurylink.net | 993 | SSL |
| Incoming — POP | pop.centurylink.net | 995 | SSL |
| Outgoing — SMTP | smtp.centurylink.net | 587 | TLS if available |
- Username: your full email address.
- Password: your CenturyLink email password.
- Leave a copy on the server? If your app asks, CenturyLink recommends you accept.
Which addresses use these settings
centurylink.net, centurytel.net, embarqmail.com, qwest.net, clds.net, coastalnow.net, cochill.net, cswnet.com, elpasotel.net, emadisonriver.com, emadisonriver.net, gallatinriver.net, grics.net, gulftel.com, madisonriver.biz and mebtel.net.
qwestoffice.net is different
| Server | Port | Security | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Incoming — POP | pop.qwestoffice.net | 110 | None listed |
| Outgoing — SMTP | smtp.qwestoffice.net | 465 | SSL |
CenturyLink lists no IMAP server for qwestoffice.net. The username is your full email address.
Limits
- Mailbox storage: 700 MB.
- Largest email you can send: 10 MB.
- Limits on how many people you can send to count the To, Cc and Bcc fields together, and are the same in webmail and in email apps.
With 700 MB, IMAP users should tidy up regularly — everything on the server counts.
IMAP or POP?
CenturyLink recommends IMAP. Your mail and folders stay on CenturyLink’s server, so your phone, tablet and computer all show the same thing, and webmail matches too. With POP, mail is downloaded to one device; if your app offers to leave a copy on the server, CenturyLink recommends you accept so the messages are still there for your other devices and webmail.
Looking for Trash or Junk in your app?
Since the 2022 move, the old trash or junk folder is called Spam, and it only appears when it contains something. If your app doesn’t show it, there may simply be nothing in it. Spam filtering is set to the highest level by default, so check Spam from time to time for real email.
Keep the account active
CenturyLink says to log in at least once a year. Accounts inactive for more than a year are deactivated and all their contents deleted — so if you rely on an app, sign in to webmail now and then too.
Fixing an app after the 2022 change
- Update the incoming and outgoing servers to the ones above, then check the ports and security settings.
- Folders missing in Outlook? They haven’t been deleted. Resubscribe to or re-sync your folders.
- Setup steps differ by device; if yours looks different, follow your device’s own instructions using these servers.
Get these filled in for your address with the Email Settings Finder, or sign in on the web instead: CenturyLink email login.
How this guide was checked · October 2026
Verified against 2 official sources
Every step, setting and limit in this guide was checked against the provider’s own documentation on centurylink.com. Anything we couldn’t confirm was left out.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What is the CenturyLink IMAP server?
mail.centurylink.net on port 993 with SSL. CenturyLink recommends IMAP.
What is the CenturyLink SMTP server?
smtp.centurylink.net on port 587, with TLS if available.
Do centurytel.net and embarqmail.com use the same settings?
Yes. CenturyLink lists them, with qwest.net and other legacy domains, under the same settings as centurylink.net. qwestoffice.net is the exception.
How big can a CenturyLink email be?
Up to 10 MB to send, and the mailbox holds 700 MB.
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