# xCloud Mailbox Login Fails? DNS Verification and Free Plan Limits Explained

> A new xCloud mailbox rejects IMAP, SMTP or webmail logins until its DNS records are verified, and the free 100 MB plan is webmail-only. Here's how to tell which one you're hitting and what to do.

You created a mailbox with the xCloud MailBox add-on, copied the IMAP or SMTP settings into a mail client or a migration tool, and the login is rejected. You reset the password. Still rejected. The settings are right, so what is wrong?

There are two causes, and neither is the password:

1. **The mailbox is still pending DNS verification**, so it has not been activated on the mail server yet.
2. **The mailbox is on the free 100 MB plan**, which is webmail-only and has no IMAP, POP or SMTP access.

This guide shows how to tell them apart and fix each one.

## Check the mailbox status first

Open **Addons → MailBox** in xCloud and look at the mailbox row.

| Status shown | What it means | Go to |
|---|---|---|
| **Pending** / DNS not verified | The domain's records have not been verified, so the account is not active yet | Cause 1 below |
| **Active**, plan **Free** | The mailbox works in webmail only | Cause 2 below |
| **Active**, paid plan | IMAP, POP and SMTP should work | [Check your client settings](/docs/configure-email-client-with-mailbox-addon-xcloud/), then contact support if they match and login still fails |

## Cause 1: the domain is not verified yet

When you create a mailbox on a domain that is new to our mail provider, xCloud creates the account in a **pending** state. The mailbox is only activated on the mail server once every DNS record shown in xCloud has been added and verified. Until then, IMAP, SMTP, webmail and any migration tool are refused, no matter which password you set.

This surprises people who want to copy their old mail across *before* switching MX records. That is not possible on a new domain, because verification includes the MX record. The practical sequence is:

1. Open the mailbox → **Manage → DNS Settings** and add every record shown there at your DNS provider. Replace the old MX records; conflicting MX records block verification.
2. Click **Verify Records**. Once all records show verified, the mailbox status changes to **Active**.
3. Run your migration tool immediately with the IMAP settings from the **IMAP** tab. Your old mailbox stays readable as long as it exists at the previous provider.
4. Run the migration once more after it finishes, to pick up any mail that arrived at the old mailbox while DNS was propagating. Keep the old mailbox until you have checked the copied messages.

The full setup walkthrough, including automatic DNS through Cloudflare, is in [How to Set Up and Manage the xCloud MailBox Addon](/docs/how-to-set-up-xcloud-mailbox-addon/).

Note that **aliases** and other mailbox settings for the domain are also unavailable until it is verified.

## Cause 2: the mailbox is on the free plan

The [free 100 MB mailbox](/docs/how-to-claim-your-free-mailbox-on-xcloud/) is designed for a quick branded address that you use through webmail. It does **not** include:

- IMAP or POP access for desktop and mobile mail clients,
- SMTP access for sending from a client, a form plugin or an application,
- the ability to be used as a destination for IMAP migration tools.

An SMTP login attempt on a free mailbox fails with a `535` authentication error, and IMAP logins fail the same way, even when webmail works with the same password.

To use a mail client or migrate old email, upgrade the mailbox: open **Addons → MailBox**, choose the mailbox, and select **Upgrade Mailbox**. Pick a paid plan, and the same address gains IMAP, POP and SMTP with the settings shown on its IMAP and SMTP tabs. The free plan is also limited to xCloud-managed servers; self-managed server users start on a paid plan.

## Still failing on an active, paid mailbox?

Copy the values again from the mailbox's **IMAP** or **SMTP** tab rather than typing them, and make sure the username is the full email address. If webmail accepts the password but every mail client rejects it, [contact support](/docs/access-built-in-support-portal-in-xcloud/) with the mailbox address and the client you are using. That pattern points to an account-level issue on the provider side, which support fixes for you.

## Frequently asked questions

### I reset the mailbox password several times and IMAP still says login failed. Why?

If the mailbox is still pending DNS verification, the account has not been activated on the mail server yet, so no password works. Verify the DNS records first. If the mailbox is already active, check whether it is on the free plan, which does not allow IMAP or SMTP.

### Can I migrate my old emails into the mailbox before I change my MX records?

Not on a new domain. The mailbox only becomes active after its DNS records, including MX, are verified. Add the records, verify, run the migration straight away, then run it once more to pick up anything that arrived at the old mailbox while DNS was propagating.

### Does the free 100 MB mailbox work with Outlook, Apple Mail or a migration tool?

No. The free plan is webmail only; it has no IMAP, POP or SMTP access. Upgrade the mailbox to a paid plan from Addons → MailBox → Upgrade Mailbox, and the same address gains IMAP and SMTP.