---
title: Enable using your own POP3 server
description: You can use your own POP3 server to store and receive email for the instance.
locale: en-US
canonical_url: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/australia/platform-administration/t\_ConfAltEmailConfPOP3Server.html
release: australia
topic_type: task
last_updated: "2026-03-12"
reading_time_minutes: 2
breadcrumb: [Advanced email setup, Configure, Email Administration, Notifications, Configure core features, Administer the ServiceNow AI Platform]
---

# Enable using your own POP3 server

You can use your own POP3 server to store and receive email for the instance.

## Before you begin

-   Role required: admin
-   Email server required: POP3
-   [Basic email properties:](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/platform-administration/t_ConfiguringStandardEmail.md) enabled

## Procedure

1.  Create a mailbox for your instance that has a custom email address on your POP3 server.

    For example, create a mailbox for `service-desk@company.com`.

2.  Navigate to **System Mailboxes** > **Administration** > **Email Accounts**.

    The system displays the list of available email accounts.

3.  If you don't want to receive, email sent to the instance@service-now.com mailbox, locate the record for **ServiceNow POP3** and change **Active** to **false**.

    An instance can receive email from multiple POP3 accounts at the same time. Leaving the **ServiceNow POP3** account active permits the instance to receive email sent to the default email address.

4.  Select **New**.

    The system displays an empty email Account form.

5.  Create an email account record for your POP3 server where the **Type** is **POP3**.

6.  On the form, fill in the fields.

<table id="table_lwc_lrn_5sb"><thead><tr><th>

Field

</th><th>

Description

</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>

Name

</td><td>

Name of the email account.

</td></tr><tr><td>

Type

</td><td>

Type of mail server.

</td></tr><tr><td>

Authentication

</td><td>

Type of authentication used for the email account to connect to the email server. You can select one of the following:-   –- None --
-   Password
-   OAUTH
-   OAUTH 2.0


</td></tr><tr><td>

Server

</td><td>

Remote server to which this account connects. To activate a server for an on-premise installation, enter the full address \(FQDN\) of the node \(for example, `node.customerdomain`\).

</td></tr><tr><td>

User Name

</td><td>

Username or ID to authenticate an email address.

</td></tr><tr><td>

Password

</td><td>

Password when the **Authentication** type is **Password**.

</td></tr><tr><td>

Connection Security

</td><td>

Type of secure connection. Choose a setting:-   **__None__**

No secure protocol is used.

-   **__STARTTLS__**

Upgrades an insecure connection to a secure connection using the SSL/TLS encryption protocol, if your email server supports TLS.

-   **__SSL/TLS__**

Connect to an SSL/TLS encrypted port to secure the connection. Email is encrypted between the ServiceNow instance and your mail server.

 **Warning:** Selecting a less secure protocol like **STARTTLS** or **None** may expose your data. To better ensure the security of data in your email server, select **SSL/TLS**.

</td></tr><tr><td>

Port

</td><td>

Connection TCP port.

</td></tr><tr><td>

System Address Filter

</td><td>

System address filter to apply to the email account. If left empty, the system uses the default system address filter for inbound or outbound email.

 For more information, see [System address filters](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/platform-administration/system-address-filters.md).

</td></tr><tr><td>

Active

</td><td>

Option to activate the email account.

</td></tr><tr><td>

ServiceNow Configured

</td><td>

Identifier of whether this account is provisioned by ServiceNow. If you create an account, this option is not selected.

</td></tr><tr><td>

Enable Debug Logging

</td><td>

Option to create node logs for the raw data that is exchanged with the email server. You can review the node logs by navigating to **System Logs** &gt; **Utilities** &gt; **Node Log File Browser**.

 You can enable this field temporarily to diagnose issues related to receiving or sending email.

</td></tr></tbody>
</table>7.  From **Related Links**, select **Test Connection**.

    If the email account is valid, the system returns a success message.

    \[Omitted image "connection-successful.png"\] Alt text: Connection dialog showing a successful connection test result for a POP3 email account


## Example

\[Omitted image "alt-email-configuration-pop3-server.png"\] Alt text: Diagram showing ServiceNow email flow using POP3 server, where outbound messages from the instance and user are routed through mail servers and DNS, and inbound messages are received through an incoming mail server after spam filtering

**Parent Topic:**[Advanced email setup](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/platform-administration/c_AlternateEmailConfigurations.md)