Home
Submit a Request
Check on a Request
Knowledge Books
Getting StartedHome → Admin Manual → In-depth: Admin Settings → Email Mailboxes
14.12. Email Mailboxes
Updated: 5 Oct 2026, 09:20 AM EDT
Admin > Email Mailboxes
Mailboxes connect HelpSpot to your email accounts so incoming customer emails become new requests or updates to existing requests. HelpSpot supports Microsoft Graph API and Gmail API connections, as well as traditional IMAP and POP3 connections. The settings you need depend on the mailbox type you choose.
Choose a Mailbox Type
Go to Admin > Email Mailboxes and select the option that matches your email provider:
- Microsoft 365 (Microsoft Graph API) — Connect a Microsoft 365 / Office 365 mailbox using OAuth authorization through the HelpSpot email authentication service. Email is received and sent through Microsoft Graph rather than IMAP and SMTP. See Mailbox Setup – Microsoft / Office 365 Email Configuration.
- Advanced Microsoft Mailbox (Microsoft Graph API, self-managed) — Connect using an application registered in your organization's Microsoft Entra tenant. You supply the Client ID, Tenant ID, and Client Secret, select the cloud environment, and authorize the connection with Microsoft. This option supports Commercial, GCC, GCC High, and DoD environments. See Mailbox Setup – Microsoft Advanced (Self-Managed).
- Google (Gmail API) — Connect a Google Workspace or Gmail mailbox using OAuth authorization through the HelpSpot email authentication service. Email is received and sent through Google's API rather than IMAP and SMTP. See Mailbox Setup – Google G Suite and Gmail Email Configuration.
- Custom IMAP (IMAP / POP3) — Connect to an email server using its hostname, username, password, port, and security settings. Choose this option for providers that use traditional mail connections. IMAP/IMAPS is recommended; POP3/POP3S is listed as deprecated. See the IMAP / POP3 Connection Settings below and Troubleshooting Custom IMAP Mailboxes.
Moving an existing mailbox to an API connection? Disable the old HelpSpot mailbox before creating the replacement connection. See What Happens When You Migrate to an OAuth-based Mailbox?.
Common Mailbox Settings
After choosing a mailbox type, complete its connection settings and configure the options below. Some fields vary by mailbox type.
- Account Name — The name customers see on emails sent from this account. You can use placeholders to insert information such as the acting staff member's name.
- Reply to Email Account — The email address associated with the mailbox, such as
support@example.com. For the standard Microsoft 365 connection, HelpSpot obtains this address from the authorized account. For Google aliases or Google Group addresses, follow the Send mail as requirements in the Google setup guide. - Default Category — The category assigned to new requests received through this mailbox.
- Enable Auto Reply — Send an automatic reply when a customer creates a new request through this mailbox.
- Email Templates — Mailbox-specific templates override the corresponding system templates in Admin > Customize > Email Templates. Leave a template blank to use the system default.
What Happens to Imported Email?
HelpSpot removes processed messages from the source inbox. Whether those messages are archived or deleted depends on the connection:
- Microsoft 365 and Advanced Microsoft Mailbox — With Archive Mail enabled, messages move to the mailbox's Archive folder. With it disabled, messages move to Deleted Items.
- Google — Messages are automatically archived and marked as read by removing the Inbox and Unread labels. There is no separate Archive Mail setting.
- Custom IMAP — With Archive Mail enabled, messages move to
helpspot_archive_folder, or to the folder specified in Custom Archive Folder. With archiving disabled, messages are deleted from the mail server. Archiving is available for IMAP, not POP3.
IMAP / POP3 Connection Settings
These settings apply to Custom IMAP mailboxes. Microsoft and Google API connections use the authorization steps in their setup guides instead.
- Mailbox — Normally
INBOX. For IMAP, you can specify another folder to retrieve messages from. - Host Name — The IMAP or POP3 server hostname supplied by your email provider.
- Username and Password — The credentials used to authenticate with that server. Enter the password again in Confirm Password.
- Account Type — Select IMAP or IMAPS for a recommended connection. POP3 and POP3S are legacy, deprecated options.
- Port — Use the port specified by your provider. Common ports are 143 for IMAP, 993 for IMAPS, 110 for POP3, and 995 for POP3S.
- Security Type — Select the security settings required by your email provider.
- Connection Options — Additional connection options, if needed for your server.
Use Test Mailbox Settings to check the connection. For connection errors, see Troubleshooting Custom IMAP Mailboxes.
Sending Email
Microsoft 365, Advanced Microsoft Mailbox, and Google mailboxes send through their provider's API by default. They do not require separate SMTP credentials for normal operation.
Custom IMAP / POP3 connections retrieve incoming mail only. Their outgoing mail uses the system's Send Outbound Email Via setting in Admin > Settings > Email Integration, unless custom SMTP settings are configured for the mailbox.
SMTP Setting to Use lets you configure custom SMTP settings for an individual mailbox. Custom SMTP settings override the default sending method, including for API-based mailboxes. If you use SMTP, make sure the sending account is allowed to send from the mailbox's email address.
Also review the system-wide Default Send From and Send Outbound Email Via settings, particularly when adding your first mailbox or choosing how staff notifications are sent. See Default Send From and Send Outbound Email Via Settings.