Intermediate
2 min read
4 views
Updated May 17, 2026
How to Add ProtonMail to Microsoft Outlook Using ProtonMail Bridge
Use ProtonMail Bridge to connect your encrypted ProtonMail account to Microsoft Outlook. Requires a paid ProtonMail plan.
Contents
ProtonMail uses end-to-end encryption, which means it doesn't support standard IMAP/SMTP directly. To use it in Outlook, you need ProtonMail Bridge — a free desktop app that acts as a local encryption layer between ProtonMail and your email client.
Requirement: ProtonMail Bridge requires a ProtonMail paid plan (Mail Plus, Proton Unlimited, or a Business plan). Free ProtonMail accounts cannot use Bridge.
Step 1: Download and Install ProtonMail Bridge
- Go to proton.me/mail/bridge and download Bridge for Windows or Mac.
- Install and launch the application.
- Sign in with your ProtonMail credentials.
- Once signed in, Bridge will show you a local IMAP/SMTP address and password. Copy these — you'll need them in the next step.
Keep Bridge running: Bridge must be running in the background at all times for Outlook to sync your ProtonMail account.
Step 2: Add the Account in Outlook
- Open Outlook → File → Add Account.
- Enter your ProtonMail address and click Connect.
- When prompted for a provider, choose IMAP.
- Enter the local server settings provided by ProtonMail Bridge (see table below).
- Use the Bridge password (not your ProtonMail login password).
ProtonMail Bridge Server Settings
| Setting | Incoming Mail (IMAP) | Outgoing Mail (SMTP) |
|---|---|---|
| Server | 127.0.0.1 | 127.0.0.1 |
| Port | 1143 | 1025 |
| Encryption | None (Bridge handles it locally) | None |
| Username | Your ProtonMail address | |
| Password | The password shown in the ProtonMail Bridge app (NOT your login password) | |
Why no encryption in Outlook? Bridge handles encryption locally between itself and ProtonMail's servers. The connection between Outlook and Bridge runs on your local machine (127.0.0.1), so no external encryption is needed.
A
Administrator
Updated May 17, 2026