Solving webmail error messages

Getting an error message when trying to log in to webmail or send email? In this article, I explain the most common error messages and how to solve them.

Login problems

"Authentication failed" or "Login failed"

What does it mean? Your username or password is incorrect.

Solution:

1. Check if you use the full email address (e.g., info@yourdomain.com)
2. Watch for capitals in your password
3. Check if Caps Lock is off
4. Reset your password via the hosting control panel

"Account is locked" or "Too many login attempts"

What does it mean? After too many failed attempts, your account is temporarily blocked.

Solution:

1. Wait 15-30 minutes and try again
2. Or reset your password via the control panel
3. Contact your hosting provider if the problem persists

"Connection refused"

What does it mean? No connection can be made to the mail server.

Solution:

1. Check your internet connection
2. Try a different browser
3. Wait a few minutes - the server may be temporarily in maintenance
4. Contact your provider if it takes longer

Problems with sending email

"Could not send message"

What does it mean? Something went wrong when sending your email.

Possible causes:

• Session has expired (inactive too long)
• Problem with the mail server
• Attachment too large

Solution:

1. Log in again and try again
2. Reduce attachments if present
3. Try again later

"Recipient rejected"

What does it mean? The recipient's email address does not exist or refuses your message.

Solution:

1. Check the email address for typos
2. Ask the recipient for their correct email address
3. The recipient may be blocking your domain - contact them

"Message too large"

What does it mean? Your email (including attachments) is too large to send.

Solution:

1. Reduce your attachments
2. Compress files as ZIP
3. Use WeTransfer or Google Drive for large files
4. Maximum is usually 25MB, sometimes 10MB

"Relay access denied"

What does it mean? The server refuses to forward your email.

Solution:

1. Check if you use the correct email address as sender
2. Log in again
3. Contact your hosting provider

IMAP and server error messages

"IMAP Error" or "IMAP connection failed"

What does it mean? There is a problem with the connection to the mail server.

Solution:

1. This is often a temporary server problem
2. Wait 15-30 minutes and try again
3. Clear your browser cache: Ctrl+Shift+Delete
4. Contact your provider if it persists

"Mailbox is full" or "Quota exceeded"

What does it mean? You have no more storage space for emails.

Solution:

1. Delete old emails you no longer need
2. Empty the Trash and Spam/Junk folder
3. Download important attachments to your computer and delete the emails
4. Ask your provider for more storage space

"Certificate error" or "SSL/TLS Error"

What does it mean? There is a problem with the security certificate.

Solution:

1. Check if the date/time on your computer is correct
2. Try a different browser
3. If it persists: contact your provider

Specific Roundcube error messages

"Session expired"

What does it mean? You have been inactive too long and automatically logged out.

Solution: Log in again. This is normal security behavior.

"Could not save message to Sent folder"

What does it mean? Your email was sent but could not be saved to Sent.

Possible cause:

• Mailbox is full
• Problem with the Sent folder

Solution:

1. Free up space in your mailbox
2. Check if the Sent folder exists

"Invalid request"

What does it mean? Something went wrong with the page display.

Solution:

1. Refresh the page (F5 or Ctrl+R)
2. Log in again
3. Clear browser cache

Specific Horde error messages

"PHP Fatal Error" or "Application Error"

What does it mean? There is a technical problem on the server side.

Solution:

1. This is a server problem - you cannot fix this
2. Wait a few minutes and try again
3. Contact your hosting provider

"Permission denied"

What does it mean? You do not have access to this function or folder.

Solution: Contact your hosting provider.

Tips to prevent problems

1. Use a modern browser

Old browsers can cause problems. Use the latest version of:

• Google Chrome
• Mozilla Firefox
• Microsoft Edge
• Safari

2. Clear your cache regularly

Browser cache can contain old data. Clear this regularly:

• Windows: Ctrl+Shift+Delete
• Mac: Cmd+Shift+Delete

3. Keep your mailbox organized

• Delete emails you no longer need
• Regularly empty Trash and Spam
• Archive old important emails

4. Note your details

Write down:

• Your email address
• Your password (store safely!)
• The webmail address (e.g., webmail.yourdomain.com)
• Phone number of your provider

When to contact your provider?

Contact them if:

• Your problems last longer than an hour
• You get error messages not listed above
• You cannot reset your password
• You suspect your account has been hacked

Good hosting providers have phone support for quick help.

Need more help?

Also read our other guides:

• Roundcube webmail guide
• Horde webmail guide
• Creating your own email address with your domain name

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to implement this?

Implementation time varies per situation. Simple configurations can be done within an hour, more complex setups may take several hours to a day.

What are the costs?

Costs depend on your hosting provider and package. Many basic features are included for free, advanced features may incur additional costs.

Do I need technical knowledge?

You need little technical knowledge for the basics. Most hosting providers offer extensive documentation and support to help you.