Step 1: Disconnect Your Email Account
Start fresh by disconnecting the email account that's having issues.
Step 2: Reconnect Your Email Account
Click Connect Account.
You’ll see an informational screen that explains what settings are required. Click Next to continue.
On the next screen, enter both your IMAP and SMTP settings.*
* What's IMAP and SMTP?
IMAP is how Tern reads your emails, and SMTP is how we send them. You’ll need both!
Step 3: Find the Right Settings
Email settings are specific to your email provider (like Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, etc.).
The fastest way to find them is to Google “IMAP and SMTP settings for [your email provider]”.
You’ll typically need:
IMAP server & port
SMTP server & port
Email address
Password (see next section!)
Common Errors (And How to Fix Them)
❌ Wrong Password (Even If It’s Right)
If you see a "wrong password" error, don’t panic—this often happens when 2FA (two-factor authentication) is turned on for your email.
What to do:
You may need to create something called an “app password”.
These are special passwords made just for apps like Tern.
From your preferred web browser, search for “How to create an app password for [your email provider]” to get instructions.
Use that app password instead of your regular one when reconnecting.
Special Note for Titan Email Users
We’re seeing ongoing issues with Titan email accounts.
Here’s why:
Titan blocks our email sync tool (called Nylas) because it tries to pull too much data during its daily sync.
This causes ongoing connection issues we can't currently resolve on our end.
Our recommendation: If you use Titan, consider switching to a different email provider for the best experience with Tern.