Email Access & Client Setup

Once you provision a student email account the student needs to know how to actually open and use their mailbox. This page covers everything from the zero-install webmail option to step-by-step client configuration — and includes a space for the onboarding video when it is recorded.

---

Webmail — no setup required

The fastest way for any student to start using their email is the Nexa webmail portal. No app installation or configuration is needed.

Login credentials (Tier 1 & 2)

• Username: full email address (e.g. [email protected])
• Password: the temporaryPassword returned from Create a student email account

Recommend students verify they can log in to webmail first — if that works, their credentials are correct and client setup below is optional.

---

Onboarding video

Coming soon — A walkthrough video showing login, sending mail, and setting up a mail client will be added here once recorded.

---

Server settings (Tier 1 & 2)

Use these when setting up any IMAP/SMTP mail client.

---

Apple Mail

iPhone / iPad

1. Go to Settings → Mail → Accounts → Add Account.
2. Choose Other → Add Mail Account.
3. Enter the student's name, full email address, and password.
4. Select IMAP.
5. Incoming server: mail.nexa-ed.com, port 993, SSL on.
6. Outgoing server: mail.nexa-ed.com, port 465, SSL on.
7. Tap Save.

Mac

1. Open Mail → Settings → Accounts → +.
2. Choose Other Mail Account.
3. Enter name, email address, and password, then click Sign In.
4. If auto-detection fails, enter the IMAP and SMTP settings from the table above manually.

Profile install (planned)

A server-generated .mobileconfig profile will allow one-tap setup — the device fills in all fields automatically. See email-plan.md for the implementation plan.

---

Mozilla Thunderbird

1. Open Thunderbird → Add a new account → Email.
2. Enter the student's name, email address, and password → click Continue.
3. If Thunderbird detects settings automatically, click Done.
4. If not, click Configure manually and enter:
   • Incoming: IMAP, mail.nexa-ed.com, port 993, SSL/TLS
   • Outgoing: SMTP, mail.nexa-ed.com, port 465, SSL/TLS
   • Username for both: full email address
5. Click Done.

Autoconfig (planned)

A Thunderbird autoconfig XML will be served at https://autoconfig.nexa-ed.com/mail/config-v1.1.xml so Thunderbird fills in all settings the moment the student types their email address.

---

Gmail app

The Gmail app (Android or iPhone) supports adding external IMAP accounts.

1. Open Gmail → tap your profile picture → Add another account.
2. Choose Other at the bottom of the list.
3. Enter the email address → tap Next.
4. Choose Personal (IMAP).
5. Enter the password.
6. Incoming server: mail.nexa-ed.com, port 993, SSL/TLS.
7. Outgoing server: mail.nexa-ed.com, port 465, SSL/TLS.
8. Complete sync settings → tap Done.

The school inbox appears as a separate account inside Gmail alongside any personal accounts.

---

Google Workspace (Tier 3)

Tier 3 students have real Google accounts. Direct them to:

• Browser: mail.google.com → sign in with the school email and Google password
• Gmail app: Add another account → choose Google → sign in with school credentials
• Apple Mail / Thunderbird: choose Google as the account type during setup

No manual IMAP/SMTP entry is needed for Tier 3.

---

Sharing setup instructions with students

The in-app setup guide at /dashboard/email/setup-guide?email=STUDENT_EMAIL generates a QR code linked to that exact page. Admins can:

• Print the QR code and hand it out alongside passwords
• Display it on a screen during onboarding day
• Include the URL in the welcome email sent by the provisioning flow

---

What's next

• Student Emails API — provision and manage accounts
• SDK — Student Emails — typed SDK wrapper
• Domain setup — verify your domain to unlock Tier 2