Disable e-mail of a cPanel user: 5 methods

​To disable email for a specific cPanel user, you can follow a few different methods depending on whether you want to prevent them from sending, receiving, or accessing emails altogether. Here’s how to manage each option.

Disable Email Accounts Individually

Refers to a feature that allows users to deactivate specific email accounts associated with their domain without affecting others. This functionality is particularly useful for managing accounts that are no longer in use or for temporarily suspending access due to security concerns.

By disabling an email account, users can prevent incoming and outgoing messages while retaining the account’s settings and data, allowing for easy reactivation in the future if needed. This granular control enhances email management and improves overall security for the domain.

• Log in to cPanel as the account owner.
• Go to Email Accounts under the Email section.
• Locate the email account you want to disable and select Manage.
• Set the Mailbox Quota to 0 MB to effectively disable sending and receiving for that account, as no emails can be stored.
• Alternatively, you can choose Delete next to the email account to remove it entirely.

Modify Email Routing Settings

It’s an efficient method to disable main for a cPanel user. Enables users to configure how emails sent to their domain are handled and routed. This includes options for setting the email routing to “Local Mail Exchanger,” “Remote Mail Exchanger,” or “Backup Mail Exchanger.”

By adjusting these settings, users can specify whether emails should be delivered directly to their server, sent to a remote server, or redirected to a backup server in case the primary server is unavailable. This flexibility allows for better control over email delivery, ensuring that messages reach their intended recipients efficiently and reliably.

• In cPanel, go to Email Routing.
• Set the option to Remote Mail Exchanger if you want to route emails for that domain to another mail server, effectively disabling local mail services.
• This can be useful if you’re using an external email service (like G Suite or Microsoft 365) and want to avoid cPanel handling any emails for that domain.

Block Email Ports in WHM (Root Access Required)

You can block whole email ports in cPanel, using this security feature in the Web Host Manager (WHM) of cPanel.

It allows server administrators to restrict access to specific ports used for email communication, such as ports 25, 465, and 587. By blocking these ports, administrators can help prevent spam and unauthorized email access, reducing the risk of security breaches and ensuring that only legitimate email traffic is allowed.

This feature is particularly important for maintaining the integrity of the server and protecting user accounts from potential threats. Administrators can configure these settings according to their security policies, enabling a safer email environment for all users on the server

• If you have WHM (Web Host Manager) access as a root user, you can block specific email ports (25, 465, and 587) for a specific cPanel user.
• Go to IP Tables or CSF/LFD Firewall settings in WHM and block outbound connections on these ports for the specific user.
• This will prevent the user from sending emails via SMTP.

Suspend the Email Service for the User’s Account (Root Access Required)

cPanel and WHM allows administrators to temporarily disable email functionality for a specific user’s account without affecting other services or accounts. This action prevents the user from sending or receiving emails, which can be useful in various scenarios, such as when a user is no longer with the organization or when there are security concerns about the account.

Suspending the email service helps to mitigate risks associated with spam, abuse, or compromised accounts while retaining the user’s data and settings for potential future reactivation. This ensures that the email service can be quickly reinstated when necessary, providing flexibility in account management.

• If you have root access in WHM, you can suspend the email service specifically for a user’s cPanel account.
• In WHM, go to Modify an Account and select the account in question.
• Uncheck any email-related services, such as Mail, to fully disable email functionality.

Use Email Filters to Block Incoming and Outgoing Mail

You can also create specific rules for managing their email traffic. With email filters, users can define criteria based on various attributes, such as sender, recipient, subject line, or keywords, to block or redirect incoming and outgoing messages that meet those conditions. You can disable mail for a specific cPanel user using email filters.

This feature is particularly useful for preventing spam, unwanted emails, or specific types of correspondence from reaching the user’s inbox or being sent out. By setting up filters, users can enhance their email management, ensuring a more secure and organized email experience tailored to their preferences and needs.

• In cPanel, go to Global Email Filters.
• Set up a filter to automatically discard or redirect any incoming or outgoing emails for that specific account or domain. This way, the user will neither receive nor send emails.

Each method has its own use case, so choose the one that best fits your requirements for disabling email access for the cPanel user.