How to Download Emails From Cincinnati Bell to Hard Drive

Published On - January 24, 2026

Jonathan Dough Content

Thinking about saving your Cincinnati Bell emails to your hard drive? Maybe you want a backup. Or you’re switching email providers. Good news — it’s easier than you think. In fact, you don’t need to be a tech wizard to do it!

TLDR: How to Save Cincinnati Bell Emails

To download your emails from Cincinnati Bell to your hard drive, you’ll need to connect your account to an email client like Outlook or Thunderbird. Then export your messages to a file and save them on your computer. It’s all about syncing and saving! Just follow the steps below — we’ll keep it simple and fun.

Step 1: Choose an Email Client

You’ll need an email program (called a client) that can communicate with Cincinnati Bell’s mail server. Think of a client like a mailman who picks up your mail (aka emails) and hands it to you in a nice little envelope.

Two great email clients are:

  • Mozilla Thunderbird – Free, easy to use, and great for personal backup.
  • Microsoft Outlook – Paid, but it offers extra features and is popular in workplaces.

Go ahead and download one of these. Set it up on your computer. Need help choosing? If you like free and simple, go with Thunderbird.

Step 2: Gather Your Cincinnati Bell Email Settings

Your email client needs three things from you to connect to Cincinnati Bell:

  • Username: This is your full email address (like yourname@fuse.net or yourname@zoomtown.com).
  • Password: The one you use to check your Cincinnati Bell mail.
  • Server Settings: These tell your client where to go and how to talk to your email service.

Here are the IMAP settings you’ll likely need:

  • Incoming Mail Server (IMAP): mail.fuse.net
  • Port: 993
  • Encryption Method: SSL/TLS
  • Outgoing Mail Server (SMTP): smtp.fuse.net
  • SMTP Port: 465 or 587
  • SMTP Encryption: SSL/TLS

If these don’t work, double-check the latest from the Cincinnati Bell website or contact their support directly.

Step 3: Set Up Your Email in the Client

Open your email client and start the setup. Here’s what you usually need to do:

  1. Click Add Account or Settings > Account Setup.
  2. Enter your name, email address, and password.
  3. Choose Manual Configuration if prompted.
  4. Select IMAP as the mail type.
  5. Enter the server settings (from Step 2).
  6. Click Connect or Finish.

If all goes well, your inbox will start to load! This may take a few minutes depending on your internet speed and how much mail you have.

Step 4: Download and Save Your Emails to Your Hard Drive

Now comes the good part — saving those emails forever!

Each email client does this a bit differently. Let’s focus on Thunderbird and Outlook:

In Thunderbird:

  1. Click on the inbox or folder you want to save.
  2. Press Ctrl+A to select all emails.
  3. Right-click and choose Save As.
  4. Select a folder on your hard drive.
  5. Click Save.

This saves each email as an EML file — kind of like individual letters in envelopes. You can open them later, even offline!

In Outlook:

  1. Click File > Open & Export.
  2. Select Import/Export.
  3. Choose Export to a file.
  4. Pick Outlook Data File (.pst).
  5. Select the folder(s) you want.
  6. Choose where to save the file and click Finish.

This gives you a big .PST file that stores all your emails together. Use this file to restore emails later or move them to another account.

Bonus Tip: Schedule Regular Backups

If you love being extra safe, you can make this download a habit. Just back up your emails once a month. Or even weekly, if you’re email-obsessed.

You can even use free tools like:

  • MailStore Home – Great for archiving emails to your computer.
  • Backup software – Some tools will let you back up your entire email folder automatically!

What If You Have Trouble?

Don’t worry. Tech hiccups happen to the best of us. Here’s what you can do:

  • Check your username and password. Typos are sneaky!
  • Re-enter the mail server settings.
  • Try a different client if one doesn’t work.
  • Call Cincinnati Bell support — they’ve dealt with it all before.

Also, make sure your internet connection is solid. If it drops while syncing, you might not get all your emails.

Final Thoughts

Backing up your Cincinnati Bell emails isn’t scary. It’s smart! Whether you’re switching providers, saving memories, or just cleaning up, having local copies of your emails is a great move.

Just to recap:

  • Pick your email client.
  • Use the correct settings to connect.
  • Download and save those precious messages.

Now enjoy peace of mind — your emails are safe and sound on your hard drive.

Got Extra Questions?

Drop them into a search engine, check YouTube for tutorials, or call tech-savvy cousin Mike. You’ve got this!