Install Roundcube webmail client

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Note

19/7/2026: Generally updated.

29/1/2026: "gedit" changed to "micro".

11/10/2024: smtp setting revised.

23/1/2024: Minor changes.

26/3/2023: smtp setting revised.

16/12/2021: Updated installation command.

27/5/2019: Changed to use extracting directly to web directory. Protection measures added.

8/5/2019: All "/var/www/web" changed to "/var/www/html/web". "<version number>" used instead of a specific number. More descriptions on settings added.

25/12/2014: Created.

Intro

Roundcube is a webmail client.

Install Roundcube using apt

Execute:

$ sudo apt install roundcube

(Deleted, not working, 11/10/2024)

 

Install Roundcube from roundcube.net

If the apt installation does not work, execute to remove:

$ sudo apt remove roundcube

Then download roundcubemail-<version number>-complete.tar.gz by selecting "Complete: <version number>" at https://roundcube.net/download/, usually to own "Downloads" directory.

Extract the compressed file, move the extracted directory and files to underneath "/var/www/html", and rename the directory as "roundcube".

Ensure that the hidden ".htaccess" file is also moved.

A quicker way is to extract directly to "/var/www/html" and rename the directory there.

Install Roundcube under "/var/www/html":

$ cd /var/www/html
$ sudo tar -xzfv /home/<own account name>/Downloads/roundcubemail-<version number>-complete.tar.gz  (extract to current directory)
$ tar -xzf /home/<own account name>/Downloads/roundcubemail-<version number>-complete.tar.gz (extract to current directory) 
$ ls      (see the existence of the extracted directory)​
$ sudo mv roundcubemail-<version number> roundcube    (change directory name)
$ cd roundcube
$ sudo chown www-data:www-data logs
$ sudo chown www-data:www-data temp

"-xzfv" can be remembered as extract zipped file verbose. Use "-xzf" if "v" not working. 

(changed to use "-xzf", added cd roundcube, 16/12/2021)

(changed to use "tar" directly to web directory,  27/5/2019)

Set up Roundcube

Install MySQL database + PHP + phpMyAdmin, if not already installed.

Login phpmyadmin at web browser:

https://localhost/phpmyadmin

Create a database user "roundcube" with database "roundcube":

  • click "Users" at the top menu bar
  • click "Add user" at the page middle
  • enter "roundcube" at the User name entry
  • select "Local" for "localhost" at the Host entry

(Select "Local", not enter "local", 11/10/2024)

  • enter and re-type the password
  • click "Create database with same name and grant all privileges"
  • click "Go" at the bottom

Enter at web browser:

https://localhost/roundcube/installer

Configure Roundcube:

  • accept all of the defaults
  • enter "localhost" as host
  • enter database user "roundcube", database "roundcube" and password under Database setup

  • select spellcheck

    (added, 19/7/2026)

  • click: "CREATE CONFIG"
  • download the configuration file generated and save it as config.inc.php
  • move the downloaded file:
$ mv /home/<own account name>/Downloads/config.inc.php /var/www/html/roundcube/config
  • click: "CONTINUE" on the webpage
  • check and test all items until they have all got "OK"

  • if the config is not correct to get "OK", adjust config.inc.php as necessary

    (2 lines added, 19/7/2026)

  • click: "Initialize database" (this button will appear only if the database information is correct)

    (revised, 19/7/2026)

  • set to use secure SMTP port 465 (i.e. set "localhost:465" as SMTP Host)

    (last line not working, changed to next line, 26/3/2023)

  • set "ssl://kctang.com.hk" as SMTP Host

    (revised again, 11/10/2024)

  • enter username and password, and sender and recipient full email addresses to test SMTP config

  • set "ssl://kctang.com.hk" as IMAP Host

    (revised, 19/7/2026)

  • enter username and password to test IMAP config

  • leave the page if all items have got "OK"

    (added, 19/7/2026)

If installed from roundcube.net, remove or rename installer directory, and protect logs and temp directories:

$ sudo cd /var/www/html/roundcube
$ sudo rm -R installer                   (remove)
$ sudo mv installer installer.original   (or rename)
$ sudo chown -R $USER:$USER logs
$ sudo chown -R $USER:$USER temp

(revised to add protection, 27/5/2019)

Configure PHP5 only (not necessary for PHP7 and later):

$ sudo micro /etc/php5/apache2/php.ini
  • define:
date.timezone = Asia/Hong_Kong

otherwise the date column of the web mail would be blank.

Edit Apache2 config:

$ sudo micro /etc/apache2/sites-available/000-default-le-ssl.conf

Add lines to become the following:

ServerAdmin webmaster@localhost
DocumentRoot /var/www/html

<Directory /var/www/html/web>
    Options +FollowSymLinks
    AllowOverride All
    Require all granted
</Directory>

# Roundcube alias to handle entry point now at public_html, KCTang 19/7/2026
Alias /roundcube /var/www/html/roundcube/public_html
<Directory /var/www/html/roundcube/public_html>
    Options +FollowSymLinks
    AllowOverride All
    Require all granted
</Directory>

(added, 19/7/2026)

Restart Apache2 service:

$ sudo systemctl reload apache2
or
$ sudo service apache2 reload

Log in at web browser:

https://localhost/roundcube

or

https://kctang.com.hk/roundcube

Click Settings > Identity to define some settings:
 ​

Click Settings > Preferences > User Interface

  • Main Options
  • Language: English (US)
  • Time zone : Asia/Hong Kong
  • Time format : 07:30
  • Date format : 24/7/2023
  • Save.

Click Settings > Preferences > Composing Messages

  • Main Options
  • Compose HTML messages : always
  • When replying : start new message above the quote
  • Signature Options
  • Force standard separator in signatures : turn off
  • Spellcheck Options
  • Check spelling before sending a message : turn on
  • Ignore words with symbols : turn on
  • Ignore words with numbers : turn on
  • Ignore words with all letters capitalised : turn on
  • Advanced options
  • Attachment names : Full RFC 2231 (Thunderbird)
  • Save.

Click Settings > Contacts > Import to import contacts files, e.g. previously exported from Google.

(more descriptions on settings added, 8/5/2019)

(further added, 26/3/2023)

(further added, 19/7/2026)

Upgrade if installed from roundcube.net

Download and extract the subdirectory of the new version to "Downloads" directory as "roundcubemail-<new version number>".

Upgrade existing directory using the installto.sh script:

$ cd /home/<own account name>/Downloads/roundcubemail-<new version number>/bin
$ ./installto.sh /var/www/html/roundcube

In case of big trouble

Uninstall Roundcube:

$ sudo apt-get remove roundcube

Remove "/var/www/html/roundcube":

$ cd /var/www/html
$ sudo rm -r roundcube

Delete mySQL user "roundcube" and database "roundcube" using phpMyAdmin.

Intall Roundcube as new.

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