The simplest and fastest way to install Mailu is to use the Portainer template prepared by our team. This method minimizes manual configuration and allows you to deploy a stable, ready-to-use system in just a few minutes.
Requirements:
A VPS with Portainer installed using the Unihost script
A deployed NPM (Nginx Proxy Manager)
After connecting to Portainer, go to the Application section, select Mailu, and fill in the required fields.
Fill in all the specified fields. Please note: for security, the password must be strong — use uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters to minimize the risk of unauthorized access.
Since our Mailu runs behind Nginx Proxy Manager, select No SSL during setup. The certificate will be issued and connected through NPM.
After this, a new Mailu stack will appear in the Stacks section. Inside this stack, the containers required for its operation will be deployed.
To access Mailu, you need to set up proxying through Nginx Proxy Manager (NPM).
A custom domain is required — add it to NPM and point it to your server’s IP address via DNS.
After this, create a new Proxy Host in NPM and fill in the fields as shown in the example screenshot.
Once you have added the domain for Mailu in Nginx Proxy Manager, the next step is to issue an SSL certificate.
To do this, open the created Proxy Host, go to the SSL tab (as shown in the screenshot), and select the certificate type.
It is recommended to use Let’s Encrypt — in this case, the certificate will be issued automatically and renewed without your involvement.
After you have issued the certificate and saved the settings in Nginx Proxy Manager, open the domain you specified in your browser.
You will see the Mailu login page. Here, enter the username and password that were set during installation (administrator or email account credentials).
After successful authentication, you will be taken to the Mailu control panel or webmail.
In addition to the administrator panel, you can also use Webmail. To do this, after logging in through your domain, select the corresponding option.
Here you will find the familiar mail client interface: inbox, sent, drafts, trash, as well as contacts and settings.
Conclusion
Using the ready-made Mailu template in Portainer allows you to deploy a full-fledged mail server without complex manual configuration. In combination with Nginx Proxy Manager (NPM), you get convenient domain access and the ability to issue SSL certificates, while the built-in Mailu components provide email functionality, a web interface for users, and an administrative panel. As a result, you have a ready-to-use “out-of-the-box” solution that saves time and simplifies the launch of your own mail service.