When you arrive on campus, open your laptop between classes, and the first thing you need is to check your university email. For students and staff at the University of Paris-Saclay (formerly Paris-Sud), the Zimbra Upsud email remains the central communication tool. However, you need to know where to go, especially when the old URLs in u-psud.fr coexist with the new Paris-Saclay addresses.
Activating the ADONIS account: the prerequisite that Zimbra does not mention
Before even typing a URL into a browser, there is a step that blocks many new registrants. The Zimbra mailbox only exists after the ADONIS account is activated. Without this activation, the firstname.lastname identifier simply does not work on the login page.
The ADONIS account is created via the dedicated portal of the University of Paris-Saclay, at the address adonis.universite-paris-saclay.fr/activation/. You enter your date of birth (to avoid duplicates in case of namesakes) and a personal backup email address. This personal address is only used to recover the password in case of loss; it is never disclosed.
Once the account is activated, the Zimbra mailbox is created automatically, and access to other digital services (eCampus, eduroam Wi-Fi, Office 365) is unlocked at the same time. A detailed guide explains how to access the Zimbra Upsud email step by step, which can prevent some unnecessary back-and-forth with the IT service.
Zimbra Paris-Saclay Login: centralized portal or direct URL
The old documentation from Paris-Sud referred to zimbra.u-psud.fr. This address now redirects to the Hermes interface, hosted on hermes.universite-paris-saclay.fr. This is the only URL to remember for full web access to the email.
The University of Paris-Saclay has also set up a unique portal called “My Digital Services”. This portal centralizes access to all tools: email, eCampus, ADONIS directory, Office 365 suite. For users juggling multiple services throughout the day, going through this portal avoids having to memorize several distinct URLs.
In practice, there are two possible paths:
- Type hermes.universite-paris-saclay.fr directly into the browser’s address bar, then authenticate with the firstname.lastname identifier and the ADONIS password.
- Go through the “My Digital Services” portal of Paris-Saclay, click on “Email,” and be redirected to Hermes with centralized authentication.
- Add a bookmark after the first successful login, which saves time daily, especially on a shared workstation in the computer lab.
The university’s IT department recommends Mozilla Firefox for ergonomic and performance reasons. Feedback varies on this point: Chrome and Edge also work, but some advanced features (calendar sharing, searching in attachments) perform better in Firefox.
Zimbra Email on Mobile: ActiveSync instead of IMAP
Checking university emails on a phone is a common reflex. However, mobile configuration deserves special attention, as the recommended protocol is Microsoft ActiveSync, not IMAP.
With ActiveSync (also called Exchange in the settings of some phones), you synchronize both emails, contacts, and the Zimbra calendar. With IMAP, only emails are retrieved, and synchronization is slower.
Here are the settings to enter to configure ActiveSync on a smartphone:
- Account type: Exchange or Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync.
- Server: hermes.universite-paris-saclay.fr (without any additional prefix).
- Identifier: firstname.lastname (the same as for web login).
- Password: that of the ADONIS account.
- Security: SSL/TLS enabled.
On iOS, the native Mail app handles ActiveSync very well. On Android, the default app varies by manufacturer. If automatic configuration fails, you can enter the settings manually in the account settings.
Lost Password and Frequent Blocks on Zimbra Upsud
The most common problem is not technical; it’s simply forgetting the password, especially after the summer holidays. The password reset procedure goes through the ADONIS portal, at the address adonis.universite-paris-saclay.fr/adonis/annuaire/compte/perte_mdp/. No authentication is required to initiate recovery.
The system sends a reset link to the personal email address provided during account activation. Hence the importance of not skipping this initial step: without a backup address, you must contact the IT support of your department directly.
Another frequent block: the full mailbox. Zimbra assigns a storage quota to each user. When this quota is reached, new messages are rejected. You can free up space by emptying the Trash folder (deleted items remain there until you manually empty it) and by deleting emails with large attachments. Emptying the Zimbra trash does not happen automatically, contrary to what many assume.
Zimbra Features Often Ignored by Paris-Saclay Users
Most users limit themselves to reading and sending emails. However, the Zimbra interface offers collaborative tools that replace third-party applications.
The shared calendar is the most useful in a university context. You can create multiple calendars (one for each project or workgroup), share them with colleagues or classmates, and view calendars shared by others. Everything is managed from the “Calendar” tab of the web interface, without needing to install additional software.
Address autocompletion is also worth mentioning. When you start typing a name in the “To” field, Zimbra suggests options from the GAL (Global Address List), the university’s global directory. It’s more reliable than guessing a teacher’s address: the GAL contains all active addresses of Paris-Saclay.
Message filters finally allow you to automatically sort incoming emails by folder, sender, or keyword in the subject. For someone receiving both eCampus notifications, school emails, and group exchanges, these filters turn a saturated inbox into a functional work tool.
Accessing the Zimbra email of the University of Paris-Saclay ultimately comes down to two things: an activated ADONIS account and the correct URL in your browser. The rest, mobile configuration, password recovery, quota management, can be resolved in a few minutes when you know where to look.