SMTP Email documentation
Send password resets, form notifications and order emails through Brevo, Postmark, SendGrid, SparkPost, Emailit, toSend or your own SMTP server. Add a second provider as a fallback, send a test, and stop guessing whether mail arrived.
Overview
By default WordPress sends mail with PHP’s mail() function from your web server. Many hosts restrict it, and messages that do leave often fail SPF and DKIM checks, so they land in spam or vanish.
The first sign is usually a client asking why nobody received the contact form, or a customer who never got their password reset.
Plan: Free + Pro options. The options marked Pro below need WP Extended Pro.
Setup
- Turn on SMTP Email under Developer Tools.
- Choose a provider and paste its API key, or enter your SMTP host, port, encryption and login.
- Set the From name and address, and switch on Force From Email if other plugins send mail.
- Send a test email, then add a second provider as a fallback if you want one.
Settings
| Setting | What it does | Plan |
|---|---|---|
| From Name | The sender name for emails sent through this provider. | Free |
| From Email | The sender email address for this provider. | Free |
| Force From Email | Always use the from email configured above, overriding any other plugin. | Free |
| Force Sender Name | Always use the sender name configured above, overriding any other plugin. | Free |
| API Key | Enter the API key from your email service provider. | Free |
| SMTP Host | The host of the SMTP server. | Free |
| SMTP Port | The port of the SMTP server. | Free |
| Encryption | Select SSL for port 465 or TLS for port 587. | Free |
| Use Auto TLS | TLS encryption is enabled by default but may cause issues on some servers. | Free |
| Username | The username for the SMTP server. | Free |
| Password | The password for the SMTP server. | Free |
| Email Address | The email address to send the test email to. | Free |
| Enable Email Logs | Log all emails sent through SMTP for debugging and tracking purposes. | Pro |
| Log Retention | How long to keep email logs before automatically deleting them. | Pro |
Questions and troubleshooting
Is SMTP Email free?
Yes. Sending, providers, fallback and the test email are all in the free plugin. WP Extended Pro adds email logs.
Which email providers does it support?
Brevo, Postmark, SendGrid, SparkPost, Emailit and toSend through their APIs, plus any SMTP server, including Gmail, Microsoft 365 or your host’s mail server.
What happens if my provider fails?
Add a second provider. The first one in the list sends your mail, and the next is used if the first fails.
Which port and encryption should I use?
Use port 587 with TLS for most providers, or port 465 with SSL. If TLS causes errors on your server, try switching off Use Auto TLS.
Can I keep WP Mail SMTP installed as well?
Run one mail plugin at a time. Both replace WordPress’s mailer, so having two active means only one wins. Switch SMTP Email on, send a test, then deactivate the other plugin.
It isn’t working as expected
Check the module is switched on and its settings are saved. If another plugin does the same job, deactivate one of them. Then clear any page cache and test again. Still stuck? Pro customers can contact support; free users can post on the WordPress.org forum.
Developers
SMTP Email has 3 hooks. See the SMTP Email developer reference.