How to send WordPress emails via SMTP

How to send WordPress emails via SMTP

  1. In WordPress, go to Plugins › Add New Plugin, search for WP Mail SMTP and install and activate it.
  2. Go to WP Mail SMTP › Settings.
  3. Set From Email to a mailbox on your domain and tick Force From Email.
  4. Under Mailer, choose Other SMTP.
  5. Enter:
    • SMTP Host: your server hostname
    • Encryption: SSL, Port: 465 (or TLS on port 587)
    • Authentication: On
    • Username: the full email address
    • Password: the mailbox password
  6. Save, then use the Email Test tab to confirm it works.

If your email is hosted with Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace, WP Mail SMTP has dedicated mailer options for those services.

    • Related Articles

    • How to fix WordPress contact form emails not sending

      If form submissions aren't reaching you, the usual cause is WordPress sending with PHP mail(), which receiving mail servers often reject or mark as spam. Step 1: Send via SMTP Install WP Mail SMTP and configure it with a real mailbox on your domain ...

    • PHP mail() vs SMTP: what's the difference?

      Websites can send email (contact forms, order confirmations, password resets) in two ways. PHP mail() The website hands the message straight to the server's mail system. It's simple, but the email isn't tied to a real mailbox and isn't authenticated, ...

    • How to fix blocked emails and improve deliverability

      If your emails are bouncing or going to spam, work through these checks. 1. Read the bounce message The bounce (non-delivery report) usually explains why: a blocklist, a spam score, a missing record or a full mailbox. Keep it, as it's the most useful ...

    • How to import a large MySQL database via SSH

      phpMyAdmin is fine for smaller databases, but large imports can time out. Importing over SSH is faster and more reliable. Create the database and user in cPanel (see How to create a MySQL database). Upload your .sql file to your home directory using ...

    • How to install WordPress

      You can install WordPress in a few clicks from cPanel. Option 1: WordPress Toolkit (recommended) In cPanel, open WordPress Management (WP Toolkit) in the Domains section. Click Install. Choose the domain and, if needed, a sub-folder. Leave the folder ...