WordPress email not landing in the inbox is a common issue in WordPress websites because WordPress, by default, uses the PHP mail ( ) function to send emails. It lacks proper authentication and has poor spam score ratings. In such cases, emails are often blocked by email providers. This often leads to problems like:
- WordPress not sending email
- WordPress emails landing in spam folder
Solution: If your WordPress user registration email or any other emails are not being delivered, use SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol). SMTP helps improve email deliverability by sending emails through a trusted SMTP server (like Brevo, Gmail, or Outlook). To use SMTP on your WordPress website, you can use the SmartSMTP plugin.
Why Choose SmartSMTP? #
SmartSMTP is a WordPress SMTP plugin that fixes your issue of WordPress emails going to spam and prevents emails from getting lost:
- Better email deliverability (no more lost emails)
- Built-in spam prevention tools.
- Fast-delivery of emails
- Works seamlessly with WordPress plugins (like User Registration & Membership)
How SmartSMTP works? #
SmartSMTP replaces WordPress’s unreliable PHP mail ( ) with a professional SMTP service. Think of SMTP as a “verified courier” ensuring your emails arrive safely. It’s easy to configure the plugin and prevent the issue of WordPress not sending emails.
How Can You Prevent Emails from Going to Spam Using the SmartSMTP Plugin in WordPress? #
Step 1: Install the SmartSMTP Plugin #
- On your WordPress website dashboard, navigate to Plugins > Add New.
- Search for SmartSMTP. Once the plugin is displayed, click on the Install Now button.
- Click on the Activate button to use the plugin.
Step 2: Choose Your Email Service Provider #
Once the plugin is active on your WordPress website, you can see the SmartSMTP menu on your dashboard. Click on it to set your Email Service Provider Connection.
An Email Service Provider is a service that offers email sending and receiving functionality. It allows you to send emails via SMTP instead of relying on your web server.
SmartSMTP offers three connection options:
| SMTP Option | Recommended For | Pros | Requirements |
| Default SMTP | For testing purposes only | No detailed setup is needed | Email address and name |
| Brevo SMTP | Beginners who want to use Brevo | No manual config, reliable | Requires a Brevo account |
| Other SMTP | Advanced users needing custom SMTP | Works with any provider | Requires manual configuration details |
Option 1: Default SMTP (Not Recommended) #
Default SMTP is the WordPress default option that uses your web server’s default email configuration. This typically involves sending emails directly from your website’s domain using your hosting provider’s mail server. Hence, we recommend you choose from options 2 and 3.
Note: Enabling this option often leads to email delivery issues, as mentioned above. Avoid this option unless you’re testing.
Option 2: Brevo (Needs Brevo Account) #
Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) is a trusted email service provider that works seamlessly with SmartSMTP. The plugin has pre-configured settings for Brevo (host, port, encryption). So, using this option only requires you to have a Brevo account and an API Key.
Generate Brevo API Key #
a. Log in to your Brevo account or create a Brevo account.
b. Navigate to SMTP & API.
c. Click on Generate a new API key.
d. Copy and paste the API key to a secure location.
This key will be used to authenticate your SmartSMTP plugin with Brevo.
Activate Brevo and configure settings #
Now, on your WordPress dashboard, toggle to activate Brevo and fill in the following information:
From Email Address: Enter your site’s admin email address or any email address with which you want to send the email from your site.
From Name: Enter a name for the email to be sent from.
Api Key: Add the API Key that you have generated following the above steps.
Now, hit Save Connection Settings.
Option 3: Other SMTP (Recommended for Custom SMTP Services) #
The Other SMTP option allows you to connect to any external SMTP provider (like Gmail, Microsoft, and Amazon SES) that meets your specific requirements.
When to use this option? #
- To use your existing SMTP provider
- To take full control over email settings
It requires you to manually configure the details like SMTP Host, encryption, port, and so on, which will be provided by your email provider.
So contact your email provider or visit their documentation for their SMTP settings (they usually have a guide). Once you have the details, you can configure settings.
Configure Other SMTP Settings #
After you choose Other SMTP, you can toggle to enable the service and configure settings further.
From Email Address: Email address used for sending emails (e.g., [email protected]).
From Name: Sender’s name
Reply-To-Email Address: To receive responses to your email. It can be the same as your email address.
SMTP Host: The hostname or IP address of the SMTP server. Example: smtp.gmail.com for Gmail and smtp.office365.com for Outlook.
Type of Encryption: The encryption method used by the SMTP server
- TLS (Transport Layer Security)
- SSL (Secure Sockets Layer)
SMTP Port:
- 587 (for TLS)
- 465 (for SSL)
SMTP Authentication: The authentication method required by the SMTP server. Toggle to enable, and you’ll be asked to fill in the username and password:
- Username: Your SMTP email address
- Password: Your email password or App password
Some providers (like Gmail and Outlook) require you to create an AppPassword instead of using your email password for security reasons. Hence, configure accordingly.
Click on Save Connection Settings.
Once everything is configured, WordPress will route emails (such as form submissions, order confirmations, and password resets) through the SMTP server instead of the default mail ( ) function.
SMTP Settings for Popular Email Providers #
| Provider | SMTP Host | Port | Encryption | App Password Guide |
| Gmail | smtp.gmail.com | 587 | TLS | Google App Password |
| Outlook | smtp.office365.com | 587 | TLS | Microsoft App Password |
Step 3: Test and Monitor Your Setup #
Test Email #
Once you have configured the STMP Connection, you can use this option to send a test email to the chosen email address. It ensures that the SMTP connection you have made is successfully sending emails.
- Navigate to Test Mail under SmartSMTP
- Enter the email address where you want to send the test email
- Enable HTML Formatted to receive the test email in a standard format
- Click on Send Test Mail
Note: You can also customize the test email. Here's a guide on how to customize email content.
Check your mailbox to see whether or not you have received the email.
Mail Logs #
This feature provides you with the delivery log of every email sent from your site. You can check whether the emails were sent by looking at the Status tab’s details for the required email.
Click on the View button to see the full email log.
Best Practices #
- Always use a professional email address
- Regularly monitor email logs
- Test email delivery after WordPress updates
- Keep the SmartSMTP plugin updated
