How to Properly Configure Your WordPress Email Settings (2024 Guide)
Are your WordPress emails not sending reliably? WordPress websites need to send emails for important functions like user registration, password reset requests, e-commerce notifications, and form submissions. However, the default WordPress email settings often lead to deliverability issues where emails land in spam folders or don‘t get delivered at all.
In this in-depth guide, we‘ll walk you through exactly how to properly configure your WordPress email settings in 2024 to ensure maximum email deliverability. We‘ll be using the WP Mail SMTP plugin and a transactional email service to make the technical setup process easy. By the end, you‘ll have a WordPress site that sends emails dependably so you never miss an important message again.
Table of Contents
- Why the Default WordPress Email Settings Are Not Reliable
- What Is SMTP and How Does It Fix WordPress Email Issues?
- Step 1: Sign Up for a Transactional Email Service
- Step 2: Authorize Your Domain and Verify DNS Records
- Step 3: Install and Configure the WP Mail SMTP Plugin
- Step 4: Send a Test Email
- Troubleshooting Tips If Emails Still Aren‘t Sending
- Next Steps: Grow Your Email List
- FAQs
Why the Default WordPress Email Settings Are Not Reliable
Out of the box, WordPress uses the PHP mail() function to send emails. While this is the simplest email setup, it‘s also the least reliable.
Many WordPress hosting servers are not configured to use PHP mail() effectively. Emails sent in this manner are frequently flagged as spam by email clients like Gmail. There‘s no authentication to prove your identity as the sender and your emails can easily be spoofed.
As a result, WordPress emails sent via PHP mail tend to have very poor deliverability rates. The end up in spam folders or blocked entirely by strict spam filters.
This means user account emails, WooCommerce order notifications, contact form submissions, and other critical communications may never reach their intended recipients. Frustrated customers won‘t receive their password reset links and you‘ll never see those lead generation notifications.
Clearly you need a better way to send WordPress emails. That‘s where SMTP comes into play.
What Is SMTP and How Does It Fix WordPress Email Issues?
SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) is the industry standard protocol for sending emails across the internet. Unlike PHP mail, SMTP provides email authentication using SPF and DKIM standards.
SPF (Sender Policy Framework) is a DNS record that specifies which email servers are allowed to send emails from your domain. DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) is a digital signature that verifies an email genuinely originated from your domain and wasn‘t altered in transit.
Together, SPF and DKIM prove your identity as the legitimate sender and ensure your emails pass spam checks. Properly authenticated emails sent via SMTP have much higher deliverability rates than those sent through PHP mail.
However, setting up your own SMTP server can be technically challenging. You have to edit DNS records, configure mail server software, keep on top of maintenance, and more. It‘s not really feasible for most WordPress site owners.
That‘s why we recommend using a transactional email service instead. Transactional email services provide easy SMTP integration so you can send authenticated WordPress emails without the hassle of managing your own SMTP server.
Some of the most popular and reliable options are:
- SendLayer – Best overall for ease of use, affordability, and deliverability
- SendGrid – Trusted by over 80,000 businesses with a generous free plan
- Sendinblue – Advanced email marketing features in addition to transactional email
- Mailgun – Powerful API for developers and high-volume senders
- Postmark – Excellent choice for sending transactional emails from web apps
For this tutorial, we‘ll use SendLayer as an example, but the general process will be similar for any quality transactional email provider. We like SendLayer because it‘s beginner-friendly, has straightforward pricing, and boasts an impressive 99.9% delivery rate.
With that background in mind, let‘s walk through how to configure your WordPress email settings step-by-step.
Step 1: Sign Up for a Transactional Email Service
Start by signing up for a SendLayer account. SendLayer offers a free trial that lets you send up to 500 emails per month. Paid plans start at $15/month for up to 15,000 emails.
Head to the SendLayer pricing page and select a plan. If you‘re just getting started, the free trial is a great way to test out the service.
[Screenshot]Complete the registration process by providing your name, email, and credit card details (if selecting a paid plan). You‘ll then be able to access your SendLayer dashboard.
Step 2: Authorize Your Domain and Verify DNS Records
To start sending emails through SendLayer, you first need to authorize your domain. This involves adding DNS records to prove you own the domain.
From your SendLayer dashboard, open the Settings page and switch to the Domains tab. Click the Add Domain button in the top right.
[Screenshot]Enter your WordPress site‘s domain name and click Add Domain.
On the next screen, SendLayer provides the DNS records you need to add. There are three main records:
- SPF record – Specifies the email servers allowed to send mail from your domain
- DKIM record – Contains a digital signature to authenticate your email messages
- Tracking record – Lets you track opens, clicks, and other email analytics
To add these records, you‘ll need to access your domain‘s DNS settings. The exact location will vary depending on your domain registrar or DNS provider.
If you‘re not sure where to find your DNS settings, SendLayer provides helpful documentation for popular providers. You can also contact your domain registrar‘s support team for assistance.
Once you‘ve located your DNS settings, create a new record for each of the entries provided by SendLayer. Make sure to choose the correct record type (TXT for SPF and Tracking, CNAME for DKIM) and copy the value exactly.
[Screenshot]After saving your DNS records, return to the SendLayer setup screen. Check the box confirming you‘ve added the records, then click the Verify Records button.
At this point, SendLayer will attempt to locate your new DNS records to verify proper configuration. However, it‘s important to note that DNS record changes can take up to 48 hours to fully propagate across the internet.
If SendLayer doesn‘t find your records right away, you can safely move on to the next steps. You can always come back to the Domain Authentication screen later to check the status. As long as your records are entered properly, they will be detected automatically.
Step 3: Install and Configure the WP Mail SMTP Plugin
Now that your domain is authorized, it‘s time to connect WordPress to your SendLayer account. We‘ll be using the WP Mail SMTP plugin for this.
WP Mail SMTP is the best WordPress SMTP plugin. It lets you easily send WordPress emails through any SMTP provider, including SendLayer. The plugin also adds useful features like email logs and click tracking.
To get started, purchase a WP Mail SMTP Pro license. While there is a limited free version of the plugin, you‘ll need Pro to set up the SendLayer mailer.
After downloading the plugin zip file, open up your WordPress dashboard. Navigate to Plugins → Add New and click the Upload Plugin button at the top.
[Screenshot]Choose the WP Mail SMTP zip file and click Install Now. Once the plugin is installed, be sure to click Activate as well.
Upon activation, you‘ll see a prompt to run the WP Mail SMTP setup wizard. Click the Launch Setup Wizard button to configure your email settings.
[Screenshot]The first step is to select your SMTP mailer. Choose the SendLayer option, then click Save and Continue.
On the next screen, you‘ll need to enter your SendLayer API key. Open up your SendLayer dashboard in a new tab or window. Go to the API Keys tab under Settings.
[Screenshot]If this is your first time setting up an API key, click the Generate API Key button. You can create separate keys for live sending and testing. Give your key an identifiable name, select the Full Access permission, and click Create API Key.
Your new key will appear in the list. Use the copy icon on the right to save it to your clipboard.
[Screenshot]Return to the WP Mail SMTP setup wizard and paste in your API key. Then click Save and Continue to move on.
Next, choose which email address to use as the "From" address for your emails. You can select from addresses already configured in WordPress or add a new one. Make sure to use an address at the domain you verified in SendLayer. When you‘re finished, click Save and Continue.
[Screenshot]On the final screen, WP Mail SMTP will send a test email to confirm everything is working properly. By default, the test email goes to your WordPress admin address, but you can change this if you‘d like. Click the Send Test Email button to run the test.
[Screenshot]If the test email lands in your inbox successfully, congrats! Your WordPress email settings are properly configured. You can click Save and Close to exit the setup wizard.
Step 4: Send a Test Email
As a final check, it‘s a good idea to send a test email directly within WordPress as well. You can do this from WP Mail SMTP‘s settings page.
From your WordPress dashboard, navigate to WP Mail SMTP → Tools and switch to the Email Test tab.
[Screenshot]Enter an email address to send the test to. By default, the test email contains a simple plain text "Test email to [Address]" message. However, you can modify the content if you‘d like by adjusting the HTML and plain text fields below.
When you‘re ready, click the Send Email button to generate the test.
If the test email arrives in your inbox, your WordPress email settings are all good to go! You can feel confident that future WordPress emails will send reliably.
Troubleshooting Tips If Emails Still Aren‘t Sending
While the WP Mail SMTP setup process is usually smooth, you may still encounter issues with emails not sending properly. Some potential problems and solutions:
Emails are not being sent at all – Make sure your SendLayer API key is entered correctly in the WP Mail SMTP settings. If you‘re still having trouble, reach out to SendLayer support for assistance.
Emails are sending but landing in spam – Double check that you‘ve added the correct SendLayer DNS records and that they‘ve propagated fully. It can take up to 48 hours for changes to take effect.
You receive a "SendLayer: An error occurred while attempting to send the test email" error – This usually indicates an issue with your SendLayer configuration. Verify that your API key has full access permissions and that you‘ve completed the domain verification process.
For more detailed guidance, refer to the WP Mail SMTP troubleshooting documentation.
Next Steps: Grow Your Email List
Now that your WordPress emails are sending dependably, it‘s the perfect time to start thinking about growing your email list.
With a larger list of engaged subscribers, you can build relationships with your audience, drive repeat traffic, and generate more revenue from your WordPress site. Email marketing has an incredible ROI.
Some effective ways to grow your WordPress email list:
- Create valuable lead magnets like eBooks, checklists, or video courses
- Add email opt-in forms to your high-traffic pages and blog posts
- Offer content upgrades with bonus resources in exchange for an email address
- Run a viral contest or giveaway with email entry
Look for a full-featured email marketing service that integrates with WordPress to implement these growth strategies. Our top recommendations are:
- Constant Contact – Beginner-friendly platform with drag-and-drop email builder
- Sendinblue – Affordable plans to scale your email marketing
- HubSpot – Powerful CRM, marketing automation, and sales features
- ConvertKit – Popular choice among bloggers and online creators
By combining reliable email sending with deliberate list building tactics, you‘ll be well on your way to growing a profitable email list for your WordPress site.
FAQs
What is the best SMTP service for WordPress?
SendLayer is our top pick for sending WordPress emails. It‘s beginner-friendly, affordable, and integrates easily with WP Mail SMTP. Other excellent options include SendGrid, Mailgun, Sendinblue, and Postmark.
Why are my WordPress emails going to spam?
The most common reasons WordPress emails go to spam are lack of proper authentication and using a low-quality shared IP. You can resolve both issues by using a transactional email provider and configuring SPF and DKIM records for your sending domain.
How many emails can I send with SendLayer?
SendLayer offers a free trial with up to 500 emails per month. Paid plans start at $15/month for 15,000 emails, with the ability to scale up as your email list grows.
Can I use Gmail or Outlook to send WordPress emails?
Yes, it‘s possible to use your Gmail or Outlook account to send WordPress emails via SMTP. However, you‘re likely to run into limits quickly that can lead to delivery issues. Using a dedicated transactional email service is much more dependable.
Is SMTP the only way to solve WordPress email issues?
SMTP is the most reliable way to improve WordPress email deliverability. While some hosts offer alternative solutions like SendGrid or Mailgun plugins, proper SMTP configuration provides the best results with maximum control and flexibility.
Conclusion
Properly setting up your WordPress email configuration is crucial for your site‘s communication and functionality. Without reliable email sending, you risk losing important messages and frustrating your users.
Fortunately, the process to fix WordPress emails is relatively straightforward:
- Sign up for a transactional email service like SendLayer
- Authorize your domain and verify the DNS records
- Install the WP Mail SMTP plugin and connect it to your email provider
- Send a test email to verify your new setup
By following this tutorial, you‘ll be able to send WordPress emails with confidence. Your users will receive the crucial notifications and confirmations they need, and you can build your business through effective email marketing.
The key is taking action today. Choose your preferred transactional email service, set aside some time to work through the configuration steps carefully, and start sending within the hour. You‘ll be glad you took this essential step for your WordPress site!
