How to Fix WordPress Not Sending Email

A RafflePress user recently shared a story about a near-disaster. They were running a giveaway using RafflePress and used our built-in feature to email the winner. Unfortunately, the winner’s email landed in their spam folder.

This is a nightmare situation for any website owner. Sadly, WordPress email deliverability issues are more common than you might think.

The good news? These problems are usually easy to fix. In this article, I’ll explain why WordPress emails sometimes fail to send and show you how to make sure your messages reach the inbox every time.

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Why Is Your WordPress Site Not Sending Email?

Here’s the thing: your WordPress website doesn’t actually send emails itself. It relies on your web hosting server to do that. The problem is that many hosting servers aren’t optimized for sending emails reliably.

To make things even trickier, email providers like Gmail and Yahoo are always on the lookout for spam. They have strict checks to ensure emails are coming from legitimate sources. Unfortunately, emails sent directly from your WordPress site can sometimes trip these alarms, ending up in the spam folder or getting blocked completely.

According to research from Email Tool Tester, the average deliverability rate for marketing emails in the first quarter of 2024 was 83.1%. This indicates that 16.9% of emails never reach the recipient’s inbox, with 10.5% landing in the spam folder.

There are two main reasons why your WordPress emails might not be sending:

1. Incorrect Hosting Server Configuration: Your hosting server might not be set up correctly to send emails. It’s like trying to mail a letter without a stamp!
2. Spam Filters: Email providers have strict rules, and your emails need to appear trustworthy to avoid being flagged as spam.

The good news? There’s a simple solution: SMTP.

Don’t worry; SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) might sound technical, but it’s just a more reliable way to send emails from your WordPress site. I’ll explain how it works next.

How to Fix WordPress Email Issues with SMTP

SMTP is the best way to send emails from your WordPress site. Instead of relying on your web hosting server, SMTP uses a dedicated service. This ensures your emails get delivered and don’t end up in spam.

Here’s why SMTP is more reliable:

• Email Verification: SMTP proves to email providers like Gmail that your messages are genuinely from you.
• Advanced Technology: SMTP services have robust systems for sending large volumes of emails quickly and efficiently.
• Improved Reputation: Email providers trust SMTP services more than regular hosting servers.

Think of using SMTP like sending your emails with a first-class stamp instead of hoping they’ll arrive if you just leave them in your mailbox.

In the steps below, I’ll show you how to set up SMTP on your WordPress site.

Step 1: Choose a WordPress SMTP Plugin

First, you’ll need a plugin to connect your WordPress site with a reliable SMTP service. I recommend WP Mail SMTP.

It’s a free plugin that makes setting up SMTP surprisingly simple, even if you’re new to WordPress. You can install and configure it in minutes.

Once WP Mail SMTP is active on your site, you can trust it to send your emails quickly and reliably. The best part is that it works seamlessly with popular email providers, including Gmail, SendLayer, Outlook, and more, giving you the flexibility to choose the provider that best suits your needs.

Step 2. Install and Activate WP Mail SMTP

Now it’s time to get WP Mail SMTP working on your website. Go to the “Plugins” section in your WordPress dashboard and click “Add New Plugin.”

Type “WP Mail SMTP” into the search bar. You’ll find it at the top of the list. Click the “Install Now” button. Once it’s finished installing, click “Activate.”

And that’s it – you’ve successfully added the plugin to your website. Now you’re ready to move on to the setup process.

Step 3. Set Up Your SMTP Mailing Service

Once you activate WP Mail SMTP, you need to connect it to your email service. This makes sure your emails use a reliable system for delivery. The plugin has a setup wizard that starts automatically after activation.

Start by clicking the “Let’s Get Started” button.

Next, choose an SMTP service. WP Mail SMTP works with different providers, including free and paid options, all designed to fix email-sending issues in WordPress.

For this tutorial, we’ll use SendLayer. It has a generous free plan and can handle a large volume of emails.

After choosing your mailer, click “Save and Continue.”

Step 4. Connect Your WordPress Website with SendLayer

On the next screen, you’ll see instructions for setting up SendLayer with WP Mail SMTP. If you haven’t already, go to the SendLayer website and create an account.

When you’re logged in, you’ll find your API key. This acts like a password, connecting your SendLayer account with WP Mail SMTP.

Copy your API key, and then go back to the setup wizard and paste it into the “API Key” field.

You can also add a from name and email address on this screen. This will make WP Mail SMTP use these details when sending emails.

When you’re finished, click “Save and Continue.”

Note: If you’re using a different email service, check WP Mail SMTP’s documentation for setup instructions.

Step 5. Finish Setting Up WP Mail SMTP to Use SendLayer

Next, choose which email features you want to enable for your website. The plugin automatically enables Email Deliverability and Error Tracking.

If you upgrade to the Pro version, you can use features like email logs, reports, alerts, and notifications.

On the next screen, you have the option to enter your WP Mail SMTP license key. Since we’re using the free version, click the “Skip this Step” button.

Now, WP Mail SMTP will send a test email to make sure everything is working correctly.

And that’s it! You’re all set to improve the deliverability of your emails.

More Ways to Fix WordPress Not Sending Email

WP Mail SMTP works with several different email services. While SendLayer is a great option, you can also use popular services like:

• Google Workspace
• Microsoft 365
• Amazon SES

Use Google Workspace to Fix WordPress Not Sending Email

If you already use Gmail for your business email (with a Google Workspace account), you can easily use it with WP Mail SMTP. This way, you don’t need to enter your email login details directly into WordPress.

Here’s a quick overview of how to set it up:

1. Follow steps 1-3 above to install WP Mail SMTP and start the setup wizard.
2. Choose “Google/Gmail” as your mailer. You’ll see this option in the WP Mail SMTP setup wizard.
3. Connect your Google account. WP Mail SMTP will guide you through a simple process to connect with your Gmail/Google Workspace account. If you have a pro account, you can use the one-click setup option. You’ll only need to sign in to your Gmail account and click “Save Settings.”

And that’s it! WP Mail SMTP will take care of the rest, making sure your emails are sent reliably through your Google Workspace account.

Use Microsoft 365 to Fix WordPress Not Sending Email

If you use Microsoft Outlook or Microsoft 365 for your business email, you can also use it to send your WordPress emails.

Here’s how to connect Microsoft 365 with WP Mail SMTP:

1. Follow Steps 1-3 above. Install WP Mail SMTP and start the setup wizard.
2. Choose “Microsoft 365/Outlook” as your mailer. You’ll find this option in the WP Mail SMTP setup wizard.
3. Connect your Microsoft account. To authorize the connection, you’ll be prompted to enter your Microsoft application ID and password.

For more details, see the documentation on how to set up Microsoft Outlook / 365.

Keep in mind that while using Microsoft 365 is possible, it typically requires a few more technical steps than SendLayer or Gmail to get everything working smoothly.

Use Amazon SES to Fix WordPress Not Sending Email

Amazon SES (Simple Email Service) is a powerful option for sending large volumes of emails. It’s a paid service but can be very cost-effective, especially if you send a lot of emails.

Here’s how to use Amazon SES with WP Mail SMTP:

1. Sign up for Amazon SES. You’ll need an Amazon Web Services (AWS) account. If you don’t have one already, you can create one for free.
2. Configure Amazon SES. You’ll need to set up your sender identity and obtain your AWS access key and secret key.
3. Follow Steps 1-3 above. Install WP Mail SMTP and start the setup wizard.
4. Choose “Amazon SES” as your mailer.
5. Enter your AWS credentials. Paste your AWS access key and secret key into the appropriate fields.

For more details, see the documentation on how to set up Amazon SES.

Setting up Amazon SES is a bit more technical than some of the other options, but WP Mail SMTP makes it much easier.

Guides for Other WordPress Issues

You might run into some typical WordPress errors now and then. If you do, these tutorials can help you troubleshoot and get things working again:

• How to Fix reCAPTCHA Not Working in WordPress
• How to Stop Spam Form Submissions in WordPress
• Why You MUST Avoid RafflePress Nulled

I hope this tutorial has helped you learn how to fix WordPress not sending emails. If you’re wondering how to send email notifications to giveaway winners like the user I mentioned earlier, our guide on how to pick a giveaway winner will help.

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Stacey Corrin Writer

Stacey has been writing about WordPress and digital marketing for over 10 years and on other topics for much longer. Alongside this, she's fascinated with web design, user experience, and SEO.

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