--- title: "How to Install and Use the WP Mail SMTP Plugin" description: "Are you having trouble sending or receiving emails from your WordPress website? Though form submissions should arrive in your inbox without a hitch, you’ve noticed that you’re missing a few or..." url: https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/edu/wordpress/plugins/wp-mail-smtp/ date: 2020-10-13 modified: 2023-10-09 author: "InMotion Hosting Contributor" categories: ["WordPress Plugins"] type: post lang: en --- # How to Install and Use the WP Mail SMTP Plugin ![Learn How to Install and Use the WP Mail SMTP Plugin](https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Learn-How-to-Install-and-Use-the-WP-Mail-SMTP-Plugin-1024x538.png) Are you having trouble sending or receiving emails from your WordPress website? Though form submissions should arrive in your inbox without a hitch, you’ve noticed that you’re missing a few or all of your customer inquiries? This problem can be frustrating but thankfully there is an easy solution that will fix the issue and allow you to get back to running your business quickly. WP Mail SMTP is a WordPress plugin that fixes your email deliverability by reconfiguring WordPress to use a proper SMTP provider when sending emails. Continue reading to learn how to: - [Install WP Mail SMTP](#Install-WP-Mail-SMTP) - [Set Up WP Mail SMTP Email Settings](#Set-Up-WP-Mail-SMTP-Email-Settings) - [Send a Test Email](#Sending-a-Test-Email) - [Troubleshooting Email Issues](#troubleshooting) ## Install WP Mail SMTP 1. [Login to your WordPress Dashboard](https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/edu/wordpress/logging-into-wordpress-dashboard/). 2. Click **Plugins** then **Add New** in the navigation menu.![Add WP Mail SMTP plugin](https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/wordpress_wp-mail-smtp_install_add-new-plugins.png) 3. Type **WP Mail SMTP** in the available search field.![Search for WP Mail SMTP plugin](https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/wordpress_wp-mail-smtp_install_wp-mail-smtp-search.png) 4. You will see *WP Mail SMTP by WPForms* listed, click the **Install Now** button.![Install WP SMTP plugin](https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/wordpress_wp-mail-smtp_install_install-wp-mail-smtp.png) 5. Once it has been installed, click the **Activate**.![Activate WP Mail SMTP plugin](https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/wordpress_wp-mail-smtp_install_activate-wp-mail-smtp.png) ## Set Up WP Mail SMTP Email Settings The latest version of **WP Mail SMTP** includes an *activation wizard* to walk you through the setup process. 1. After installing and activating the plugin, you will be taken to a “WP Mail SMTP Setup Wizard”. Click the **Let’s Get Started** button.![Start WP Mail SMTP Wizard](https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/lets-get-started.png) 2. You can then select your SMTP Mailer from the available options. If you are using the SMTP settings from InMotion, select the **Other SMTP** option. Then, click the **Save and Continue** button.![Choose Your SMTP Mailer](https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/select-smtp-mailer.png) 3. Enter your secure SSL/TLS setting in the available field. These settings can vary from one account to another, so be sure to [check your settings in your cPanel account](https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/email/how-to-find-email-settings/).*Below is an example of what to enter:* Option Example of Setting EncryptionSSL SMTP Host mail.example.com SMTP Port 465 Authentication Set to **Enabled**. SMTP Username admin@example.com (should be the same email address entered in the “From Email” section above) SMTP Password Enter the password for the email address you entered in the “SMTP Username” section above. ![Entering the SMTP Settings](https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/enter-smtp-settings.png) 4. Scroll down and fill in the “**From Name**” and choose if you want to “**Force From Name**.” This will cause your site to use this name for any outgoing emails.![Enter From Name for SMTP](https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/from-name.png) 5. Enter your “**From Email**” next and choose if you want to “**Force From Email**.” This will cause your site to use this name for any outgoing emails.![Enter From Email for SMTP](https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/from-email.png) 6. Click the** Save and Continue** button. 7. Select the email features you want to enable, then click the **Save and Continue** button. Available *free* options are: Improved Email Deliverability, Email Error Tracking, Smart Contact Form, and Weekly Email Summary. 8. On the next screen you can enter your email address if you want to join the WP Mail SMTP mailing list. You can also check the **Yes, count me** **in** box to share your usage information with WP Mail SMTP. Then, click **Skip this step **or **Save and Continue**. 9. Optionally, If you purchased a license key you can enter it and click the **Connect** button. Otherwise, click the **Skip this Step** button. It will then verify your settings. 10. You will then see a message stating, “Congrats, you’ve successfully set up WP Mail SMTP!” Click the **Finish Setup** button. 11. Click the **Save Settings** once you have entered your SMTP settings. 12. You are finished when you see a message stating *Settings were successfully saved.*![Finish WP Mail SMTP Setup](https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/finish-setup.png) ## Sending a Test Email 1. [Log into your WordPress Dashboard](https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/edu/wordpress/logging-into-wordpress-dashboard/). 2. Click **WP Mail SMTP** in the navigation menu. 3. On the settings page click the **Email Test** link.![Access the Email Test Tab](https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/email-test.png) 4. Enter the address you want to send the test to in the available field.![Sending a Test Email](https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/send-a-test-email.png) 5. Click the **Send Email** button. You will see a message stating *“Your email was sent successfully!”* If you do not, you will need to troubleshoot your settings. When you check your email, you should have an email with the subject line similar to this: *“WP Mail SMTP: Test email to admin@example.net”*. ## Troubleshooting Email Issues Below are some common problems and solutions for issues sending email from your WordPress site. ### Email did not arrive If the test email is missing and does not arrive, you can check the email log for records of the email. - [How to View your WordPress Mail Logs](/support/email/view-mail-logs/) ### Could not authenticate your SMTP account Since this error often indicates an issue with your username or password, we recommend checking your settings in the WP Mail SMTP plugin. **Power Your Growth with Managed WordPress** Unlock the full potential of your mission-critical WordPress site with scalable, purpose-built servers. 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