By default, if you send an outgoing email from WordPress with the default configuration, it will automatically use PHP’s “sendmail” function in order to send an email from the locally hosted SMTP application on the server with no authentication. In most cases this is not the ideal way to send out email, and can cause your email to be delivered to Spam, or even worse–blacklisted for malformed emails.
Instead, you should be using a plugin to configure the proper SMTP server for outgoing mail, as well as configure your SPF record for your domain.
- Install the WP Mail SMTP plugin in WordPress
WP Mail SMTP is the most popular and WordPress recommended plugin:
https://wordpress.com/plugins/wp-mail-smtp/
Install and activate it on your WordPress site.
- Configure WP Mail SMTP settings
In WP Mail SMTP > Settings, you will need to input your mail server’s information.
If you use IONOS mailboxes,
(mailboxes created in IONOS control panel) you will need to point the domain to the proper MX records, add your SPF record, then in WP Mail SMTP settings use the following:
From Email: user@domain.com (must exist within the IONOS control panel under Email)
Force From Email: checked ✅ (check this box to use this SMTP server for all plugins across the site)
Force From Name: checked ✅
Set the return-path to match the From Email: checked ✅
Mailer: Other SMTP 🔽
SMTP Host: smtp.ionos.com
Encryption: SSL 🔘
SMTP Port: 465
Auto TLS: on 🟢
Authentication: on 🟢
SMTP Username: yourname@yourdomain.com
SMTP Password: the mailbox's password
Click on Save Settings.
To verify an email account password, try logging in at IONOS webmail: https://mail.ionos.com
If you use your Plesk email server,
First set up your Plesk email server properly following our guide, then in WP Mail SMTP settings use the following:
From Email: user@domain.com (must exist within Plesk)
Force From Email: checked ✅ (check this box to use this SMTP server for all plugins across the site)
Force From Name: checked ✅
Set the return-path to match the From Email: checked ✅
Mailer: Other SMTP 🔽
SMTP Host: mail.yourdomain.com
Encryption: SSL 🔘
SMTP Port: 465
Auto TLS: on 🟢
Authentication: on 🟢
SMTP Username: yourname@yourdomain.com
SMTP Password: the mailbox's password
Click on Save Settings.
To verify an email account password, try logging in at your server’s webmail: https://webmail.yourdomain.com
- Test your outgoing email
Go to WP Mail SMTP > Tools, and click on the Email Test tab. Send a test email to confirm your settings are correct.