If you have a Wordpress website that has a contact form, booking form or any kind of e-commerce, you may have noticed recently that you haven’t been getting any wordpress emails through.
My associates and I have all noticed it, but we haven’t been able to attribute it to a single cause i.e. it’s not a specific plugin failing or a particular hosting issue. It seems to be Wordpress itself failing to send the messages.

If this is happening to you there is something you can do to ensure those emails make it safely to your inbox.

Step One: Download an SMTP plugin

There are a few SMTP plugins out there – some are free like WP Mail SMTP or Easy WP SMTP, and some there are a small charge like WP Mandrill (free for a limited amount of emails). Which one is best for you will depend on your needs.

Step Two: Add your mailbox settings

Whichever plugin you chose to use, you will need your mailbox settings to finish installing it. Whoever provides your email whether it is gmail or your own hosting, will be able to provide you with your mailbox settings and they usually come in this format:

Username: your email address
Password: your email password
Outgoing Mail Server: this is sometimes called SMTP server and often starts with ‘smtp.’
Port Number

The plugin might also ask what type of encryption your email uses – most servers use SSL which ensures your email is safe when sending.

Step Three: Test the plugin

Most plugins will offer you the chance to test if the SMTP is working so give it a whirl and make sure you receive the test. If there’s any errors, you may have input your email settings incorrectly.

Another precaution you could take, at least when it comes to contact forms, is to use a plugin that saves a back-up of the submitted form for you within the database. Not all contact form plugins do this so it’s worth exploring your options.

And remember, if you need any help with the above, The Smart Bear is always available for a free consultation.