How To Fix WordPress Not Sending Emails (Ultimate SMTP Guide 2025)

WordPress Not Sending Emails? The Ultimate Fix Using SMTP [2025 Guide]

Are your critical WordPress communication, like contact form submissions, order receipts, password reset links, or new user notifications, silently disappearing? If you're struggling because your WordPress is not sending emails, you are experiencing one of the platform’s most common and frustrating issues.

The good news is the fix is simple and permanent: You need to stop relying on the default, unreliable method and start using SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol).

This 2025 guide will walk you through the proven, step-by-step process to permanently fix your WordPress email issue, ensure 100% deliverability, and stop your valuable messages from landing in the spam folder.

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Table of Contents

• 1. Why is Your WordPress Not Sending Emails? (The Real Reason)
• 2. Step-by-Step Fix: How to Configure WordPress SMTP
• 3. Choosing the Right SMTP Mailer
• 4. Pro-Tips: Maximize WordPress Email Deliverability
• 5. Get Your WordPress Emails Working Today!
  
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  1. Why is Your WordPress Not Sending Emails? (The Real Reason)
  
  The Flaw of PHP Mail (wp_mail())
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• By default, WordPress uses the PHP mail function (wp_mail()) to send all outgoing emails from the web server itself. Modern inboxes (like Gmail and Outlook) view unauthenticated emails sent directly from a basic web server with suspicion.
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  This leads to major issues:
   
• • Emails Go to Spam: Your messages fail critical authentication checks (like SPF and DKIM) and are instantly flagged as spam.
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  • Emails Are Blocked: Many web hosts disable or severely limit the PHP mail function. Even if you're on a fast, reliable platform like CloudCareHost, using the PHP mail function can still lead to poor deliverability because the email lacks proper sender authentication.
  
  The Solution: Reliable Email with SMTP
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• The industry-standard solution for reliable, professional email delivery is to use SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol).
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  SMTP works by routing all your WordPress emails through a dedicated, authenticated mail server. This process provides the following:
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  • Authentication: Proving the email is truly from your domain.
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  • Deliverability: Ensuring the email passes spam filters and lands in the inbox.
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  • Logging: Allowing you to track every email sent and troubleshoot failures.
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  The easiest way to implement this is by using a dedicated WordPress SMTP plugin that overrides the default PHP mail function.
  
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  2. Step-by-Step Fix: How to Configure WordPress SMTP
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• We will use the highly-rated and most recommended plugin, WP Mail SMTP, to solve your WordPress not sending email problem.
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• Step 2.1: Install the Recommended SMTP Plugin

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• • Log in to your WordPress dashboard.
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  • Navigate to Plugins $\to$ Add New.
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  • Search for WP Mail SMTP (by WPForms).
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  • Click Install Now and then Activate.
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  • After activation, the Setup Wizard will launch automatically.
  
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  3. Choosing the Right SMTP Mailer
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• While you can use "Other SMTP" with your host's credentials, we strongly recommend a dedicated third-party provider for the best deliverability and to ensure your WordPress emails going to spam days are over.
  
   

   

• • SendLayer: Highest reliability and ease of use. Excellent for small and growing businesses. (Free Tier: Yes, Free Trial)
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  • Brevo (Sendinblue): High volume sending and integrating with email marketing tools. (Free Tier: 300 emails/day, free forever)
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  • Mailgun / SendGrid: Developers or businesses with high email volume and advanced needs. (Free Tier: Starter tiers available)

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  Step 3.1: Connect Your Mailer Using API Keys or Credentials

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• The connection process depends on your choice:
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• Option A: Direct Integration (Recommended)

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• • Create an account with your chosen mailer (e.g., SendLayer, Brevo).
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  • Locate and copy the API Key from your mailer’s dashboard.
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  • Paste the API Key into the dedicated field back in the WP Mail SMTP settings.
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  • Follow the provider's instructions to authenticate your domain (see Pro-Tips below!).
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  Option B: Using CloudCareHost/Custom Credentials (Other SMTP)
       
       Note: Use this option if you want to route mail through the service provided by your host. Ensure you have created an email address for this purpose first.

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  • Select Other SMTP in the Mailer list.
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  • Fill in the required fields with the details provided by CloudCareHost support or your email provider:
  • 
                  • SMTP Host: mail.yourdomain.com (Check your hosting email setup guide)
  •               • Encryption: TLS (Port 587) or SSL (Port 465)
  •               • SMTP Port: 587 (for TLS) or 465 (for SSL)
  •               • Authentication: Turn ON.
  •               • SMTP Username: Your full email address (e.g., [email protected])
  •               • SMTP Password: The password for that email account.
•               • Set the From Email and From Name to match your chosen credentials.
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  Step 3.2: Send a Test Email and Go Live

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• After saving your settings, navigate to the Email Test tab in the plugin.
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  • Enter a personal email address (a Gmail or Outlook account is best for testing).
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  • Click Send Email.
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  You should see a "Test email sent successfully!" message. If the email arrives in your inbox, your WordPress email fix is complete!
  
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  4. Pro-Tips: Maximize WordPress Email Deliverability
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• To guarantee your emails never get flagged, you must implement email authentication. This is essential for a high sender reputation and maximum inbox placement.
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• Setup SPF and DKIM Records (The Authentication Layer)

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• SPF (Sender Policy Framework) and DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) are DNS records that prove your email is authorized to send on behalf of your domain.
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  • What to do: Your chosen SMTP service provider (e.g., SendLayer, Brevo) will give you a unique set of TXT or CNAME records.
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  • Where to add them: You must add these records to your domain’s DNS settings (usually managed through your domain registrar, or in your CloudCareHost control panel under the DNS editor).
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  • Why it works: These records officially tell all major inboxes, "Yes, this SMTP server is allowed to send mail for my domain." This is the final step to ensuring emails are always delivered to the inbox.
  
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  Troubleshooting Common WordPress Email Issues
   
• • Password reset email not working: Ensure the From Email in your SMTP plugin settings matches the authenticated email address you set up with your mailer.
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  • Test email fails to send: Check your SMTP Host and Port are correct. If you still face issues, reach out to CloudCareHost support for a quick check on any server-side blocks.
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  • Plugin-specific emails are failing: Verify your contact form/WooCommerce plugin is not overriding the From Email setting. Use the WP Mail SMTP option to "Force From Email."
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  5. Get Your WordPress Emails Working Today!
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• The days of struggling with WordPress not sending emails are over. By switching from the unreliable default PHP mailer to a secure, authenticated SMTP connection, you ensure every critical message from your site, from customer receipts to lead notifications, reaches its destination.
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  This simple fix using SMTP is the single most effective way to protect your business communication and build user trust in 2025. Even with top-tier hosting like CloudCareHost, adopting SMTP is essential for email-specific reliability