Setting Up an SMTP Plugin to Send WordPress Emails

By default, WordPress sends email using the server’s built-in mail function. On Pair Servers, this results in messages being sent from a generic address such as [email protected]. Because this address is not associated with your domain’s SPF or DKIM records, many email providers, including Gmail, will reject these messages. 

This issue is most noticeable when attempting to reset a WordPress password. If the reset email is not delivered, you may be unable to access your site without manual intervention. 

To ensure reliable delivery, you can configure WordPress to send email through SMTP using a plugin. This guide walks you through installing and setting up WP Mail SMTP. 

Other SMTP plugins are available if you prefer a different plugin, though their setup process may differ. 

Install the WP Mail SMTP Plugin

1. Log in to your WordPress admin dashboard
2. In the left-hand menu, click Plugins → Add Plugin
3. In the search bar, type WP Mail SMTP
4. Find “WP Mail SMTP by WPForms” and click Install Now
5. Click Activate
6. After activation, the setup wizard will start automatically.
   
   If it does not, click WP Mail SMTP → Settings → Launch Setup Wizard. 

Configure SMTP Settings

1. In the WP Mail SMTP Setup Wizard, click Let’s Get Started
2. Choose your SMTP mailer. If your mail provider is not listed, or if you use a Pair mailbox, click Other SMTP
   
   Note: The email address you use must be a valid email with login credentials. It does not need to be hosted by Pair Networks. Forwarding recipes, and other recipe configurations cannot be used, as they do not support SMTP authentication. 
3. Click Save and Continue
   
4. Fill in the form:
   

SMTP Host	The hostname of your mail server. If you are using a Pair Mailbox, see Finding Your Email’s Incoming and Outgoing Servers.
Encryption	The security method used to protect the connection between your site and the mail server. TLS (recommended)SSL
SMTP Port	The network port used to connect the mail server. This must match the selected encryption method. 587 for TLS465 for SSL
Auto TLS (only appears when SSL is selected as the encryption method)	By default, TLS encryption is automatically used if the server supports it. In some cases, due to server misconfigurations, this can cause issues and may need to be disabled.
Authentication	Determines whether the mail server requires login credentials to send email. This should be enabled in most cases.
SMTP Username	The username used to authenticate with the mail server. This is typically your full email address.
SMTP Password	The password for the email account used to send messages.
From Name	The name that appears as the sender in outgoing emails.
Force From Name	If enabled, the From Name setting will be used for all emails, ignoring values set by other plugins.
From Email	The email address that appears as the sender in outgoing messages.
Force From Email	If toggled on, the From Email setting will be used for all emails, ignoring the values set by other plugins.  We recommend enabling this for Pair mailboxes.

5. Click Save and Continue
   
6. Select any optional email features you want to enable, then click Save and Continue
7. Choose whether you want to share usage data to help improve the plugin. Click Skip this Step or complete the form and click Save and Continue
8. When prompted to upgrade, note that the free version is sufficient for SMTP setup. Click Skip this Step to continue. 
9. Click Finish Setup

Send a Test Email

1. In the WordPress Admin dashboard, click WP Mail SMTP → Tools
2.  In the Email Test tab, enter an email address you can access
3. Click Send Email
4. Confirm the email is received