How to Check If WordPress Can Send Email
Not receiving notifications from your WordPress website and want to check if it can send emails?
If yes then in this tutorial we have discussed a few simple ways to easily check if WordPress can send email.
First things first, WordPress is not a software that is designed to send emails. It only sends email to notify you about certain events occurring on your website such as
- Form Submission
- Comments received on Posts
- Security Alerts
- Woocommerce notifications
- Password reset
And more.
In case WordPress isn’t sending you emails for these notifications then in this tutorial we have discussed a few ways using which you can check this.
And if there is a problem then you can proceed to fix it.
Steps to Check If WordPress Sends Emails
WordPress not sending notifications to inbox is a common problem faced by many webmasters.
It occurs due to a few reasons such as
- Restrictions on web server
- WP Mail function not working correctly
- Emails caught in spam filters
- Plugin conflict
And more.
It is easy to miss notification emails from WordPress as these have the tendency to land in spam folder and when you notice it can leave you confused.
Now, there are a few ways using which you can check if your WordPress site is sending emails for these notifications.
And for this we will be using both plugins and some features of your website to trigger WordPress to send email.
All the plugins used in this tutorial are free to use and out of all the methods we recommend using WP Mail SMTP plugin.
Using this plugin you will be able to check and later fix if the issue exists.
Keeping this in mind, below are all the ways to check if WordPress is sending emails.
Reset Password
The first way using which you can check email deliverability of your WordPress site is by requesting to reset password.
For this you need to visit https://your-domain.com/wp-admin and it will take you to the login page of your WordPress website.
On the login page, you need to click Lost your Password option and it will take you to a new page where it will ask you to enter your username or email address.
Once you are done providing the information, you need to click Get New Password and it will show you a success message stating that the email containing confirmation link has been sent to your registered email address.
This email from WordPress can take up to 20 mins to reach your inbox and we recommend that you wait.
If in this duration you do not find it in your inbox then we suggest checking Spam / Junk folder as well
The email sent by WordPress will be similar to the screenshot below.
In case you do not receive the reset password email from WordPress then we recommend using WP Mail SMTP plugin to fix the problem.
Before we move forward, it is important to know that to improve Login security of your site we recommend using Passwordless login authentication in WordPress.
As the name suggests on enabling this feature, you will no longer require a password to login to your WordPress site.
And authentication will be done using unique credentials like Magic Link, Window Hello Pin, Biometrics and more.
Submitting Comment
The next method using which you can check if WordPress can send email is by submitting a comment on a post on your website.
As mentioned before some actions or event occurring on your website trigger WordPress to send your notifications via email and this is exactly what we will be doing here.
We will be submitting a comment on a post and that will lead to WordPress sending you an email.
For this you will have to visit a Post on your website with open comment section and scroll down to the bottom till you come across the comment submission form.
In the next step you need to provide all the required information such as
- Your Name
- Email Address
- URL or Website (optional)
- Comment
Once done, it will either show you a a success message or preview of your comment awaiting moderation depending on how you have set it up.
Just like before, this email notification can take a bit of time to reach and we suggest checking the Spam folder as well.
The comment notification email sent by WordPress will be similar to the screenshot below
In case this email fails to deliver at all then you will have to fix not receiving WordPress comment notification problem by using WP Mail SMTP plugin.
Through Contact Form
Another way you can check if WordPress can send emails is by using the contact form or any other form on your website.
The only condition here is- the notification or email generated must be sent to your inbox.
For this you need to first visit the contact page or the page containing the form on your website.
In the next step, you need to enter all the details such as
- Name
- Email Address
- Message
Once you are done till here, you need to click Send and it will show you a success message like the screenshot below
In the next step you need to visit your inbox and look for the email.
Again, this email can take a bit of time to be delivered and often can land in Spam. That is why we suggest waiting for a bit and checking your Spam folder as well.
In case the email fails to deliver then we recommend that you first check if the email address is correctly configured in the form.
If it is correct and you haven’t received the email then we recommend that you fix Contact form not working issue in WordPress by using WP Mail SMTP plugin.
Using Plugins
The next method using which you can check if WordPress can send emails is by using Plugins.
We will be using plugins to send test email from WordPress and if these are delivered then it will mean WordPress is able to send you emails.
All of the plugins showcased in this tutorial are free to use and out of these we recommend using WP Mail SMTP.
The reason is- if the email sent by WordPress is not delivered then you can choose a mailer other than Default PHP and configure it to fix the problem.
Keeping this in mind below are all the plugins we have used to check if WordPress can send emails.
WP Mail SMTP
The first plugin that we will be using to check if WordPress can send email is WP Mail SMTP.
As mentioned above, you can download and install this plugin for free and in case you do not receive the sent email then you can fix the issue by configuring it.
Keeping this in mind, the first step is to install WP Mail SMTP plugin and for this you need to click Add New Plugin under Plugins in your WordPress dashboard.
Doing this will take you to the built-in free WordPress plugin repository and here you will have to search for WP Mail SMTP.
In the next step you need to click the Install button on the plugin listing and then click Activate.
Once you have successfully installed this plugin, the next step is to head over to Settings under WP Mail SMTP in your WordPress dashboard sidebar.
And it will show you all the WP Mail SMTP settings.
Here you will have to scroll down till you find the option to select Mailer.
As you can see, WP Mail SMTP allows you to select and use popular transactional email services such as
- SendLayer
- SMTP.com
- Sendinblue
- Mailgun
- SendGrid
- Postmark
- SparkPost
- Google (Gmail, Google Workspace, G Suite)
- Microsoft (Outlook, Office 365)
- Amazon SES
- Zoho Mail
And here you will have to choose one as per your requirements.
Personally speaking, we use Gmail / GSuite or Brevo on most of the sites.
Once you are done selecting, it will show you the option to add the API or Secret Keys for integration and authentication.
Please Note– In case you just want to check if the WordPress mail function of your site is working or not then you will have to select PHP.
In the next step you need to navigate to Tools under WP Mail SMTP in your WordPress dashboard sidebar
Doing this will take you to the Email Test tab where you will have to set the Send To field. Here you are required to add an email address where you want to receive this test email.
By default it will fetch your administration email address.
Please Note– Using another email address here will not change administration email address in your WordPress website.
Once you are done till here, the next step is to click Send Email.
If the email is sent then it will show you a success message like the screenshot below.
In the next step you are required to visit the email address and check your inbox for this test email sent by WordPress. If not found then make sure to check your SPAM folder.
The email will be similar to the screenshot below
In case this WordPress test email fails to deliver then then it shows that your WordPress Mail function isn’t working and you will have to fix it by using WP Mail SMTP.
WP Test Email
The next plugin that we will be using to check if WordPress can send email is WP Test Email.
As the name suggest, this plugin lets you send a test email from your WordPress website to your choice of email address.
To use this plugin, the first step is to visit Add New Plugin under Plugins in your WordPress dashboard.
Clicking Add New Plugin will take you to the WordPress plugin repository where you will have to search for WP Test Email.
Once found you need to first click Install and then Activate this plugin.
In the next step you need to navigate to Test Email under Tools in your WordPress admin sidebar.
On doing so, it will show you the option to enter email address where you want to receive this email from WordPress.
Once done, you need to click Save Changes and it will show you a success message that the email has been sent.
This email can take a few minutes to reach and we suggest checking your spam folder in case you do not find it in your inbox.
Below is the email that you will receive from your WordPress site.
In case the email fails to deliver then we recommend using WP Mail SMTP plugin to fix the problem.
Check and Log Email
Another plugin you use to check if WordPress is sending emails is Check and Log Email.
This plugin works in a similar way to other plugins discussed in this tutorial and that is using it you can send a test email from your WordPress site.
This plugin is also, free to use can be installed from inside your WordPress dashboard.
For this you need to head over to Add New Plugin under Plugins in your WordPress admin.
Doing this will take you to the built in plugin repository where you will have to search for Check and Log Email.
In the next step you need to first install and then activate this plugin.
Once done, you need to click Status under Check and Log Email in your WordPress dashboard sidebar.
On clicking Status, it will show to the option to add the email address where you want to receive this email.
Here you need to click Save Changes and it will show you a success message stating that your test email has been sent.
It can take a few minutes for this email to reach your inbox and if not found then we recommend checking the Junk folder.
The email your will receive will be similar to the screenshot below
In case the email isn’t delivered then we recommend you use WP Mail SMTP plugin to fix the problem.
FAQ on checking if WordPress Sends email
Why should you check if WordPress is sending emails
Checking if WordPress is sending emails is crucial for several reasons, and it directly impacts the functionality and user experience of your website. Here are some key reasons why it’s important to verify and monitor email delivery from WordPress:
- User Engagement and Communication:
- WordPress sends various types of emails to users, such as new user registration emails, password reset emails, comment notifications, and more. Ensuring that these emails are delivered promptly is vital for maintaining user engagement and facilitating communication between you and your site visitors.
- User Account Management:
- Email is often used for user account management activities, including password resets and account verification. If WordPress is not sending these emails, users may encounter difficulties in managing their accounts, leading to a poor user experience.
- Form Submissions and Inquiries:
- If your website uses contact forms or other submission forms, email notifications are crucial for receiving and responding to user inquiries or submissions. Verifying email functionality ensures that you are promptly notified of important user actions.
- E-commerce Transactions:
- For WordPress sites with e-commerce functionality, email notifications are critical for order confirmations, shipping updates, and other transaction-related communications. Reliable email delivery is essential for keeping customers informed about their purchases.
- Security Alerts and Notifications:
- WordPress may send security-related emails, such as alerts for suspicious login attempts or updates on system status. Monitoring email delivery helps ensure that you are promptly notified of any security issues.
- Content Distribution:
- Some WordPress sites use email newsletters or notifications to distribute content updates to subscribers. Checking email delivery is essential for maintaining an effective content distribution strategy.
- Troubleshooting and Debugging:
- In the event of issues with email delivery, checking whether WordPress is sending emails is a crucial step in troubleshooting. It helps identify whether the problem lies with WordPress configuration, server settings, or external factors.
- Compliance with Regulations:
- Ensuring that your WordPress site sends emails correctly and responsibly is important for compliance with anti-spam regulations. Regularly monitoring email practices helps prevent your site from being flagged as spam.
Regularly checking if WordPress is sending emails and testing the email functionality can prevent potential issues, enhance user experience, and contribute to the overall reliability and effectiveness of your website. If you notice any problems, it’s important to investigate and address them promptly to maintain seamless communication with your audience.
My WordPress Site is not sending emails what should I do
A simple solution to this plugin is using WP Mail SMTP plugin and integrating in with your choice of transactional email service.
Personally speaking, we have been using Gmail / GSuite or Brevo on all sites.
What are the best plugins for sending test emails from WordPress
There are quite a few plugins using which you can send test email from WordPress such as
- WP Mail SMTP
- WP Test Email
- Check and Log Email
Apart from this, you can choose other SMTP plugins in the WordPress ecosystem and check if your WordPress site is sending emails.
Having said that
I hope you will find this tutorial helpful and you now know how to check if WordPress can send emails.
In case you have any queries then feel free to get in touch.
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