Why is my WordPress not sending emails?

Have you ever had problems with your WordPress and noticed that it’s not sending emails, this is a common problem that can affect many users from bloggers to businesses that rely on your website for crucial communications. Emails can include notifications of new comments, password resets, contact forms and newsletters. When these emails are not sent, it can cause a great deal of frustration and potentially affect the functionality and credibility of your website.

Understanding why this problem occurs and how to fix it is essential to maintaining effective communication and ensuring your website runs smoothly. Below, we explain the most common reasons why WordPress doesn’t send emails and how you can effectively fix it.

Why WordPress doesn’t send emails?

WordPress uses a function called wp_mail() to send emails. This function depends on the configuration of the server where your website is hosted. If the server is not configured correctly to handle emails, they will not be sent. In addition, some web hosting providers may have restrictions that prevent emails from being sent correctly.

Common problems that cause mail delivery failures

Problems with the SMTP configuration

SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) is the standard protocol for sending emails. If your SMTP settings are not correct, it is likely that emails will not be sent. Many mail servers require authentication and specific settings which, if not configured correctly, can prevent emails from being sent. In another article we already discussed how to configure SMTP “How to configure SMTP in WordPress to improve email delivery”.

Email server problems

Sometimes, the email server you are using may have problems or be blocked. This can happen if the server is blacklisted due to a history of sending spam emails, or if there is a temporary problem with the mail provider. It may also be due to restrictions from your web hosting provider.

To solve this problem, you can follow these steps:

1. Check if the server is blacklisted: Use online tools such as MXToolbox or Blacklist Check to check if your mail server is blacklisted. If it is, follow the tool’s instructions to request removal from the blacklist.
2. Contact your web hosting provider: If you suspect that your server is having problems, contact your web hosting provider. They can provide you with information about any known problems and help you resolve any restrictions they may have implemented.
3. Use an alternative mail service: Consider using an alternative email service such as Gmail, Mailgun, SendGrid, or any other SMTP service. These services tend to have a better reputation and are less likely to be blocked.
4. Configure SMTP correctly: Configure your website to use a trusted SMTP server. This can be done through plugins such as WP Mail SMTP, which make it easy to set up and ensure that emails are sent correctly.
5. Monitor server status: Use monitoring tools to keep constant track of the status of your mail server. This will help you identify and fix problems quickly.
6. Maintain good emailing practices: Make sure your emails are not perceived as spam. Avoid using common words or phrases in spam emails, and make sure that the content of the email is relevant and valuable to the recipients.
7. Set up mail forwarding: Verify that your server is receiving mail correctly and set up automatic forwarding to another email address if necessary. This can be done through the mail forwarding options in your hosting control panel or through manual settings on the server.

Conflicts with other plugins

Some plugins can cause conflicts and prevent mails from being sent. This is especially common with security or mail management plugins. Conflicts can arise due to incompatible configurations or bugs in the plugins code.

How to fix it:.

1. Disable and reactivate plugins: Deactivate all plugins and reactivate them one by one to identify which one is causing the conflict.
2. Update plugins: Make sure all your plugins are updated to the latest version.
3. Search for alternatives: If a particular plugin continues to cause problems, consider looking for an alternative that offers the same functionality without conflicts.

Emails flagged as spam

If the emails you send from WordPress are being marked as spam, it is likely that they are not reaching the recipients. This can happen if the content of the email looks suspicious, if your email address has a bad reputation, or if the recipient’s spam filters are very strict.

How to fix this:

1. Avoid suspicious content: Make sure your emails do not contain words or phrases that are common in spam emails.
2. Improve the reputation of your email address: Use a trusted email address and avoid sending unsolicited emails.
3. Ask recipients to add you to their contact list: This can help reduce the chances of your emails being marked as spam.

Improperly configured form plugins

Form plugins, such as Contact Form 7 or WPForms, need to be configured correctly to send emails. If there are any errors in the plugin settings, emails will not be sent. This includes settings such as the sender’s email address, destination address and SMTP server.

How to fix it:.

1. Check the plugin configuration: Make sure all fields are configured correctly.
2. Try other plugins: If you are still having problems, try using a different form plugin to see if the problem persists.
3. Update plugins: Make sure your form plugins are updated to the latest version available.

I don’t have a lot of WordPress experience, where do I start?

1. Check that the form plugin is properly configured.
2. Install an SMTP plugin and configure it
3. Communicate with your hosting provider
4. Check Black list email.
5. Conflict between plugins.
6. Go to the server and check if you receive emails so you can do redirection.

Conclusion

Troubleshooting WordPress email delivery issues can take a bit of work, but it is essential to ensure that your site functions properly. By following these steps and maintaining good emailing practices, you can ensure that your emails reach your recipients without a hitch. If all else fails, consider seeking help from a professional to identify and resolve more complex issues.

FAQs

1. What can I do if after following all the steps, my emails are still not being sent?

If you have followed all the steps and are still facing problems, consider seeking professional help or contacting your hosting provider’s support. An expert can help identify more complex problems that may be affecting email delivery.

2. Is it always necessary to use a plugin to set up SMTP in WordPress?

It is not always necessary to use a plugin, but SMTP plugins make it much easier to configure and improve email delivery. You can also configure SMTP manually if you have the right technical knowledge.

3. How do I know if a specific plugin is causing problems with mail delivery?

To determine if a plugin is causing problems, you can deactivate all plugins and then reactivate them one by one, testing mail delivery after each activation. This way, you can identify if a specific plugin is interfering with the sending of emails.

4. What is a whitelist and how can I add my mail server to it?

A whitelist is a list of approved senders who are authorized to send mail to recipients. You can request recipients to add your email address or domain to their whitelist to ensure that your emails reach their inboxes. This is usually done through the recipient’s mail settings.