WordPress introduced a fatal error protection feature in WordPress 5.2, displaying a concise message stating, ‘This site is experiencing technical difficulties.’
For comprehensive details, WordPress sends an email notification to your admin email address. This email provides a link to access the backend and attempt error resolution.
WordPress recovery mode
This error message can result from any fatal errors outlined in this article. Difficulty arises if you lack access to the admin email or cannot receive WordPress emails, making it challenging to identify the error.
To address this, ensure your WordPress admin email address is accurate and capable of receiving WordPress notification emails. If you encounter issues receiving WordPress emails, refer to our guide on resolving the WordPress not sending email problem.
How to Fix WordPress Not Sending Email Issue
One frequently asked question on WPBeginner revolves around resolving the WordPress not sending email problem.
Many of our novice users inquire about issues with their contact form plugin failing to send emails or not receiving WordPress notifications.
In this article, we will guide you on fixing the WordPress not sending email problem, ensuring your website sends emails reliably and avoids landing in spam folders.
How to Resolve the WordPress Not Sending Email Issue
Understanding Why You’re Not Receiving Emails from Your WordPress Site
A common reason for emails not reaching their destination is improper configuration of your WordPress hosting server to use the PHP mail() function.
Even if your hosting is set up to use it, various email service providers, including Gmail and others, employ tools to reduce email spam. These tools aim to verify that an email originates from the claimed location.
Emails sent by WordPress websites may often fail this verification test.
As a result, when an email is sent from your WordPress site, such as from a contact form plugin or admin notification, it might not even reach the recipient’s spam folder, let alone the inbox.
This is why we discourage using WordPress for sending email newsletters.
To address this issue, we recommend using SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) for sending emails in WordPress.
What Is SMTP?
SMTP is the industry-standard protocol for sending emails, employing proper authentication for high email deliverability.
WordPress offers the WP Mail SMTP plugin, which configures your site to send emails using SMTP instead of the PHP mail() function. This plugin supports popular SMTP services like SendLayer, Brevo (formerly Sendinblue), Gmail (Google Workspace), Amazon SES, and more.
Now, let’s delve into the steps to resolve the WordPress not sending email issue.
If you prefer written instructions, continue reading for step-by-step guidance:
Step 1: Install the WP Mail SMTP Plugin
Regardless of the SMTP service you choose, you must install the WP Mail SMTP plugin on your site. This allows you to switch WordPress from using the built-in PHP mail() function to utilizing your SMTP service.
Install and activate the WP Mail SMTP plugin. If unsure, refer to our guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](link to the guide).
In your WordPress dashboard, click on ‘WP Mail SMTP’ to configure the plugin settings.
Enter the name and business email address from which you want your site’s emails to be sent. Use the same email address you’ll use for your SMTP mailing service.
Choose to force emails to use this name and email address, even if other plugins have different settings.
Select an SMTP mailing service. For this tutorial, we’ll set up SMTP using SendLayer.
Step 2: Set Up Your SMTP Mailing Service
SendLayer is a reliable email service provider, allowing you to send a substantial number of emails with high deliverability. It offers a free trial for up to 200 emails.Go to the SendLayer website and create an account. Click on the ‘Try our SendLayer free trial (send up to 200 emails)’ link.
After creating an account, you’ll see your SendLayer dashboard.
Step 3: Connect Your WordPress Website with SendLayer
Before sending emails with SendLayer, you need to authorize your domain.Click the orange ‘Add Domain’ button in the SendLayer dashboard.
Type your domain name and click ‘Add Domain.’
SendLayer will provide 5 DNS records. Add these records to your domain’s DNS settings.
In your hosting account (e.g., Bluehost), navigate to DNS settings and add the provided DNS records.
Once added, click ‘Verify DNS Records’ in SendLayer. Verification may take 24-48 hours.
Step 4: Finish Setting Up WP Mail SMTP to Use SendLayer
In your SendLayer account, go to Settings » API Keys to find your API key.Copy the API key and paste it in the WP Mail SMTP setup wizard.
You have now completed the setup. Send a test email in WP Mail SMTP to ensure it’s working.
Go to WP Mail SMTP » Tools, enter an email address, and click ‘Send Email.’
Check your inbox for the test email.
Alternative Ways to Fix the WordPress Not Sending Email Issue
WP Mail SMTP supports various mailer options. Besides SendLayer, you can use Microsoft 365, Gmail (Google Workspace), Amazon SES, etc.
Using Gmail or Google Workspace with WP Mail SMTP
Configure WP Mail SMTP to use Gmail or Google Workspace.
Sign in to Gmail and click ‘Save Settings’ in WP Mail SMTP.
Using Microsoft 365 with WP Mail SMTP
Set up WP Mail SMTP, choose the ‘365 / Outlook’ option, and register an app on Microsoft Azure.
Follow detailed instructions on [how to set up Outlook with WP Mail SMTP](link to the guide).
Using Amazon SES with WP Mail SMTP
Amazon SES is suitable for advanced users. Follow instructions on [how to set up Amazon SES with WordPress](link to the guide).
Always use the ‘Test Email’ feature to verify successful email sending and check your inbox to confirm receipt.