WPForms is a popular WordPress plugin for creating contact forms, but sometimes it may not send emails as expected. This can be frustrating, especially if you rely on form submissions for business or communication. The most common reason for this issue is the lack of proper SMTP configuration on your site.
To resolve WPForms email delivery issues and ensure reliable email notifications, follow these steps:
- Check Form Email Settings: Verify that notifications are enabled, email addresses are correct, and smart tags are properly used.
- Enable WordPress Debugging: This will help identify any underlying problems affecting email delivery.
- Set Up SMTP with WP Mail SMTP: Install and configure the WP Mail SMTP plugin to authenticate your site and send emails using SMTP.
- Check Server Email Policies: Ensure your hosting provider’s email policies are not blocking emails or disabling PHP mail functions.
- Set Up Email Authentication: Configure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to authenticate outgoing emails and improve deliverability.
- Review Notification Logic: Check for errors in your notification settings, such as incorrect email addresses or conditional logic issues.
- Try Other SMTP Services: If traditional methods fail, explore alternative SMTP services like FluentSMTP for improved email deliverability.
- Disable Email Optimizations: Temporarily disable email optimizations that may be delaying or preventing form notifications.
- Contact Support: Seek expert help from WPForms or your web hosting provider if issues persist.
- Test Email Notifications: Regularly test your email notifications to identify and fix any potential issues.
By following these steps, you can ensure that your WPForms email notifications are delivered reliably and effectively.
Quick Comparison
| Step | Description |
|---|---|
| Check Form Email Settings | Verify notification settings, email addresses, and smart tags |
| Enable WordPress Debugging | Identify underlying problems affecting email delivery |
| Set Up SMTP with WP Mail SMTP | Authenticate site and send emails using SMTP |
| Check Server Email Policies | Ensure hosting provider’s policies don’t block emails |
| Set Up Email Authentication | Configure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC for improved deliverability |
| Review Notification Logic | Check for errors in notification settings |
| Try Other SMTP Services | Explore alternative SMTP services like FluentSMTP |
| Disable Email Optimizations | Disable optimizations that may delay or prevent notifications |
| Contact Support | Seek expert help from WPForms or hosting provider |
| Test Email Notifications | Regularly test notifications to identify and fix issues |
Check Form Email Settings
When troubleshooting WPForms email issues, it’s essential to review each form’s settings to ensure notifications are activated and smart tags are properly used. Follow these steps to check your form email settings:
Verify Notification Settings
To access form notification settings, go to WPForms > All Forms, hover over the form you want to check, and click Edit. Then, click the Settings icon and navigate to the Notifications tab.
| Setting | Action |
|---|---|
| Enable Notifications | Toggle to On to ensure notifications are sent when a form is submitted. |
| Send To Email Address | Check that email addresses are spelled correctly and separated by commas if sending to multiple recipients. |
| From Email and From Name | Ensure they are consistent with your domain to prevent email providers from flagging your emails as spam. |
Review Smart Tags
Review the smart tags used in your notification settings. Ensure you’re using the correct smart tags for the email addresses you want to include.
By following these steps, you can ensure that your form email settings are correctly configured, and notifications are sent reliably. If you’re still experiencing issues, proceed to the next step to enable WordPress debugging.
Enable WordPress Debugging
To troubleshoot WPForms email issues, you need to enable WordPress debugging. This will help you identify any underlying problems that might be affecting email delivery.
Accessing the wp-config.php file
You can access the wp-config.php file using an FTP client or your hosting provider’s file manager. Download a copy to your local machine or open it in the file manager for editing.
Enabling Debugging
Add the following code to the wp-config.php file:
define( 'WP_DEBUG', true );
define( 'WP_DEBUG_LOG', true );
define( 'WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY', false );
Here’s what each line does:
| Code | Action |
|---|---|
define( 'WP_DEBUG', true ); |
Enables debugging |
define( 'WP_DEBUG_LOG', true ); |
Logs errors to a file |
define( 'WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY', false ); |
Prevents errors from being displayed on your live site |
Uploading the modified file
Once you’ve made the changes, upload the modified wp-config.php file back to your server, overwriting the original file.
What to expect
With debugging enabled, WordPress will log errors to a file called debug.log in the wp-content directory. You can access this file to identify any issues that might be affecting email delivery.
By enabling WordPress debugging, you’ll be able to identify any underlying issues that might be causing WPForms email issues. If you’re still experiencing problems, proceed to the next step to set up SMTP with WP Mail SMTP.
Set Up SMTP with WP Mail SMTP
To ensure reliable email delivery, you need to set up SMTP with WP Mail SMTP. This plugin helps authenticate your website’s domain and enables you to send emails using SMTP.
Installing WP Mail SMTP
To get started, install the WP Mail SMTP plugin. You can use the free version, WP Mail SMTP Lite, for a simple email delivery solution. If you need more advanced features, you’ll need a paid license.
Installation Steps:
- Go to Plugins » Add New Plugin and search for "WP Mail SMTP".
- Click Install Now and Activate.
Choosing an SMTP Mailer
Next, you’ll need an account for the mailer you want to connect to your site. This platform will authenticate your website’s domain and enable you to send emails using SMTP. There are many mailers to choose from, including some providers with free plans.
Configuring WP Mail SMTP Settings
When your mailer account is set up, return to your WordPress admin dashboard and go to WP Mail SMTP » Settings. Here, click on the Launch Setup Wizard button. The Setup Wizard will guide you through each step in the process.
Mailer Setup:
| Mailer | Description |
|---|---|
| Gmail | Use your Gmail account to send emails |
| SendGrid | Use SendGrid’s SMTP service to send emails |
| Mailgun | Use Mailgun’s SMTP service to send emails |
Select the mailer you’ve chosen from the list provided, and follow the instructions to complete the setup process. You may need to provide an API key or similar credentials to connect your site to your account.
By setting up SMTP with WP Mail SMTP, you’ll improve the reliability and security of your emails, ensuring that your WPForms notifications are delivered successfully. If you’re still experiencing issues, proceed to the next step to check server email policies.
Check Server Email Policies
When troubleshooting WPForms email issues, it’s essential to check your server’s email policies to ensure they’re not blocking emails. Your hosting provider may have specific settings or restrictions in place that prevent emails from being sent.
Understanding Server Email Restrictions
Server email policies can affect the delivery of emails sent through WPForms. For instance, some hosting providers may block certain types of emails or have specific requirements for sending emails.
Checking PHP Mail Functions
One common issue that can prevent emails from being sent is disabled PHP mail functions. Check with your hosting provider to ensure that PHP mail functions are enabled on your server.
Liaising with Your Hosting Provider
If you’re unsure about your server’s email policies or need assistance with enabling PHP mail functions, contact your hosting provider’s support team. They can provide guidance on their specific policies and help you resolve any server-side issues that may be preventing emails from being sent.
Here are some steps to follow:
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Contact your hosting provider’s support team |
| 2 | Ask about their email policies and restrictions |
| 3 | Request assistance with enabling PHP mail functions if necessary |
By checking your server’s email policies and ensuring that PHP mail functions are enabled, you can resolve common issues that may be preventing WPForms emails from being sent. If you’re still experiencing issues, proceed to the next step to set up email authentication.
Set Up Email Authentication
Email authentication is crucial to ensure that your WPForms emails are delivered reliably to your recipients’ inboxes. It helps prevent your emails from being marked as spam by verifying that they come from a trusted source. In this section, we’ll guide you through the process of setting up essential DNS records such as SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to help authenticate outgoing emails.
Understanding SPF, DKIM, and DMARC
Here’s a brief overview of each:
| Record | Description |
|---|---|
| SPF | Verifies that an email comes from an authorized IP address. |
| DKIM | Verifies that an email’s content has not been tampered with during transmission. |
| DMARC | Combines SPF and DKIM to provide an additional layer of email authentication. |
Setting Up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC
To set up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, you’ll need to add specific DNS records to your domain’s DNS settings. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you get started:
- Create a TXT record for SPF: Add a TXT record with the following format:
v=spf1 a mx ip4:<your_ip_address> ~all - Create a TXT record for DKIM: Add a TXT record with the following format:
k=rsa; p=<your_dkim_key> - Create a TXT record for DMARC: Add a TXT record with the following format:
v=DMARC1; p=reject; rua=mailto:<your_email_address>
Replace <your_ip_address>, <your_dkim_key>, and <your_email_address> with your actual values.
Verifying Your DNS Records
Once you’ve added the DNS records, verify that they’re correctly set up using tools like Dig or DNSViz. This will ensure that your email authentication is working as expected.
By setting up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, you’ll significantly reduce the likelihood of your WPForms emails being marked as spam and improve the overall deliverability of your emails. In the next step, we’ll review notification logic to ensure that your emails are being sent correctly.
Review Notification Logic
When troubleshooting WPForms email issues, reviewing notification logic is a crucial step. This involves ensuring that your form notification settings are correctly configured to send emails to the right recipients.
Check Your ‘Send To’ and ‘From Email’ Addresses
Make sure that the ‘Send To’ and ‘From Email’ addresses are different. Using the same email address for both fields can trigger spam filters in some email providers. Also, ensure that all email addresses are spelled correctly and separated by commas if you’re sending notifications to multiple recipients.
Conditional Logic Errors
If you’ve set up conditional logic in your form notification settings, double-check that the conditions are met. Remember that notification emails will only be sent if the specified conditions are true. Review your conditional logic rules to ensure they’re properly set up.
Here are some common mistakes to look out for:
| Error | Solution |
|---|---|
| Same ‘Send To’ and ‘From Email’ addresses | Use different email addresses for ‘Send To’ and ‘From Email’ fields |
| Incorrect email addresses | Check for spelling mistakes and separate multiple email addresses with commas |
| Conditional logic errors | Review and correct conditional logic rules to ensure they’re properly set up |
By reviewing your notification logic, you can identify and fix any configuration errors that might be preventing your WPForms emails from being sent correctly. In the next step, we’ll explore alternative SMTP services to help improve email deliverability.
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Try Other SMTP Services
When traditional methods fail to resolve WPForms email issues, it’s time to explore alternative SMTP services. These services can help improve email deliverability and ensure that your form notifications reach their intended recipients.
FluentSMTP: A Reliable Alternative
FluentSMTP is a popular SMTP plugin that offers a range of features to help you resolve email delivery issues. With FluentSMTP, you can connect to multiple SMTP providers, including Gmail, Outlook, Amazon SES, Mailgun, SendGrid, Brevo, Sparkpost, Netcore, Postmark, and Elastic Email.
Key Features of FluentSMTP
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Multiple SMTP Providers | Connect to various SMTP providers for flexibility |
| Email Logging | Monitor email logs to track delivery issues |
| Weekly Email Summary | Receive weekly email summary notifications |
| Real-time Email Failure Notifications | Get notified of email failures via Telegram, Discord, and Slack |
Benefits of Using FluentSMTP
Using FluentSMTP can help you:
- Improve email deliverability rates
- Reduce email bounces and spam filters
- Enhance email security with encryption and authentication
- Monitor email logs and track delivery issues
- Integrate with multiple SMTP providers for flexibility
By trying out alternative SMTP services like FluentSMTP, you can overcome common email delivery issues and ensure that your WPForms notifications reach their intended recipients. In the next step, we’ll explore how to disable email optimizations to further troubleshoot email issues.
Disable Email Optimizations
When troubleshooting WPForms email issues, it’s essential to consider the potential pitfalls of enabling email optimizations. While these optimizations aim to improve email deliverability, they can sometimes delay or impede the delivery of form notifications.
How Email Optimizations Can Affect Delivery
Email optimizations can lead to delayed delivery or even prevent form notifications from being sent. Here are some common optimization techniques that might cause issues:
| Optimization Technique | Potential Issue |
|---|---|
| Batching or queuing emails | Delayed delivery |
| Email content filtering | Filtering out legitimate form notifications |
Disabling Email Optimizations
To rule out email optimizations as the cause of the issue, try disabling them temporarily to see if it resolves the problem. This will help you isolate the issue and determine if it’s related to the optimization techniques or another factor.
By disabling email optimizations, you can ensure that your form notifications are delivered successfully. If disabling optimizations resolves the issue, you can then explore alternative optimization methods that don’t compromise email deliverability.
Remember, when it comes to email deliverability, it’s essential to strike a balance between optimization and reliability. By taking a systematic approach to troubleshooting, you can identify and resolve email issues effectively, ensuring that your WPForms notifications reach their intended recipients. In the next step, we’ll explore how to contact support for further assistance.
Contact Support
When you’ve tried all the troubleshooting steps and still can’t resolve the WPForms email issue, it’s time to seek expert help. Contacting support can provide you with personalized guidance and help you overcome the hurdle.
Reach Out to WPForms Customer Service
If you’re using WPForms, you can reach out to their customer service team for assistance. They’ll help you diagnose the issue and provide a solution or workaround. Make sure to provide detailed information about the problem you’re experiencing, including any error messages, to help them better understand the issue.
Contact Your Web Hosting Support
Your web hosting provider’s support team can also be a valuable resource in resolving email delivery issues. They may be able to identify server-side problems or configuration issues that are preventing emails from being sent. Be prepared to provide them with information about your WPForms setup and the steps you’ve taken so far to troubleshoot the issue.
What to Expect from Support
| Support Team | What They Can Help With |
|---|---|
| WPForms Customer Service | Diagnosing WPForms-specific issues, providing solutions or workarounds |
| Web Hosting Support | Identifying server-side problems or configuration issues, resolving email delivery issues |
By seeking support from WPForms or your web hosting provider, you can get the help you need to resolve the email delivery issue and ensure that your form notifications are sent successfully.
Test Email Notifications
To ensure that your WPForms email notifications are working correctly, test them. This step helps you identify any potential issues before they affect your form submissions.
Submit a Test Entry
Submit a test entry to your form to trigger the email notification process. Use a valid email address that you have access to, so you can check the inbox for the notification email.
Check Your Email Inbox
After submitting the test entry, check your email inbox to see if the notification email has arrived. If you don’t receive the email, it may indicate a problem with your email settings or server configuration.
Interpret WP Mail SMTP Email Logs (if using WP Mail SMTP)
If you’re using WP Mail SMTP, check the email logs to diagnose any issues with email delivery. The logs provide detailed information about each email sent, including the recipient, subject, and status.
| Log Information | Description |
|---|---|
| Recipient | The email address of the recipient |
| Subject | The subject of the email |
| Status | The status of the email delivery (e.g., sent, failed, or pending) |
By following these steps, you can ensure that your WPForms email notifications are working correctly and reliably. This is crucial for maintaining effective communication with your form respondents and preventing lost submissions.
Maintain Reliable Email Delivery
To ensure that your WPForms email notifications continue to work smoothly, regular monitoring and testing are crucial. This helps you identify and fix any potential issues before they affect your form submissions.
Regular Testing
Schedule regular tests of your email notifications using a valid email address that you have access to. This ensures that you can identify and fix any problems promptly.
Monitor Email Logs
If you’re using WP Mail SMTP, regularly review your email logs to diagnose any issues with email delivery. The logs provide valuable insights into email sending, helping you identify potential problems and take corrective action.
Keep WPForms and WordPress Up to Date
Regularly update your WPForms and WordPress installations to ensure you have the latest bug fixes and improvements. This helps resolve email delivery issues and maintains reliable email notifications.
By following these steps, you can maintain reliable email delivery and ensure that your WPForms email notifications continue to work effectively.
Best Practices for Reliable Email Delivery
| Best Practice | Description |
|---|---|
| Regularly test email notifications | Identify and fix issues promptly |
| Monitor email logs | Diagnose email delivery issues |
| Keep WPForms and WordPress up to date | Ensure latest bug fixes and improvements |
By following these best practices, you can ensure that your WPForms email notifications are delivered reliably and effectively.
FAQs
Why is my WPForms not sending emails?
The most common reason why WPForms doesn’t send an email after a user submits a form is that your site lacks proper SMTP configuration. To configure SMTP and start receiving emails from WPForms, set up WP Mail SMTP as explained above.
Why is WPForms not sending email notifications?
Check Form Notification Settings
| Setting | Action |
|---|---|
| Enable Notifications | Toggle to On to ensure notifications are sent when a form is submitted. |
| Send To Email Address | Check that email addresses are spelled correctly and separated by commas if sending to multiple recipients. |
| From Email and From Name | Ensure they are consistent with your domain to prevent email providers from flagging your emails as spam. |
Why is my contact form email not working in WordPress?
If your contact form isn’t working, it might be because of incorrect settings or conflicts with other plugins. First, check if your form settings in WordPress are correct. If everything looks fine there, try using WPForms and configure your form notification settings.
How do I fix a WordPress contact form not sending email with SMTP?
Fixing WordPress Contact Form Not Sending Email with SMTP
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Install the WP Mail SMTP Plugin. |
| 2 | Configure Your From Email. |
| 3 | Configure Your From Name. |
| 4 | Select Your Mailer. |
| 5 | Configure Other SMTP Settings. |
| 6 | Generate an App Password. |
| 7 | Send a Test Email. |
By following these steps, you can resolve common issues with WPForms email notifications and ensure that your contact form emails are delivered successfully.