Gmail SMTP: The Most Reliable Option for Your WordPress Emailing

What is Gmail SMTP?

Gmail SMTP is an excellent way to carry out authentication with your Gmail (or G-Suite) account, so you will be able to send emails using the Gmail SMTP server.

Sometimes users experience problems with email on shared hosting servers because these servers have tightened restrictions on emails. Usually, when users reach their daily limit of emails, they are blocked. The function of this plugin is to redirect your email through the SMTP server.

WordPress sends a notification to you with various information, such as new user registration, updates, or password resets.

WordPress has created the PHP mail function for notifications sent via email, but this option usually does not work. Why? The majority of WordPress hosting companies limit this option because of potential spam and abuse.

The function of spam filters is to check incoming emails in order to make sure whether they are sent from authentic and reliable mail servers. Unfortunately, default WordPress emails do not pass this check, and they are not delivered to the users.

SMTP stands for Simple Mail Transfer Protocol, and this is the standard for sending and receiving emails. As opposed to PHP, SMTP applies proper authentication so (more reliable and important) emails are delivered.

You may use Gmail SMTP if you want to have WordPress notification emails, and this service is trustworthy!

On the other hand, if you want to send newsletter emails from your WordPress site, then you need different providers for email service, for example, SendGrid, Mailjet, or MailGun.

Free and paid versions

It is possible to use your free Gmail account for sending out emails from WordPress, but if you want to reach better deliverability, you should use and make a payment for Google Apps for Work.

Google Apps for Work provides you with a branded email address that may include your name and the name of your website/company, like yourname@yourwebsite.com.

First, you need to add MX records to your domain name, which will increase authenticity, and thus, greater deliverability will be reached.

What do you need to have for WordPress Gmail SMTP?

1. Your Gmail Account
2. PHP 5.6 or newer versions
3. A self-hosted site that is run on a WordPress Optimized Environment
4. Open Port 587 to support TLS encryption. If not, Port 465 must be open for SSL use

Gmail SMTP vs. other SMTP plugins

1. Good news for password-haters! You do not have to type any username or password. This plugin does not need your password because it uses the unique OAuth 2.0 protocol for authentication and authorization.
2. PHPMailer is used! This is a widely used and reliable PHP library for emailing, which is also used in the core WordPress.
3. Again, thanks to OAuth 2.0, you do not have to deal with the “Allow less secure apps”. Namely, some applications require password authentication, but here, this is not the issue anymore!

OAuth 2.0 – How does it work?

1. Register your application in the Google Developers Console
2. Upon launching the application, you will be asked to allow access to data in your account
3. Once you give permission, the application will be allowed to access the Gmail API.

How to install the Gmail SMTP plugin on WordPress?

Option #1

1. Navigate to Plugins > Add New on your WP admin dashboard
2. Find Gmail SMTP
3. When you find the option Install, click it

Option #2

1. Download the zip plugin version
2. Select Plugins > Add New
3. Choose Upload Plugin
4. Find the zip file in the folders of your computer
5. Install the plugin

How to create a new project?

1. Visit the Google Developers Console
2. Log in to your Google account for emailing
3. Create and give a name to your project
4. Upon creating the project, click ENABLE API.
5. Choosethe Gmail API, which is listed under G Suite APIs.
6. A new box with more detailed information will be opened. Click ENABLE.

Create credentials

The next step is to create credentials. Please go to the Credentials tab.

1. Choose OAuth Client ID
2. Set the product name. Select Configure consent screen on the right.
3. In the Product name shown to users box, type the product name (for example, Gmail SMTP). After that, enter a Privacy policy URL and hit Save at the bottom of the screen.
4. Make an OAuth Client ID. Choose the web application that is given under Application type. Below, type a name (for example, Gmail SMTP).
5. Copy the URL and paste it in the Authorized Redirect URLs box.
6. Click Create at the bottom of the page. Thus, your Client ID and Client Secret will be generated. You can copy-paste them into the settings area in your plugin

When you finish the configuration of the settings, you may send a test email to check how well the plugin functions. You should go to the Test Email section and insert the required information (Recipient, Subject, and Message) and click Send Email at the bottom of the page.

How to send emails in WordPress using SMTP

First, you should install a plugin called WP Mail SMTP plugin. Go to your WordPress dashboard. On the left, there is the Plugins area where you need to select Add New.

In the search box on the top right, you should type WP Mail SMTP. There will be a list of search results, and we recommend that you choose WP Mail SMTP by WPForms. Click Install Now.

Once you install it, you will be asked to activate it by clicking the blue box Activate. When you activate it, you will see WP Mail SMTP in the settings.

In the From Email box, you should add the email address set up with your Gmail account. Then select Gmail in the Mailer box.

Next, hit the Return Path in order to match the From Email box.

Scroll down, where you will find the fields with the information you are required to fill out. To get the Client ID and Client Secret, you need to create a project in the Google Developers Console area, so you should open up a new tab.

If you have not created any projects so far, you will have a button on the top for creating a new project – API Project. Then click the Plus (+) button to create a new project. Click Create.

Now we need to enable the APIs and services, so let’s scroll down and look for the Enable APIs and get credentials, like keys. Now we need to find the one that will enable the Gmail API, so click Enable.

Next, we need to create credentials for this, so click on the button Create credentials. Here, you will make sure the web browser (JavaScript) is selected, and what data you will be accessing, so select User data.

You will then define what kind of credentials you need. First, give it a name. Under Authorized JavaScript origins, enter your web address. For the authorizedredirect URL, we need to go back to our WordPress dashboard and copy this information.

Copy it, go back to the Authorized redirect URL, and paste. Once you finish this, click the blue button Create client ID.

Now you should set up the OAuth 2.0 consent screen. Here, you will add the email address and the product name that will be shown to users. Click Continue.
From here, you will copy the Client ID and paste it into the dashboard.

Then do a similar thing for Client Secret. Go to Credentials and click the Edit OAuth client button, and that will bring up your Client ID and Client secret. Here you will get your Client secret. Copy the data. Be careful not to copy any extra spaces by accident!

When you copy it, go back to the dashboard and paste it. Click the button Save Settings. Scroll down and click “Allow plugin” to send emails using your Google account. Once you click that, a screen to authorize the website to use your email address will open, so click ALLOW.

Finally, you will see a success notification saying that the API project is now connected to WordPress, so you can start sending emails through Google.

We recommend sending an email test to check that everything works correctly.

Conclusion

Now you may breathe a sigh of relief! Being disconnected from the world, especially in the business context, can be a horrible situation. Thanks to this plugin, you will again receive emails from WordPress!

As we may see, there are plenty of widely used WordPress Gmail SMTP plugins. They will certainly help you sort out your problem of failing to send emails to Gmail from WordPress. However, bear in mind that they do not work for many users since they need to allow “Less Secure Apps” in the Google account.

Less Secure Apps is the first method to block sign-in attempts from sources (devices or apps) that do not follow cutting-edge security procedures. It is easy to break into these apps and devices, so your account will be left insecure.

• That is why you should check if the app supports the newest security standards. Some of the criteria to check the security level are as follows:
• The Mail app on your iPad or iPhone supports the latest versions
  some Desktop mail clients, such as Mozilla Thunderbird or Microsoft Outlook, may fail to follow the latest security standards.

We really hope this article will help you sort out any potential problems you might have experienced with sending emails in WordPress.

FAQ

Why is Gmail SMTP considered the most reliable option for WordPress Emailing?

Gmail SMTP improves WordPress email reliability because it uses authenticated Google servers instead of the default PHP mail function. This increases deliverability, reduces the risk of emails landing in spam, and ensures important notifications like password resets and user registrations reach recipients safely.

Does Gmail SMTP require storing my Gmail password in WordPress?

No. Gmail SMTP uses OAuth 2.0 authentication, which means you don’t need to store your Gmail username or password inside WordPress. Instead, you grant secure access through Google’s authorization system, making WordPress Emailing more secure.

Can I use a free Gmail account for Gmail SMTP in WordPress?

Yes, you can use a free Gmail account for Gmail SMTP. However, free accounts have daily sending limits. For higher email volume and branded addresses, Google Workspace (formerly G Suite) is a better option for professional WordPress Emailing.

What are the most common Gmail SMTP setup mistakes?

Common issues include not enabling the Gmail API, incorrect redirect URLs, copying Client ID or Client Secret with extra spaces, or not authorizing the app after saving settings. Any of these can prevent Gmail SMTP from sending emails properly.

Is Gmail SMTP suitable for sending newsletters from WordPress?

Gmail SMTP is ideal for transactional WordPress Emailing (notifications, resets, confirmations). However, for bulk newsletters or marketing campaigns, dedicated email services like SendGrid or Mailgun are recommended due to sending limits and compliance requirements.