What is SMTP Mail Tester?
SMTP Mail Tester is an online tool that allows you to test your email server configuration and verify whether it is working correctly. It also verifies that your SMTP credentials and configuration are correct and that your emails will send and go to the destination you intended. SMTP testing is important for developers, system administrators, and anyone else who works with sending email from a web site or application. Our free SMTP tester allows you to quickly resolve SMTP configuration issues, test SMTP authentication, and be assured your emails will be sent.
How to Test Your SMTP Server Configuration
- Fill the SMTP server name, port, and encryption type (TLS/SSL)
- Provide your email account details - username and password
- Choose a name for the sender and email for the recipient
- Press "Send Test Email" to test your connection
- Review the results to identify any connection or authentication issues
Why Use an SMTP Testing Tool?
SMTP testing is important when you set up an email service for your website, application, or business. Common use cases are contact forms, newsletters, notifications, and automated email services. Our SMTP tester will help you avoid common mistakes like using the incorrect port, failing authentication, firewall blocks or errors, and SSL/TLS configuration. Testing your configuration first will ensure email is delivered reliably and strongly promotes confidence in an organization's professionalism with users.
Common SMTP Server Settings
Different email providers have specific SMTP configurations. Here are some popular services:
- Gmail: smtp.gmail.com, Port 587 (TLS), requires App Password
- Outlook/Hotmail: smtp-mail.outlook.com, Port 587 (TLS)
- Yahoo Mail: smtp.mail.yahoo.com, Port 465 (SSL)
- Office 365: smtp.office365.com, Port 587 (TLS)
- Custom Servers: Use your provider's specific settings
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Why is my SMTP test failing?
SMTP test failures are commonly caused by any incorrect configuration settings in the server itself, a misconfigured port number, failures in the email provider user authentication process, restrictions from local firewalls, or inaccuracies in user email provider or client encryption settings
Make certain that your credential is accurate and double check to see that you are using the right port number for your bar encryption type. It is also a good idea to confirm that your email provider has SMTP access enabled.
For example, with Gmail as a service, a user should be aware that if they are using 2-factor authentication, the App Password should used—not the standard password.
What's the difference between TLS and SSL encryption?
TLS (Transport Layer Security) is an encryption protocol that is newer and has better security than SSL (Secure Sockets Layer). Most email servers will use TLS on port 587 but also use SSL on port 465. Always favor TLS as it has better security, when possible. If you're unsure which protocol to use, go with TLS, port number 587. It is the most universally configured option.
Do I need to enable less secure apps for Gmail?
Instead of allowing less secure apps (which Google doesn't recommend), you can use an App Password. If you have 2-factor authentication setup on your Gmail account, you can generate an App Password right from your Gmail account specifically for your SMTP application. This will give you better security while still giving your application access to send emails via Gmail's SMTP server.
Can I test SMTP without sending an actual email?
Our SMTP tester does send out a test email to confirm everything is working properly, but it is primarily a tool to confirm the connection and authentication. The test email is simply an automatic message confirming delivery end to end. If you want to do thorough testing, you should send an email through your SMTP server that is a real email to confirm all elements of your email system are functioning.
What information do I need to test my SMTP server?
To test your SMTP server, you would need: the SMTP server hostname, port number, type of encryption (TLS/SSL/None), your email address as the username, and the password or App Password if Gmail, and lastly a recipient email address (this can be any email address you would like the test email to go to). You can also optionally provide a from name you'd like the test email to use.