Is your WordPress site failing to send emails? Are your contact form submissions getting lost, or are users complaining they never receive password reset links?

The default WordPress email function is somewhat unreliable, with messages landing in spam folders or never arriving.

There are countless reasons why your website needs to send emails reliably. These automated messages are the backbone of your site’s communication, from new user registrations and e-commerce receipts to important notifications for your internal team.

While dedicated email services are an option, they often come with a monthly fee. But what if you could fix your WordPress email problems for free?

This is where your existing Gmail account comes in.

Configuring your site to send emails via Gmail’s powerful SMTP server can dramatically improve deliverability without spending a dime. This method is an excellent solution for handling low-volume, essential emails.

This guide will teach you how to set up the Check & Log Email plugin to send all your WordPress emails through your Gmail account, ensuring they reach the inbox every time.

Let’s get started!

Understanding Gmail SMTP Sending Limits

It’s important to understand that a personal Gmail account is not designed for mass-mailing. Google imposes sending limits to prevent spam and reduce the server load. At the time of writing, you can send up to 2,000 emails per day when using the Gmail SMTP server. If you exceed this limit or your sending behavior appears suspicious, Google might temporarily disable your account, or your emails could be flagged as spam.

If you plan to send a large number of emails, such as newsletters or marketing campaigns, you should consider using a dedicated transactional email service or a newsletter platform.

How to Configure Gmail SMTP in WordPress

Step 1: Configure an App Password in Your Google Account

You cannot use your regular Gmail password directly in the plugin for security reasons. Instead, you need to generate an “App Password.” This is a 16-digit passcode that gives an app or device permission to access your Google Account.

  1. Go to your Google Account.
  2. Select “Security.”
  3. Under “How you sign in to Google,” select “2-Step Verification.”
  4. At the bottom of the page, select “App passwords.”
  5. Enter a name for the app (e.g., “WordPress SMTP”) and click “Generate.”
  1. Google will generate a 16-character password. Copy this password to a safe place; you will need it for the plugin configuration.

Step 2: Install and Configure the Check & Log Email Plugin

Now it’s time to set up the plugin in your WordPress dashboard.

  1. Install the Plugin: From your WordPress dashboard, go to “Plugins” > “Add New,” search for “Check & Log Email,” and then install and activate it.
  1. Configure SMTP Settings: Navigate to the “Check & Log Email” settings. You will need to fill in the following fields:
    • Mailer: Select “Gmail”.
    • From: Enter your Gmail address.
    • From Name: Enter the name from which your emails will be sent.
    • SMTP Host: smtp.gmail.com
    • SMTP Secure: You can choose either “SSL” or “TLS”.
    • SMTP Port: Use 465 for SSL or 587 for TLS.
    • SMTP Authentication: Select “Yes.”
    • Username: Your full Gmail address (e.g., [email protected]).
    • Password: Paste the 16-digit App Password you generated in the previous step.

Step 3: Send a Test Email

Once you have saved your settings, it’s time to test if everything works correctly.

  1. Go to the “Test Email” tab within the plugin’s settings.
  2. Enter a recipient email address (you can use your own).
  3. Click “Send Test Email”.

You will receive the test email in your inbox if the configuration is correct. You can also check the “Email Log” tab in the plugin to see a record of all emails sent from your WordPress site.

Suggested read: 10 Best Self-Hosted Email Server Platforms to Use in 2025 

Final Thoughts

Sending WordPress emails through Gmail is a quick, free way to fix common delivery problems for low-volume needs. It works well for critical tasks like password resets, form submissions, and team notifications, without extra monthly costs.

However, reliable email is just one part of running a stable, high-performing WordPress site. Your site’s speed, security, and uptime ultimately depend on the server it runs on – and that’s where RunCloud comes in.

RunCloud gives you a single, easy-to-use dashboard to manage your servers and WordPress sites, no matter where they’re hosted. You can connect cloud providers like AWS, Google Cloud, DigitalOcean, and Vultr, or even manage on-premise servers. You’ll have full control over performance, security, and deployments, without spending hours on server admin.

Take the stress out of server management.

Start using RunCloud today and focus on building your website – while we handle the heavy lifting behind the scenes.

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