# Configure SMTP settings

<div class="ng-access" markdown>
**Who can do this:** <span class="ng-badge ng-badge--superuser">Superuser</span> <span class="ng-badge ng-badge--admin">Admin</span> &nbsp;·&nbsp; **Where:** Dashboard → Settings → **SMTP Settings**
</div>

Connect your tenant to an outgoing mail server so NorthGrid can send email — welcome emails, password setup links, and notifications all depend on this. Once settings are saved, a **Configured** badge appears and a test-email tool becomes available.

<!-- SCREENSHOT: smtp-settings-01.png — configuration form with Configured badge, test-email card, and provider reference table -->

## Before you begin

Have your email provider's SMTP credentials ready: host, port, username, and password. The **Common SMTP Settings** table on the right side of the page lists the host/port for Gmail, Office 365, SendGrid, Mailgun, Amazon SES, and cPanel — all using port 587 with TLS.

!!! tip "Using Gmail?"
    Use an **App Password**, not your regular account password, and make sure two-factor authentication is enabled on the Google account. Regular passwords are rejected by Gmail's SMTP.

## Enter or update SMTP settings

1. Enter the **SMTP Host** (for example, `mail.yourdomain.com` for cPanel hosting).
2. Enter the **Port**. New tenants default to **587**.
3. Choose the matching **Encryption**: *STARTTLS (port 587)*, *SSL/TLS (port 465)*, or *None (not recommended)*. Port and encryption travel together — 587 pairs with STARTTLS, 465 with SSL/TLS.
4. Under *Authentication*, enter the **SMTP Username** (usually the full email address).
5. Enter the **SMTP Password**. If settings were saved before, the field shows *(leave blank to keep current)* — only type here when you're changing the password. NorthGrid never displays the stored password.
6. Under *From Address*, confirm the **From Email** (defaults to `do_not_reply@northgridtracking.com`) and optionally a **From Name** (defaults to *NorthGrid*). This is the sender your users see.
7. Select **Save Settings**. **Cancel** leaves without saving and returns to the Dashboard.

## Send a test email

The **Send Test Email** card is inactive until settings have been saved at least once — it shows *"Save your SMTP settings first, then you can send a test email."*

1. After saving, enter a destination address in **Send test to**. It pre-fills with your own email address, which is usually exactly what you want.
2. Select **Send Test Email** and check that inbox (and its spam folder).

!!! tip "Test before you invite"
    Send a test email right after any settings change and *before* adding new users — if delivery is broken, welcome emails fail silently from the new user's point of view, and you'll be resending links from [Manage Users](manage-users.md).

## Troubleshooting

**The test email never arrived.**
:   Check the destination's spam folder first. Then verify host, port, and encryption as a set against your provider's documentation — a port 465 host with STARTTLS selected (or vice versa) is the most common mismatch. Confirm the username is the full email address and re-enter the password.

**Gmail rejects the credentials.**
:   You're likely using the regular account password. Create an App Password (requires 2FA on the account) and use that instead.

**A welcome email failed when adding a user.**
:   The account was still created. Fix the settings here, send yourself a successful test, then use **Resend Link** on the user's row in [Manage Users](manage-users.md).

**Do I need to re-enter the password when changing the From Name?**
:   No. Leave **SMTP Password** blank and the stored password is kept.

## Related articles

- [Manage email templates](email-templates.md) — the content of the emails this page delivers
- [Manage users](manage-users.md) — resend welcome links after fixing delivery
- [Add a user](add-a-user.md)