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Getting Started ​

This guide walks you through installing SendGrail and sending your first authenticated email.

Installation ​

From WordPress Admin ​

  1. Go to Plugins > Add New in your WordPress dashboard.
  2. Search for SendGrail.
  3. Click Install Now, then Activate.

Manual Upload ​

  1. Download the sendgrail.zip file from WordPress.org.
  2. Go to Plugins > Add New > Upload Plugin.
  3. Choose the zip file and click Install Now.
  4. Click Activate.

Setup Wizard ​

After activation, you will be automatically redirected to the Setup Wizard. It takes under two minutes to complete.

TIP

If you prefer to skip the wizard, click "Skip" on the welcome screen. You can always configure connections manually from the dashboard.

Step 1: Welcome ​

The welcome screen introduces SendGrail and outlines what the wizard will configure. Click Continue to proceed, or Skip to go directly to the dashboard.

Step 2: Configure ​

  1. Select a provider from the dropdown (Gmail, SendGrid, Amazon SES, etc.). The host, port, and encryption fields are auto-filled.
  2. Enter your credentials:
    • From Email
    • From Name
    • SMTP Username
    • SMTP Password (or API key, depending on the provider)
  3. Click Save.

WARNING

For Gmail (App Password mode), you must use an App Password if two-factor authentication is enabled — your regular account password will not work. Other providers like Outlook / Microsoft 365 and Zoho Mail use OAuth 2.0 instead, so no SMTP password is needed.

Step 3: Done ​

Setup is complete. You'll see a summary of the connection you created, a link to the dashboard, and quick links to configure email logging, fallback connections, and notifications.

To verify your connection delivers mail, head to the Test Email page after finishing the wizard.

INFO

If you ever need to run the wizard again, navigate to #/setup-wizard from the SendGrail admin page.

Creating a Connection Manually ​

If you skipped the wizard or want to add additional connections:

  1. Navigate to SendGrail in the WordPress admin sidebar.
  2. Click the Connections tab.
  3. Click Add Connection.
  4. Select your SMTP provider from the dropdown. The host, port, and encryption fields will be pre-filled.
  5. Enter your credentials:
    • From Email -- The sender email address.
    • From Name -- The sender display name.
    • Username -- Your SMTP username.
    • Password -- Your SMTP password or API key.
  6. Click Save Connection.

WARNING

Some providers (like Gmail in App Password mode) require an App Password instead of your regular account password. Others (like Outlook / Microsoft 365 and Zoho Mail) use OAuth 2.0 authorization with no SMTP password at all. See the Provider Setup Guides for step-by-step instructions per provider.

Sending a Test Email ​

After saving a connection, verify it works:

  1. Navigate to the Test Email page in the SendGrail admin.
  2. Enter a recipient email address.
  3. Click Send Test Email.
  4. Check the recipient's inbox (and spam folder) for the test message.

A successful test confirms that your SMTP credentials are correct, the connection is working, and emails will be delivered through this provider.

Setting as Default ​

To make a connection the default for all outgoing WordPress emails:

  1. Go to Settings > General.
  2. Under Default Connection, select your connection from the dropdown.
  3. Click Save Settings.

All calls to wp_mail() from WordPress core, plugins, and themes will now route through this connection.

Next Steps ​

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