Configuring Gmail SMTP Setup is an easy process that can be completed online using a few easy steps. However, before you begin to understand the configuration steps, you need to learn a few fundamentals. It is quite likely that you already have some idea about what is email. So, let us start our discussion by understanding what is an SMTP? It is an acronym for simple mail transfer protocol that allows your email client or website to establish connection with Gmail and ensure that email is sent out correctly. You can imagine this as a set of instructions that oversees the process of sending part of the email journey. 

When you send out an email using your email client (like Outlook), it goes to the SMTP server. After that, the email is relayed to the recipient’s address. So, now what exactly is Gmail SMTP? It is basically a free of cost server that anyone can access in the world. There are various reasons to configure your Gmail SMTP settings. You might want to send transactional emails from your website, you might want to setup an SMTP plugin, or you might want to connect your Gmail account in order to send emails from Outlook, Thunderbird, etc. For all of this, you need to configure gmail settings for SMTP. Let us know more about Gmail SMTP setup in this blog- 

What Is Gmail SMTP?

Gmail SMTP enables you to handle your email transactions through web applications and email clients. You can use it to send emails via your personalized domain name, adding a layer of professional tone to your emails. It’s a free service specifically designed to be integrated with popular email clients like Apple Mail, Microsoft Outlook, and Mozilla Thunderbird. The default server name you have is smtp.gmail.com. Using it empowers you to configure any external email application to deliver your emails via Gmail’s infrastructure. 

Now, let us see the top advantages of Gmail SMTP in the next section.

Benefits of Gmail SMTP

Gmail SMTP is the best-choice for organizations and individuals who require personalized email services without going through the effort of managing their own email server. Let us go through some of its key advantages in the points below-

• Best Deliverability Rates- 

Gmail is a reliable brand when it comes to providing email service. It has earned a great reputation in the industry for its high deliverability rates. The powerful infrastructure of Google and extensive servers network make sure that emails successfully arrive at the inboxes of the recipients. With Gmail, you can decrease your chances of going into the Spam folder or getting delivery delays.

• Reliable Service-

As services are directly managed by Google, the reliability and uptime of Google SMTP is second to none. Gmail has a proven track record with 1.8 billion worldwide active users. You can comprehensively trust its server for seamless send and receive services. There is very little chance of ever facing scenarios of lost communication or communication breakdown with Gmail.

• Security-

When it comes to transfer protocols, security is a key aspect which you must know. Without reliable email communication, your confidential data and messages might be prone to threats. When you configure Gmail SMTP setup, your emails get sent over a secure network governed by encryption protocols like SSL or TLS. This helps you safeguard your sensitive data like business reports, passwords, transactional details, etc. 

• Continuous Uptime- 

The infrastructure of Google almost guarantees uptime and reliability. If you are in the business where smooth communication is key then you must switch to Gmail SMTP. Consistent uptime is also crucial for transactional emails and time-sensitive communications.

• Ease of Integration- 

The configuration is straightforward and compatibility of Gmail SMTP is quite broad. Irrespective of whether you want Gmail SMTP setup with applications or email clients, you can do it without much hassle. The ease of integration makes it easy for users to configure it with WordPress, Outlook, and Thunderbird.

• Ideal for Developers- 

Even developers with limited technical knowledge can simplify email operations using Gmail SMTP. It makes it easy for developers to send transactional emails, handle user communications, and automate notifications. It significantly minimizes server management overhead. Thus, it saves your resources and time needed for managing an email server. If your business is in the growing stage, then Gmail SMTP naturally becomes an ideal option. 

In the next section, let us focus on the main requirements you must know about setting up Gmail SMTP. 

Gmail SMTP Setup: Key Requirements You Must Know

To confidently setup Gmail SMTP and ensure a secure communication over email, you need to satisfy prior requirements: 

• Gmail Account- In order to setup and configure Gmail SMTP, it is required to have an active Gmail account. It’s alright if you haven’t created an account on Gmail yet. You can proceed to visit the Gmail website, and within minutes, you can create your Gmail credentials. 

• App Password- For security reasons, it is recommended to use app passwords instead of your conventional Gmail password. An app password is a unique one-time authentication code that gets generated for a specific device or application. This helps in protecting your Gmail account from people who don’t have authorized access. This improves privacy and data security. 

Now, since you know all the key requirements for the configuration, let us go through important steps involved 

How to Do Gmail SMTP Setup and Configuration?

The following steps provide a detailed guide for Gmail SMTP server settings. You will know all the steps and can ensure trustworthy and secure email delivery:

Step -1 Allow SMTP in Your Gmail 

To use the server, you need to make sure that your Gmail account is enabling SMTP connections. Here are the steps:

• Access your account settings- Use your credentials to enter your Gmail account. Now, on the top-right corner, you can see your profile picture icon, click on it. Then, select the option “Manage Your Google Account” at the top. Now, you have entered account settings.

• Security Settings– On the left-hand side, you can see various options. Among all the options on all the left-side bar, select “Security.” 

• Next, less secure app access- On the right-hand side, scroll down and find the option “Less secure app access” and turn it off. Google automatically turns off this option if it is not being used to protect your account. Moreover, Google recommends using App password since it is a more secure route to accessing your account especially if you have switched on 2-step authentication.

• Switch on 2-step Verification- To be able to use app passwords, you must switch on 2-step verification. It basically means that you need to complete a second form of verification whenever you sign in. It adds an additional layer of protection to your account and prevents unauthorized access.

Step 2: Get Required Details for Gmail SMTP Setup

To connect your WordPress application or email client with Gmail SMTP, you need some essential details. Use the key details enumerated in the points below: 

• Server address of SMTP: smtp.gmail.com.
  
  
• Port: 465 (for SSL) or 587 (for TLS) 
  
  
• Required Authentication: Yes 
  
  
• Username: Give you complete gmail address. Do not forget to include @gmail.com after the username. 
  
  
• Password: Provide your password you have set up for gmail. If you have set up 2-step verification, it is worthwhile to utilize the app password instead.

Configuration 

Let us understand the configuration procedure with the help of an example. In this article, we will take the help of a WordPress website. For this, you can use plugins like WP Mail SMTP to set up Gmail SMTP settings. Follow the steps given below to complete the process: 

• Step 1: Proceed to the WordPress dashboard and then enter the plugins option. 
  
  
• Step 2: Select “Add New” and then search for the option “WP Mail SMTP”. Follow the installation steps and complete plugin activation. 
  
  
• Step 3: Next, you need to complete SMTP settings configuration. 
  
  
• Step 4: Proceed to WP Mail SMTP and then click on the “Settings” option. 
  
  
• Step 5: Choose “Gmail” as your mailer and then provide the SMTP details as described in the previous section. 
  
  
• Step 6: The final step is to complete the authentication process with Google. For this, you can follow the plugin’s instructions to ensure your Google account authentication. Mainly, for this you need to create your credentials in the Google Cloud Console and then enter them in the fields in the plugin settings. 

Conclusion

Gmail SMTP setup allows you to send emails from your email client through a secure and reliable infrastructure. It allows developers and other users to handle user communications, send transactional emails, and automate notifications. The blog takes you through the journey of SMTP server configuration. The blog explains how you can configure gmail smtp, its key benefits, and requirements. For more information on Gmail and emails in general, check our other blogs.