Flash Sale:75% Off Hosting + Free DomainEnds in13h47m14sView Plans
Hostvento logoHostvento
Get Started

Set Up SMTP Email in Moodle

Moodle needs to send emails, such as sign-up notices and password resets. This guide shows how to connect it to an email server using SMTP.

CMS and Apps2 min read14 steps2 screenshots

What is SMTP?

SMTP is the system that sends email across the internet. It works like a post office. You hand over your letter, and the post office delivers it. Moodle needs the address of a post office, plus a login to use it.

Without SMTP, Moodle may send mail in a plain way that often lands in spam. With SMTP and a real mailbox, mail is more likely to arrive.

What you need

  • An email account on your domain, for example noreply@yourdomain.com. Create one in cPanel under Email Accounts.
  • The mail server name, port and security type. Look in your welcome email, or in cPanel under Email Accounts and Connect Devices. You can also ask Hostvento support.
  • The email address and its password.

Steps

  1. Log in to Moodle as an administrator.
  2. Click Site administration.
  3. Open the Server tab.
  4. Click Email, then Outgoing mail configuration.
    Screenshot: Click Email , then Outgoing mail configuration .
    Screenshot: Click Email , then Outgoing mail configuration .
  5. In SMTP hosts, type the mail server name and port, joined by a colon. For example: mail.yourdomain.com:465. Use the real values for your account.
  6. In SMTP security, choose SSL or TLS to match your port. Port 465 usually means SSL. Port 587 usually means TLS.
  7. In SMTP username, type the full email address.
  8. In SMTP password, type the mailbox password.
  9. In No-reply address, type an address such as noreply@yourdomain.com.
  10. Click Save changes.

Send a test email

  1. On the same Outgoing mail configuration page, scroll to the bottom.
  2. Click the link Test outgoing mail configuration.
  3. Enter an address you can check and click Send a test email.
  4. Check the inbox. Also check spam.

Menu names may differ a little between Moodle versions.

If it fails

  • Check the user name and password for typos.
  • Check that the port and the security type match.
  • Make sure the mail account exists and works in webmail.
  • Ask Hostvento support to check that outgoing mail is allowed from your plan.
Tip: Use a dedicated mailbox for Moodle. Then a password change on your own mailbox will not break Moodle.

Quick recap

  • SMTP is the system that sends your email.
  • Create a mailbox and find its server details.
  • Fill in Outgoing mail configuration in Moodle.
  • Send a test email to check.