Easy Steps to Enable WordPress Email Functionality on Localhost

Testing or developing a WordPress website on localhost offers convenience and flexibility. However, one challenge is setting up email functionality on localhost since the site is offline by default. In this guide, we will walk you through the process of receiving WordPress emails from localhost effortlessly.

Step 1: Install and Activate the WP Mail SMTP Plugin

To start receiving WordPress emails on localhost, you need to install and activate the WP Mail SMTP plugin on your local server. This plugin controls the default email-sending function in WordPress and allows your emails to be routed through an SMTP provider. This ensures that you receive email notifications from your staging site.

Follow these steps to set up WP Mail SMTP:

1. Access your WordPress admin dashboard and select “Plugins”.
2. Click on “Add New” and search for “WP Mail SMTP”.
3. Install and activate the plugin.
4. The WP Mail SMTP Setup Wizard will start automatically after activation.
5. Select an SMTP service provider based on your requirements. If you need help selecting a provider, refer to our guide on the best SMTP service providers.
6. Follow the step-by-step instructions provided by the WP Mail SMTP wizard. We also have detailed guides for setting up WP Mail SMTP with popular providers like Sendinblue, Gmail, Microsoft Outlook, or Amazon SES.
7. Note that using Amazon SES, Microsoft Outlook, or Soho Mail requires a WP Mail SMTP Pro license.

Step 2: Sending a Test Email

After completing the setup process for WP Mail SMTP, it’s crucial to send a test email to verify that the plugin is configured correctly. Follow these steps:

1. Go to WP Mail SMTP » Tools in your WordPress admin menu.
2. Select the “Email Test” page.
3. By default, the test email will be sent to your site’s admin email address. However, you can change this by entering a different email address in the “Send To” field.
4. Keep the “HTML” setting toggled “On”.
5. Click the “Send Email” button to initiate the test email.

If there are any issues with the email configuration, you will receive an error message along with steps to resolve the problem. Make the necessary adjustments and send another test email to ensure the problem is resolved.

It’s important to note that when sending emails from localhost, the test email may have broken images since your localhost website is not hosted online. This is normal and does not indicate any issue with the email setup.

Step 3: Disabling WordPress Email Notifications (For Pro Users)

For WP Mail SMTP Pro users, WordPress email notifications from localhost can sometimes become overwhelming, especially during development and testing phases. If you want to have more control over the flow of emails, you can disable specific email notifications.

Follow these steps to disable certain email notifications:

1. Go to WP Mail SMTP » Settings in your WordPress admin menu.
2. Select the “Email Controls” tab.
3. You can toggle off any emails you prefer not to receive. For example, if you don’t want to receive notifications about comments awaiting moderation, simply turn off the corresponding setting.

By following these steps, you can efficiently set up and receive WordPress emails from localhost. If you found this tutorial helpful, make sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel for more WordPress video tutorials. Stay connected with us on Twitter and Facebook for the latest updates.