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Sending Email with your G Suite or Gmail Account

  • Updated

Configure MODX to email with GMail or G Suite

Configuring MODX to use a personal Gmail or G Suite (formerly Google for Domains) account, or most other SMTP email account for that matter, is straightforward to set up from the MODX Manager.

If using an ESP isn't an option, this method will allow you to have keep a record of what was sent in your Sent folder.

Before starting, you will need the following information in order to configure MODX to send email with your Gmail or other SMTP email account:

  • SMTP Server Address
  • Email address of the account from which you wish to send
  • The password, or an application specific password if you use Google's version of Two-factor Authentication (2fA), called 2-Step Verification

  1. Login into the MODX Manager of the website for which you wish to send emails with Gmail, G Suite or other SMTP.

  2. Find System Settings

    At the top right of the MODX Manager, click/hover on the cog icon to reveal the menu.

  3. Click on System Settings

    From the cog menu, click on System Settings and you'll be taken to a page with a grid of various settings and their values.

  4. Enter SMTP into the Search by key field.

    In the field at the top right of the grid that has the placeholder text of Search by key… enter "SMTP" (without the quotation marks) as this will filter all the settings you need.

  5. Complete the setup of your SMTP settings as follows:

    • SMTP Authentication = Yes
    • SMTP Hosts = smtp.gmail.com, or your regional-specific host
    • SMTP Password = your email password , or the application specific password if you use 2-Step Verification
    • SMTP Port = 465
    • SMTP Connection Prefix = ssl
    • SMTP User = your full email address
    • Use SMTP = Yes

SMTP settings in MODX using a Google email account.

Other SMTP servers

The configurations for other local SMTP servers should be similar to the above. Consult your mail administrator for specific settings.

Testing and Troubleshooting

If you'd like to quickly test the email configuration, from the MODX Manager, go to Extras>Install Packages and click Download Packages, to search for and install QuickEmail, place the Snippet call on a page and visit the page. See our guide to Troubleshooting Email Delivery for more information.

Further reading

Two-factor Authentication (2fA), called 2-Step Verification by Google, is a really good thing. You should use it. Read more about Gmail 2-Step Verification, and go set it up, right now.

 

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