Knowledge Base

Instructions for WordPress Contact Form 7

Specific Instructions for WordPress Contact Form 7
Are you using Contact Form 7? If so, it is essential that your form settings match your SMTP connection.

1. In WordPress, go to Contact > Contact Forms. Click on your form and navigate to the Mail tab.
2. In the From field, ensure you use the exact same email address you configured in the SMTP plugin (e.g., info@yourdomain.com).
3. Want to reply directly to the sender? In the Additional Headers field, enter: Reply-To: [your-email].
4. Save your changes. The server will now recognize your email as 'secure' and 'authorized'.

Not a fan of Google? Use the 'Honeypot' method
If you prefer not to use Google reCAPTCHA (for privacy reasons or to avoid showing checkboxes), the Honeypot method is a clever alternative.

Install the required plugin: In your WordPress dashboard, go to Plugins > Add New and search for 'Contact Form 7 Honeypot'. Install and activate it.

Add the field: In your form editor, add a 'Honeypot' tag.

How it works: This field is invisible to human visitors. However, bots see it and fill it out automatically. Once the server detects that this hidden field has been completed, the email is immediately blocked—keeping your inbox clean. Simple, GDPR-friendly, and effective!

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions about SMTP

Question: Why do I need to enter my password into a plugin?
Answer: To send email securely, the website must 'log in' to the mail server, just like you do on your phone or in Outlook. Your credentials are stored using encryption.
Question: I am getting an 'Authentication Failed' error, what should I do?
Answer: Double-check that your email address and password are exactly the same as the ones you use for webmail. Also, ensure the port is set to 587 with TLS encryption.
Question: Do I need to do this separately for every form?
Answer: No, the SMTP plugin handles the connection for your entire website. However, you should check that each form (like in CF7) uses the correct 'From' address.
Question: What if I forgot my email password?
Answer: Please get in touch with us. We can reset your password via the control panel, or you can enter your email address on the reset page mail.yourdomain.com (use the email address associated with your hosting account, e.g. @gmail.com, @live.com).