### [Amazon SES](https://wpmailsmtp.com/docs/how-to-set-up-the-amazon-ses-mailer-in-wp-mail-smtp/)

**Published:** January 31, 2024
**Author:** David Ozokoye

**Excerpt:** Learn how to set up Amazon SES in WP Mail SMTP.

**Content:**

Amazon SES is a Pro Feature

 Unlock Amazon SES and other powerful features to grow your business.

 [ Get WP Mail SMTP Pro ](https://wpmailsmtp.com/pricing/)

Would you like to use Amazon SES to improve email deliverability for your WordPress site? Amazon Simple Email Service, or Amazon SES, is a powerful tool that’s commonly used for sending marketing emails. The Amazon SES mailer for WP Mail SMTP lets you securely use this same tool to make sure your emails get delivered.

This tutorial will show you every step needed to set up the Amazon SES mailer in WP Mail SMTP.

**Requirements:** Amazon SES requires your site to have an SSL certificate (https). For details on setting up SSL on your WordPress site, please check out [WPBeginner’s SSL guide](https://www.wpbeginner.com/wp-tutorials/how-to-add-ssl-and-https-in-wordpress/).

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### What is Amazon SES?

[Amazon SES](https://aws.amazon.com/ses/) is a service designed to send emails for businesses. While our focus here is on using their services to improve the deliverability of emails sent out from your website, they also offer tools to create and send out marketing emails.

- **Cost:** Free for the first year. After that, pricing is based on the number of emails you send, as well as some other factors such as the size of email attachments. For full details, please be sure to check out the [Amazon SES pricing page](https://aws.amazon.com/ses/pricing/).
- **From Email Requirements:** Works with any domain-specific email address (e.g., pattie@wpmailsmtp.com). To ensure the most reliable email deliverability, this domain-specific email address should be used as the From Email when setting up WP Mail SMTP on your WordPress site.
- **Bottom Line:** Amazon SES is secure and getting started is free, though you will need a credit card to set up your account. Notably, the setup process is fairly involved and, at one stage, requires the approval of Amazon’s team. Consequently, we only recommend this mailer for more technically advanced users.

In order to use Amazon SES, you must have [an SSL certificate](https://www.wpbeginner.com/wp-tutorials/how-to-add-ssl-and-https-in-wordpress/) installed on your WordPress site.

**Note:** For more information about supported mailers, see [our complete guide to mailers in WP Mail SMTP](https://wpmailsmtp.com/docs/a-complete-guide-to-wp-mail-smtp-mailers/).

### Configuring an Amazon AWS Account

Before we get started, you’ll need to [sign up for a free account](https://portal.aws.amazon.com/billing/signup) with Amazon Web Services, or AWS.

Although your account is free and this mailer setup does not require the use of any paid services, AWS will require that you enter a credit card when setting up an account.

After signing up for an AWS account, their system will try to determine your region, based on your address. If AWS is unsure of your region, you’ll be asked to select the next closest region.

The following regions are currently supported:

**Note**: The regions marked with an asterisk are supported, but aren’t enabled by default. If your closest region falls in this category, be sure to manually enable the region in your [AWS account settings](https://console.aws.amazon.com/billing/home?#/account).

- Africa (Cape Town)\*
- Asia Pacific (Hong Kong)\*
- Asia Pacific (Jakarta)\*
- Asia Pacific (Mumbai)
- Asia Pacific (Osaka)
- Asia Pacific (Tokyo)
- Asia Pacific (Seoul)
- Asia Pacific (Singapore)
- Asia Pacific (Sydney)
- AWS GovCloud (US)
- Canada (Central)
- Europe (Ireland)
- Europe (London)
- Europe (Frankfurt)
- Europe (Milan)\*
- Europe (Paris)
- Europe (Stockholm)
- Middle East (Bahrain)\*
- South America (São Paulo)
- US East (N. Virginia)
- US East (Ohio)
- US West (N. California)
- US West (Oregon)

#### Creating an IAM User

Once you’ve created an account in Amazon Web Services, the next step is to set up an IAM User. This will provide you with access keys needed later.

First, you’ll need to open the[ Amazon Web Services’ IAM Users page](https://console.aws.amazon.com/iam/home#users).

Within this page, click the **Create user** button.

![Add new user in IAM for AWS](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/create-user.png "Create New user in IAM for AWS")Next, you’ll need to set up a new user. In the **User name** field, you can add any name you’d like. However, we recommend using the following name format:

`yourdomain_wpmailsmtp`

For example, for WPForms.com we would use the following user name: `wpformscom_wpmailsmtp`. If you need to set up or edit users down the road, this will make it easy to keep track of which site is connected to each user.

![IAM user name field](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/new-user-name-field.png)When you’re ready, click the **Next** button to proceed.

Next, you’ll be setting permissions for this new user. From the top row of options, select **Attach policies directly**.

![Set permissions for the IAM user](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/set-permissions.png)Next, type **AmazonSESFullAccess** in the search bar. You should see only one result with the same name. Make sure to select the checkbox next to this option to grant the user permission to access it.

![Selecting AmazonSESFullAccess permission policy](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Provide-permissions-to-IAM-user-in-AWS-1.png)When you’re ready, click the **Next** button to proceed.

On the next page, you’ll be shown all the details you’ve chosen for this user. You can double-check that everything looks correct, then click the **Create user** button.

![Review details and create user](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/review-create-screen-2.png)After completing the previous step, AWS will show a success message and automatically direct you to the Users page.

#### Generating an Access Key

On the Users page, click on the **User name** of the user you created to proceed.

![Selecting user name from the User's page](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/user-name-users-page.png)Next, from the tabs which are displayed, click on **Security credentials**.

![Clicking Security Credentials tab](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/security-credentials-tab.png)Then, scroll down to the **Access keys** section and click on the **Create access key** button.

![Create access key button](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/create-access-key-button.png)Next, select **Other** for the **Access key best practices & alternatives** section.

![](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Other-option-access-key-3.png)When you’re ready to move forward, click the **Next** button.

On the next page, you can skip the description tag and simply click the **Create access key** button to proceed.

![Create access key button](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/create-access-key-button-1.png)AWS will now display a success message along with the Access key ID and Secret access key for your user. Don’t forget to take a moment to securely save a copy of these keys.

![Generated access and secret keys](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/generated-access-keys.png)**Note:** You will not be able to see this **Access key ID** and **Secret access key** again once you close this page. Be sure to download a CSV with these details and/or copy them into a safe location.

You can also keep this window open for now, as we’ll be using these keys a little later.

### Switching AWS to Production Mode

All Amazon SES accounts are, by default, put in Sandbox Mode. This is very limiting, as it means that your account has a low monthly sending quota and will only be allowed to send emails to email addresses verified through Amazon.

In this step, we’ll show you how to move from Sandbox Mode to Production Mode so you can increase your monthly sending quota and send emails to anyone.

To begin this step, you’ll need to navigate to the [Amazon Service Quotas](https://console.aws.amazon.com/servicequotas/) dashboard.

![Service quotas dashboard](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/service-quotas-dashboard-1.png)#### Selecting Your Region

Once you’ve accessed the dashboard, you’ll need to select your region by clicking the **Select a Region** dropdown and locating your region in the dropdown list. Be sure to select the same region you chose when you [configured your Amazon AWS account](#amazon-ses-account).

![Select your region](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/select-your-region.png)Now that you’ve selected a region, you can proceed to request an increase for your monthly email quota.

#### Requesting a Quota Increase

To request an increase to your monthly email limit, click on the **AWS services** option in the sidebar menu.

![AWS services option](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/AWS-services-option.png)Then, type **Amazon Simple Email Service** into the search bar.

![Search Amazon simple email service](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/search-amazon-simple-email-service.png)This will leave a single option named **Amazon Simple Email Service(Amazon SES)**. When you’re ready, go ahead and click on this option.

![Select Amazon simple email service](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/select-amazon-simple-email-service.png)On the next page, you’ll want to initiate a request to increase your sending quota. To do this, start by selecting the multiple-choice option next to **Sending quota**.

![Sending quota](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/sending-quota.png)Next, click on the **Request quota increase** button.

![Request-quota-increase](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/request-quota-increase.png)After that, a Case Classification form will appear that you’ll need to review and fill out. This is an important step, as it’s what Amazon uses to prevent spammers from using their system. Within this form, you’re essentially proving to Amazon SES that your site will be sending emails for legitimate purposes.

To complete this form, enter your desired daily sending quota in the **Change quota value** section. For this example, we’ll request a daily sending quota of **500** emails.

![Change quota value](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/change-quota-value.png)Once you’ve added a quota value, go ahead and click the **Request** button to submit the form.

![Click request button](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/click-request-button.png)Immediately after submission, you should receive two emails from Amazon Web Services. Both will simply confirm that a new case has been created.

AWS will generally review requests and let you know the result within one business day. In the meantime, though, you can continue with the next setup steps.

### Setting Up WP Mail SMTP

While you’re waiting for AWS to review your case submission, you can set up WP Mail SMTP on your WordPress site.

Before we get started, be sure to [install and activate WP Mail SMTP on your site](https://wpmailsmtp.com/docs/how-to-install-the-wp-mail-smtp-plugin/).

Once you’ve installed and activated the plugin, go to **WP Mail SMTP » Settings**, then select the **General** tab.

![WP Mail SMTP general settings](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/wp-mail-smtp-settings.png)Next, scroll to the **Primary Connection** section.

![Primary Connection Settings in WP Mail SMTP](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/primary-connection-section.png "Primary Connection Settings")In the next sections, we’ll cover the details for each of the settings located on this page.

#### From Email

This is the email address that all of your site’s emails will be sent from. For the From Email, you can enter any valid email address. However, for best results, we recommend using a domain-specific email address (i.e. example@yourdomain.com).

You can also choose to check the box labeled **Force From Email**. If you’d like the From Email to be the same site-wide, this option will save you the trouble of editing the email settings throughout your site (in all form emails, etc).

![From Email in WP Mail SMTP settings](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/from-email-1.png)**Note:** For more details, see our guide to understand [how the Force From Email setting](https://wpmailsmtp.com/docs/using-the-force-from-email-setting/) works.

#### From Name

The **From Name** is the name that will be shown as the sender on emails sent from your site. By default, it will be set to your site’s name, but you can adjust it to any desired value. Additionally, you can check the **Force From Name** option to apply this setting site-wide.

![Adjust From Name in WP Mail SMTP settings](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Adjust-From-Name-in-WP-Mail-SMTP-settings.png)#### Mailer

In the **Mailer** section, select the **Amazon SES** mailer option.

![Select Amazon SES mailer](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/amazon-ses-mailer.png)#### Amazon SES

Now that you’ve chosen the Amazon SES mailer, you should see a new section appear titled **Amazon SES**. Here, you’ll need to add the access keys you created in your AWS account earlier. Go ahead and copy in the **Access Key ID** and **Secret Access Key**, and click the **Save Settings** button.

![Add access keys for Amazon SES in WP Mail SMTP](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Access-Key-and-Secret-Access-Key-in-SMTP.png)Once your keys are in place and settings have been saved, you can configure the **Closest Region** field. A region will already be pre-selected for you based on where your site’s hosting server is located, so just be sure to check that this is correct and matches what you chose in Amazon SES.

**Note:** If you select a different region than the one in Amazon SES, you will need to repeat the [service limit increase steps](#production-mode) for this new region.

![Closest region setting](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/closest-region-setting.png)Next, scroll down to the **SES Identities** section. This is where you will add any emails or domains that you might like to use as the From Email on your site.

To add a new verified email or domain, click the **Add New** button.

![Add New SES Identity in WP Mail SMTP](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Add-New-SES-Identity-in-WP-Mail-SMTP.png)This will open up an overlay, where you can select **Verify Domain** or **Verify Email Address.** We’ll cover both of these options below.

#### Verifying a Domain

By verifying a domain in Amazon SES, you’ll be able to use any email address under that verified domain, without having to verify each email address individually.

To verify a domain, be sure to select the **Verify Domain** option. Then, in the **Please enter a domain** box, go ahead and add your domain. We’ll be using example.com as an example.

![Verify SES domain](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Verify-SES-domain.png)Once you’ve entered your domain, click the **VERIFY** button to generate CNAME records for your domain.

![Amazon SES text records](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Amazon-SES-text-records.png)This will generate three different CNAME records for you. As required by Amazon, you’ll need to add all three **Name** and **Value** pairs to your domain’s DNS settings to complete the verification process.

**Note:** For more details on how to add CNAME records, be sure to check out Amazon’s guide on [SES domain verification CNAME records](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/ses/latest/DeveloperGuide/dns-txt-records.html).

After you’ve successfully verified your domain, you can return to your site’s WP Mail SMTP settings and refresh the page. Any verified domains will now be displayed, and emails with this domain can now be used in your **From Email** setting.

![Verified SES Identity Domain](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Verified-SES-Identity-Domain.png)#### Verifying an Email Address

To verify a specific email address, be sure to select the **Verify Email Address** option. Go ahead and add in your email address to the **Please enter a valid email address** field and click the **VERIFY** button.

![Verify SES with Email](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Verify-SES-with-Email.png)Then, you’ll be shown a notice asking you to check your email’s inbox for a verification email.

![Verify sending email address for WP Mail SMTP](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Amazon-SES-identity-verification-message-1.png)This email will be sent from Amazon Web Services and will include a verification link. You must click this link within 24 hours in order to verify this email address.

![Email verification for Amazon SES](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Email-verification-for-Amazon-SES.png)After you’ve successfully verified your email, you can return to your site’s WP Mail SMTP settings and refresh the page. Any verified emails should be displayed.

![SES identities in WP Mail SMTP](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/SES-identities-in-WP-Mail-SMTP.png)#### Backup Connection

Setting up a [Backup Connection](https://wpmailsmtp.com/docs/configuring-backup-connection/) is optional and isn’t required to complete your Amazon SES mailer setup. However, to further improve email deliverability, we recommend [configuring an additional connection](https://wpmailsmtp.com/docs/configuring-additional-connections/) to serve as a backup in case your Primary Connection fails.

![backup-connection-settings](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/backup-connection-settings.png)**Note:** Want to send emails using different connections based on a set of rules or conditions? Be sure to check out our [Smart Routing](https://wpmailsmtp.com/docs/setting-up-smart-email-routing/) tutorial to learn more.

Once you’re done, click the **Save Settings** button to save the changes.

![click-save-settings-button](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/click-save-settings-button.png)### Sending a Test Email

Now that your WP Mail SMTP settings are ready and any From Emails have been verified, it’s important to send a test email to ensure that everything is working properly. To send a test email, navigate to **WP Mail SMTP » Tools** and open up the **Email Test** tab.

![Email test tab in WP Mail SMTP](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Email-test-tab-in-WP-Mail-SMTP.png)On this tab, you’ll see that the **Send To** field is already filled in with your site’s admin email. However, you can enter any email address that you have access to.

For the **HTML** option, you can click the toggle in order to send a plain text email, if you’d like. However, for most sites, it will make the most sense to test using an HTML email (which is the default).

**Note:** If you’ve set up an [additional connection](https://wpmailsmtp.com/docs/configuring-additional-connections/), you’d be able to choose between your Primary Connection and other connections when sending a test email.

Once you’ve configured your test email settings, click the **Send Email** button to send your test email.

![Send-email-button](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Send-email-button.png)If the test email has been sent successfully, you’ll see a success message appear on the page.

![WP Mail SMTP test email success message](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/WP-Mail-SMTP-test-email-success-message.png)Then, you’ll need to check your inbox to confirm that you’ve received your test email.

![Successful test email from WP Mail SMTP](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Successful-test-email-from-WP-Mail-SMTP.png)### Frequently Asked Questions

Here are answers to some top questions about setting up WP Mail SMTP with the Amazon SES mailer.

##### I just tried to send a test email. Why do I see the following error?

`MessageRejected (client): Email address is not verified. The following identities failed the check in region.`

This error will usually appear if the email address you’re sending the test email to is unverified, and your AWS account hasn’t yet been [approved for Production Mode](#production-mode) by Amazon. While your AWS account is in Sandbox Mode, emails can only be sent to [verified email addresses](#verifying-email-address).

Once your account has been approved for Production Mode, you should be able to send test emails to any email address, including unverified ones.

##### As a freelancer or agency, how can I hide my identity when using Amazon SES for client sites?

If you’re managing websites for clients and need to keep your Amazon SES details confidential, WP Mail SMTP has a feature to help. It lets you conceal your identity by hiding user identities and restricting the domains you can send emails from.

For comprehensive steps on how to set this up, check out our guide on [hiding your Amazon SES identity](https://wpmailsmtp.com/docs/hiding-your-identity-for-amazon-ses-mailer-setup/).

That’s it! You have successfully set up your site to send WordPress emails with Amazon SES.

Next, would you like to control which emails WordPress core sends out from your site? Be sure to check out our tutorial on [managing email controls](https://wpmailsmtp.com/docs/how-to-manage-email-controls/) for more details.

**Categories:** Mailers

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