### [Using the WP Mail SMTP Setup Checklist](https://wpmailsmtp.com/docs/using-the-setup-checklist/)

**Published:** September 30, 2026
**Author:** David Ozokoye

**Excerpt:** Learn how to use the Setup Checklist to enable essential features in WP Mail SMTP

**Content:**

Would you like a clear path to getting the most out of WP Mail SMTP? Beyond connecting a mailer, features like test emails, backup connections, and failure alerts keep your emails reliable, and they’re easy to miss.

In this tutorial, we’ll show you how to use the WP Mail SMTP Setup Checklist to finish setting up your site’s email.

- [Accessing the Setup Checklist](#accessing-the-setup-checklist)
- [How the Setup Checklist Works](#how-the-setup-checklist-works)
- [Connect Your Mailer](#connect-your-mailer)
- [Get the Most Out of WP Mail SMTP Pro](#get-the-most-out-of-wp-mail-smtp-pro)
- [Improve Your Email Sending Experience](#improve-your-email-sending-experience)
- [Set Up Recommended Growth Tools](#set-up-recommended-growth-tools)
- [Dismissing the Setup Checklist](#dismissing-the-setup-checklist)

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**Note**: The Setup Checklist is available in WP Mail SMTP 4.10 and later, in both the free and Pro versions.

## Accessing the Setup Checklist

To open the checklist, go to **WP Mail SMTP » Setup Checklist** in your WordPress admin area. The menu item shows a progress bar that fills as you complete tasks, so you always see how much is left.

![The WP Mail SMTP admin menu with the Setup Checklist item and its progress bar highlighted](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/wp-mail-smtp-checklist.png)You’ll also find a summary of your next steps in the **Setup Checklist Overview** widget on the [WP Mail SMTP Dashboard](https://wpmailsmtp.com/docs/using-the-wp-mail-smtp-dashboard/).

## How the Setup Checklist Works

The checklist groups your setup tasks into sections. You don’t check items off yourself. WP Mail SMTP detects when you’ve finished a task and marks it complete automatically. If you set something up before the checklist existed, that item already shows as complete.

To start a task, click the button next to it. For example, click **Launch Setup Wizard** to set up your mailer.

When you finish every task in a section, its badge changes from **Incomplete** to **Complete** and the section collapses. Click the section heading to expand it again.

![The Connect Your Mailer section marked Complete, with Setup Your Mailer and Successfully Send a Test Email checked off](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/step_02_connect-mailer-complete.png)Some tasks only appear when they apply to your site. For example, the import task only shows up if WP Mail SMTP detects another SMTP plugin on a site where WP Mail SMTP isn’t set up yet. The progress percentage only counts the tasks you can see.

## Connect Your Mailer

This section covers the essentials for sending email from your site.

- **Setup Your Mailer**: Connect WordPress to a mailer such as SendLayer, Gmail, Outlook, or Amazon SES. Click **Launch Setup Wizard** to get started. The default PHP mailer doesn’t count as a configured mailer.
- **Import Settings From Existing SMTP Plugins**: If you used another SMTP plugin before, choose it from the **Select SMTP Plugin** dropdown and click **Import Settings** to copy its mailer settings into WP Mail SMTP. This item only appears when WP Mail SMTP detects another SMTP plugin and you haven’t set up WP Mail SMTP yet. If only one plugin is detected, the item is titled **Import Settings From** followed by that plugin’s name.
- **Successfully Send a Test Email**: Confirm your site sends email by delivering a test message to your inbox. Click **Test Email** to open the [Email Test tool](https://wpmailsmtp.com/docs/how-to-send-a-test-email-in-wp-mail-smtp/). This button stays greyed out until you set up your mailer.

## Get the Most Out of WP Mail SMTP Pro

WP Mail SMTP Pro users see a section of Pro features to set up:

- **Enable Email Logging**: Keep a record of every email your site sends. Click **Enable Email Log** to turn on [email logging](https://wpmailsmtp.com/docs/how-to-set-up-email-logging/).
- **Get a Free Backup Mailer Connection**: Set up SendLayer as a backup mailer that takes over if your primary mailer fails. Click **Set Up Backup Mailer** to start. If SendLayer is already your primary mailer, this item appears as **Set Up a Backup Mailer** instead. Both versions disappear once you add a backup connection.
- **Set Up Email Alerts**: Get notified by email or Slack the moment an email fails to send. Click **Set Up Alerts**.
- **Manage WordPress Notifications**: Choose which emails WordPress sends and silence the ones you don’t need. This item completes when you open the page with **Manage Notifications**.

![The Get the Most Out of WP Mail SMTP Pro section showing Enable Email Logging, Get a Free Backup Mailer Connection, Set Up Email Alerts, and Manage WordPress Notifications](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/step_03_pro-section.png)## Improve Your Email Sending Experience

This section helps you strengthen your setup and add useful tools:

- **Fix Your Domain Setup**: Fix your domain’s SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records to keep your emails out of spam. Click **View Domain Report** to see what needs attention. This item only appears if WP Mail SMTP finds issues with your domain.
- **Connect Your AI Assistant**: Review email logs and debug sending issues with AI tools through the free WPVibe plugin. Click **Install WPVibe**, **Activate WPVibe**, or **Set Up WPVibe**, depending on whether the plugin is already on your site. To learn more, see our guide to [using WP Mail SMTP with AI assistants](https://wpmailsmtp.com/docs/using-wpmailsmtp-with-ai-assistants/).
- **Set Up Code Snippets**: Customize WP Mail SMTP with pre-built snippets powered by WPCode. This item completes when you open the Code Snippets page with **Browse Snippets**.
- **Set Up Privacy Compliance**: Add a cookie banner and consent records with the free WPConsent plugin. Click **Install WPConsent**, **Activate WPConsent**, or **Set Up WPConsent**, depending on whether the plugin is already on your site.
- **Smart Recommendations from WP Mail SMTP**: Enter your email address and click **Sign Up for Free** to get tips on improving your email deliverability.
- **Help Improve WP Mail SMTP**: Share non-sensitive usage data to help the WP Mail SMTP team fix bugs and build better features. Click **Count Me In!** to opt in. This item only appears in the free version, and WP Mail SMTP hides it if you already opted in during the Setup Wizard.

![The Improve Your Email Sending Experience section showing the AI assistant, Code Snippets, Privacy Compliance, and Smart Recommendations items](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/step_04_improve-section.png)## Set Up Recommended Growth Tools

At the bottom of the checklist, you’ll find free sister plugins such as AIOSEO, Duplicator, and MonsterInsights. Click **Install** next to any plugin to add it to your site in one click.

![The Set Up Recommended Growth Tools section with plugin cards and Install buttons](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/step_05_growth-tools.png)## Dismissing the Setup Checklist

When you no longer need the checklist, scroll to the bottom of the page and click **Complete Setup Checklist**.

![The bottom of the Setup Checklist page with the Complete Setup Checklist link highlighted](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/step_06_complete-checklist-link.png)A confirmation popup appears. Click **Yes, dismiss** to confirm.

![The "Are you sure?" confirmation popup with the Yes, dismiss and Cancel buttons](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/step_07_dismiss-confirmation.png)**Warning**: Dismissing the Setup Checklist is permanent. The checklist disappears from your admin menu and the Dashboard, and you can’t bring it back.

WP Mail SMTP doesn’t dismiss the checklist automatically, even when you finish every task. It stays at 100% until you dismiss it.

That’s it! You now know how to use the WP Mail SMTP Setup Checklist to finish setting up your site’s email.

Next, would you like to keep an eye on how your emails perform? Check out our guide to [using the WP Mail SMTP Dashboard](https://wpmailsmtp.com/docs/using-the-wp-mail-smtp-dashboard/).

**Categories:** Getting Started

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