# Connect an email sender in the console

Connect the email account your mail goes out through, by SMTP or Google, test it, read its bounces, make it the default and share it with your team.

A sender is the email account BuildBase sends through. The one marked **System
default** sends your users' sign-in links and codes, password resets and
invitations; campaigns name their own. This guide connects Acme Analytics'
newsletter address over SMTP and makes it the default.

> **Note:**
  A console role that can create email senders, and room on your plan for one
  more. The **SMTP** and **Amazon SES** tabs need bring-your-own SMTP on your
  plan; **Google** and **Mailgun** do not. For SMTP, your mail server's host,
  port, username and an app password.

Until a sender works, every console page shows **No email sender is
connected**: sign-in links, password resets, verification codes and
invitations cannot be delivered. Its **Connect a sender** button opens the page
below. Your first working sender becomes the **System default** on its own.

## 1. Open Sender accounts

[Open Sender accounts in the console](https://console.buildbase.app/dashboard/admin/emails/senders)

In the left rail choose **Messaging**, then **Sender accounts** under
**Configuration**. **Email senders** lists each sender. Press **Add new
sender**.

![The Sender accounts page under Messaging: the Sender accounts menu item highlighted as step 1, the Add new sender button as step 2, and Acme mail, the System default](/images/email/connect-a-sender/senders-page.webp)

## 2. Pick the kind of sender

**Add new sender** has four tabs: **SMTP**, **Google**, **Mailgun** and
**Amazon SES**. This guide uses **SMTP**, and [Google](#google) is below.
Amazon SES has [its own guide](/email/amazon-ses), and Mailgun sends from a
[verified domain](/email/sending-domains).

![The Add new sender dialog, with its four tabs SMTP, Google, Mailgun and Amazon SES highlighted as step 3](/images/email/connect-a-sender/add-new-sender.webp)

## 3. Find your SMTP settings

Open **Where to find your SMTP settings**. Your email provider's help pages
list a server name, a port and whether to use SSL or TLS. Many want an app
password, made for one app, rather than your normal one.

![Where to find your SMTP settings, open: four steps, and the note on ports highlighted as step 4: port 465 uses SSL/TLS, port 587 does not](/images/email/connect-a-sender/smtp-help.webp)

## 4. Fill in the account

Fill **Title**, **Account description**, **Host**, **Port**, **Username**,
**Password** and **From email** (`Name <address>`). Turn **Use SSL/TLS** on for
port 465 and off for 587. Press **Create**.

![The SMTP form: Host smtp.acme-mail.example, Port 587, Username news@acme.example, From email Acme Analytics with the address news@acme.example, Use SSL/TLS off and highlighted as step 5, and the Create button](/images/email/connect-a-sender/smtp-form.webp)

## 5. If it is refused

**Create** connects to the mail server and signs in before it saves anything. A
wrong host, port or password is refused with the server's own reason, and
nothing is stored: fix the field and press **Create** again.

![The SMTP form with a mistyped host, and the toast highlighted as step 6: Could not reach smtp.acme-mail.example.invalid:587. Check the host, port and any firewall.](/images/email/connect-a-sender/smtp-refused.webp)

## 6. See it in the list

The new sender is listed. Mail goes out through it once a campaign names it, or
once you [make it the default](#9-make-it-the-default).

![Email senders: Acme marketing with Make default, and Acme mail with the System default badge highlighted as step 7](/images/email/connect-a-sender/senders-table.webp)

## Google

On the **Google** tab, press **Sign in with Google** and allow BuildBase to send
mail for the account. Nothing is typed in: Google returns you to the console
with the sender added.

![The Google tab of Add new sender: Connect Google account to send emails, and the Sign in with Google button highlighted as step 8](/images/email/connect-a-sender/google-tab.webp)

## 7. Send a test

Press **Edit** on the sender's row, then **Send test email** in **Edit sender**.
It sends one message to your own address through the saved settings, so save a
change first.

![Edit sender: the Save button and Send test email highlighted as step 9, which sends one message to your address](/images/email/connect-a-sender/send-test.webp)

## 8. Read its bounces

An SMTP or Google sender learns of mail that came back by reading the bounce
notices in a mailbox. In **Edit sender**, turn on **Read bounce notices from a
mailbox**, fill **IMAP server**, **Port**, **User name** and **Password**, and
press **Save and test**; **Check now** reads it again later. A Google sender shows **Allow with Google** instead
([bounce intake](/email/deliverability#bounce-intake)).

![The bounce section of Edit sender: Read bounce notices from a mailbox switched on and highlighted as step 10, with IMAP server imap.acme-mail.example, Port 993, User name, Use TLS (port 993) and Save and test](/images/email/connect-a-sender/bounce-mailbox.webp)

## 9. Make it the default

Press **Make default** on its row and confirm with **Make default**. The System
default sends sign-in codes, password resets and invitations, and any other
email sent without naming a sender.

![The Make default dialog, with the Make default button highlighted as step 11](/images/email/connect-a-sender/make-default.webp)

## 10. Share it

Press **Share** to let other members of your organization send through it.
Search under **Add members** and add them. Only the sender's creator can share
it.

![The Share news@acme.example dialog, with the search under Add members highlighted as step 12](/images/email/connect-a-sender/share.webp)

## Check it works

Request a magic link or an email code on your hosted sign-in page. The message
arrives, and **Messaging**, then **Email history**, lists it as sent.

## Things to watch out for

- **SMTP and Amazon SES need bring-your-own SMTP on your plan.** Google and Mailgun do not, and your plan caps how many senders you keep.
- **The System default cannot be deleted.** Make another sender the default first.
- **A sender that fails to send turns Inactive.** Nothing goes out through it until you fix its settings in **Edit sender**.
- **Use a port your mail server listens on for submission.** In production BuildBase accepts 25, 465, 587 and 2525, and only a public host.
- **Apple's private relay addresses accept mail only from domains registered with Apple.** Register your sending domain with Apple to reach users who hide their email.

## If something goes wrong

| What you see                                                                              | What it means                                                         |
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Could not reach (host):(port). Check the host, port and any firewall.                     | The mail server did not answer: a typo, a closed port or a firewall.  |
| Timed out contacting (host):(port). Check the host, port and any firewall.                | The server is there but did not answer in time, often a blocked port. |
| The username or password was rejected by the mail server.                                 | Check them; many providers want an app password here.                 |
| Could not establish a secure connection to (host):(port). Try toggling the secure option. | **Use SSL/TLS** does not match the port: on for 465, off for 587.     |
| SMTP port must be one of 25, 465, 587, 2525                                               | Production accepts only mail submission ports.                        |
| The default sender cannot be deleted. Make another sender the default first.              | Press **Make default** on another sender, then delete this one.       |

## Next Steps

- [Amazon SES](/email/amazon-ses) - send through your own SES account.
- [Sending domains](/email/sending-domains) - send through Mailgun from a verified domain.
- [Deliverability](/email/deliverability) - DMARC, bounce intake and the sending limits.