What Is Causing This Error?
The ‘Could not connect to SMTP host’ error often happens with the Other SMTP mailer. It essentially means your hosting server is blocking emails from sending through your site.
You may also experience this error if your SMTP server is not properly configured on the SMTP plugin you’re using. For example, if you’re using an incorrect SMTP port, you’ll likely see the error message.
Below are some of the variants of this error:
- Could not connect to SMTP host. Failed to connect to server.
- Could not connect to SMTP host. Connection failed.
Regardless of the exact error message you see, they often indicate an issue with your SMTP server.
Resolving the Error – Solution
To resolve this error, we recommend reviewing your SMTP configuration and making sure each field has the correct value.
If the error persists, it could be server related. In this case, we suggest contacting your hosting provider with the exact error message you see on the SMTP plugin’s error log. They should be able to troubleshoot and fix the error.
Note: The Other SMTP mailer doesn’t use a dedicated email API. This can lead to errors such as the ‘Could not connect to SMTP host’ error. We suggest switching to a dedicated email service provider like SendLayer if the error occurs frequently on your site.
That’s it! Now you know how to troubleshoot and fix the ‘Could not connect to SMTP host’ error.
Are you experiencing a different SMTP error? Check out other related docs: