📧 XenForo Gmail SMTP Setup (2025 Updated Guide)
For forum email notifications to work properly, it’s crucial to configure SMTP settings correctly.In this guide, we’ll explain step-by-step how to set up Gmail (Google Mail) as your SMTP provider in XenForo.
🛠️ Step 1: Log In to Your Google Account
First, go to gmail.com and sign in to your email account.Click your profile picture in the top-right corner and select Manage your Google Account.
🔐 Step 2: Enable 2-Step Verification in Your Google Account
- Go to the Security section from the left-hand menu.
- Scroll down and find 2-Step Verification.
- Follow the steps to enable it.
🔍 Step 3: Create an App Password
In the same Security section, click on the search bar and type “App Passwords”.Select the first result — Google will ask you to verify your account again for security reasons.
Enter your password to continue.
🆕 Step 4: Generate a New SMTP App Password
- In the App Passwords window, type XenForo SMTP in the App name field.
- Click Create to generate the password.
⚙️ Step 5: Configure SMTP Settings in XenForo
Log in to your XenForo Admin Panel and navigate to:Admin Control Panel > Setup > Options > Email Options
Fill in the fields as follows:
- SMTP Host: smtp.gmail.com
- SMTP Port: 465 (SSL) or 587 (TLS)
- SMTP Login Username: your Gmail address
- SMTP Password: App password generated from Google
(⚠️ Paste it without removing any spaces)
✅ Your forum can now securely send confirmation emails, notifications, and password reset messages through Gmail’s SMTP server.
