Install & Use the Plugin
The WP Mail Tester plugin runs the full deliverability test with one click from wp-admin — the test email travels through your site's real mail path, exactly like your WooCommerce and contact-form emails do.
Installation
- In wp-admin, go to Plugins → Add New and search for "WP Mail Tester" (or upload the ZIP if you have one)
- Activate the plugin
- Go to Tools → WP Mail Tester
No configuration, no API keys, no signup — the first test just works.
Running a test
Click Send Test Email. The plugin sends a real email via wp_mail() to our testing system and shows a live progress narration while it travels. Results — your score plus all check details — appear right on the page, usually within 30–60 seconds.
Failure reporting
After your first test, the plugin also listens for WordPress's wp_mail_failed event. If any email on your site fails to send — a contact form, an order confirmation — the failure is recorded in your WP Mail Tester dashboard, and (on paid plans) triggers an instant alert. See Understanding Failure Alerts.
What data leaves your site — and when
| When | What is sent |
|---|---|
| On activation | Nothing. No external calls until you act |
| When you click "Send Test Email" | Your site URL is registered with our service; the test email travels through your normal mail path to our analysis system |
| After your first test | Failed-email reports: the error message, recipient, subject and active SMTP plugin name |
| If you connect an account | Hourly check-in for scheduled monitoring: active SMTP plugin name, From address, and a fingerprint (hash) of your mailer settings — never the settings themselves (they contain credentials and never leave your site) |
Deactivating the plugin stops all communication. Deleting it removes everything it stored.
Limits
5 free tests per site per day. Connect an account for history, and see Monitoring for automated daily checks.
Next: Connect your account →