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Resolving the 'Please Configure Your SMTP Credentials' Alert in Easy WP SMTP

24 threads Sep 9, 2025

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Many users of the 'Easy WP SMTP – WordPress SMTP and Email Logs' plugin encounter a persistent notification that says, "Please configure your SMTP credentials in the settings menu in order to send email using Easy WP SMTP plugin," even after they have successfully entered and saved their settings. This alert can appear on the plugin's settings page or as a 'nag' bar on the WordPress admin dashboard. This article explains why this happens and provides the most effective solutions to resolve it.

Why Does This Alert Appear?

This notification is designed to remind users to set up the plugin. However, due to various technical reasons, the plugin sometimes fails to recognize that a valid configuration has been saved. Based on community reports, common triggers for this bug include:

  • Plugin or Theme Conflicts: Another plugin or your theme can interfere with how Easy WP SMTP saves or reads its configuration data.
  • Database Issues: Corrupted or incomplete data in the plugin's database options can prevent it from recognizing a saved configuration.
  • Specific Hosting Environments: Certain server configurations, particularly those with strict security rules or low memory limits, can cause unexpected behavior.
  • Password Encryption: Enabling the 'Encrypt Password' option has been linked to severe issues, including fatal errors and blank settings pages, which can prevent the plugin from verifying your settings.
  • Plugin Updates: In some cases, updating the plugin has been reported to reset or change configuration values unexpectedly.

How to Fix the Persistent Configuration Alert

If your test emails are sending successfully but the message won't disappear, or if you cannot save settings at all, try these troubleshooting steps in order.

1. Basic Conflict Check

The first step is to rule out conflicts with other software on your site.

  1. Deactivate all other plugins except Easy WP SMTP.
  2. Switch to a default WordPress theme like Twenty Twenty-Four.
  3. Check if the alert disappears and if you can now see and save your settings. If it works, reactivate your plugins and theme one by one to identify the culprit.

2. Clear Corrupted Plugin Data

If a simple conflict check doesn't work, the plugin's settings might be corrupted. A complete uninstall and reinstall is often necessary.

  1. Go to Plugins → Installed Plugins.
  2. Deactivate and delete the Easy WP SMTP plugin.
  3. Important: To ensure all old data is removed, use a plugin like WP Options Editor to find and delete the following database options (caution: directly editing the database should be done only by users comfortable with the process, and a backup must be taken first):
    • swpsmtp_options
    • swpsmtp_enc_key
    • easy_wp_smtp_options (for newer versions)
  4. Reinstall a fresh copy of Easy WP SMTP from the WordPress plugin repository.
  5. Re-enter your SMTP credentials. Avoid enabling the 'Encrypt Password' option for now, as it has been a known source of problems.

3. Check Server and Hosting Environment

If the settings pages are completely blank or you are redirected to a white screen after saving, the issue may be server-related.

  • Increase PHP Memory Limit: Contact your hosting provider and ask them to increase the PHP memory limit for your site to at least 256MB.
  • Verify SMTP Settings with Your Host: Confirm your SMTP host, port, and encryption type (SSL/TLS) with your email provider or hosting company. Using incorrect credentials will cause the plugin to not function properly.

4. Known Bug and Community Response

It is important to note that this is a known issue that has been reported by numerous users. The 'Easy WP SMTP – WordPress SMTP and Email Logs: Gmail, Office 365, Outlook, Custom SMTP, and more' team has acknowledged the bug in their support forums. While a permanent fix is anticipated in a future plugin update, the steps outlined above have proven to be effective workarounds for the community.

If you continue to experience issues after trying these steps, searching the WordPress support forums for the plugin may provide additional insights from other users who have encountered similar scenarios.

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