Back to Community
Home / Community / Plugin → Wp mail smtp by wpforms

Troubleshooting WP Mail SMTP and Brevo: Why Test Emails Succeed But Don't Arrive

20 threads Sep 10, 2025 Plugin → Wp mail smtp by wpforms

Content

If you're using the WP Mail SMTP plugin with Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) and experiencing the frustrating issue where test emails show as "successful" but never arrive in your inbox, you're not alone. This is a common scenario reported by many users. This guide will walk you through the most effective troubleshooting steps to resolve this delivery problem.

Why This Happens

A "successful" test email in WP Mail SMTP simply means the plugin successfully handed off the email to Brevo's servers. The disconnect happens somewhere between Brevo and the final recipient's mailbox. The issue is rarely with the plugin's configuration on your WordPress site itself, but rather with email authentication, Brevo's processing, or the recipient's mail server filters.

Most Common Solutions

1. Check Debug Events in WP Mail SMTP

First, rule out any errors on the WordPress side. Navigate to WP Mail SMTP → Tools and click on the Debug Events tab. This log captures any emails that failed immediately during the sending process from your site to Brevo. If you see failed events here, the error message will provide a direct clue about the problem (e.g., an invalid API key). If this log is empty, the issue lies beyond your WordPress installation.

2. Verify Domain Authentication in Brevo

This is the most critical step. A successful test email that doesn't arrive is often caused by missing or misconfigured DNS records. Log into your Brevo account and ensure your domain shows as "Authenticated". Brevo requires you to add several DNS records (typically including Brevo code, DKIM 1, DKIM 2, and DMARC) to your domain's DNS settings.

  • Double-check that you've added all records provided by Brevo.
  • Ensure the values are copied exactly, with no trailing spaces or typos.
  • Remember that DNS changes can take up to 48 hours to propagate globally, though it's usually faster.
  • Note: Brevo sometimes provides CNAME records (e.g., brevo1._domainkey) instead of TXT records for DKIM. Follow their instructions precisely.

3. Investigate Brevo's Logs and Dashboard

Since the email successfully reached Brevo, the next step is to see what Brevo did with it. Log into your Brevo account and look for sections like "Logs" or "Real-Time" activity.

  • Check if the test email appears in these logs. Its status (e.g., delivered, blocked, soft bounce) will tell you exactly where the problem is.
  • If the email is marked as "blocked" or "failed," Brevo's platform is rejecting it for a specific reason.
  • If the email does not appear in the logs at all, there may be a temporary issue or delay on Brevo's end.

4. Authorize Your Server's IP Address

Brevo has a security feature that allows you to whitelist specific IP addresses that are permitted to send emails via their API. If your server's IP is not authorized, Brevo may silently block requests. In your Brevo dashboard, navigate to Security → Authorised IPs and add your web server's IP address. You can find your server's IP by asking your hosting provider or checking your hosting control panel.

5. Use a Mail Tester Tool

Tools like Mail-Tester.com are invaluable for diagnosing spam and deliverability issues. Send a test email from your site to the unique address provided by Mail-Tester and then check your score. The report will detail exactly why an email might be flagged, such as missing SPF/DKIM, poor content, or a blacklisted IP. A high score (e.g., 9/10 or 10/10) confirms your setup is correct and the issue might be with a specific recipient's mailbox.

6. Check for Brevo Service Outages

Occasionally, the issue can be a temporary outage or delay on Brevo's side. Emails may be queued and delivered much later, or their logging dashboard may experience delays. It's worth checking Brevo's status page or support channels to see if other users are reporting similar problems at the same time.

7. Contact Brevo Support

If you have followed all the steps above and the issue persists, the most effective course of action is to contact Brevo support directly. They have access to detailed logs and can see exactly what happened to an email after it left your server. When you contact them, provide the exact date and time you sent a test email and the recipient address. This will help them investigate much faster.

Summary

The journey of an email from your WordPress site to an inbox involves multiple steps. WP Mail SMTP handles the first leg to Brevo. When a test is successful but the email doesn't arrive, the problem is almost always in the second leg, handled by Brevo. Methodically checking domain authentication, Brevo's logs, and server authorization will resolve the majority of these issues.

Related Support Threads Support