> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.hoopai.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Email & SMTP setup

> Connect your own SMTP provider, set up a dedicated sending domain, configure authentication records, and troubleshoot email delivery issues.

The HoopAI Platform lets you send emails through your own SMTP provider or a dedicated sending domain for full control over deliverability, sender reputation, and branding.

<Frame caption="Email services — connect Gmail, Outlook, SendGrid, Mailgun, or a dedicated sending domain">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/hoopai-84ec0cdc/dif11QvMekN9AcKH/images/settings-email-services-add-service.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=dif11QvMekN9AcKH&q=85&s=4df0f449629030f988d88ac7d8751afc" alt="Email SMTP setup" width="1586" height="521" data-path="images/settings-email-services-add-service.png" />
</Frame>

## Connecting an email service

### Supported integrations

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Gmail / Google Workspace" icon="google">
    Connect Gmail for two-way email sync and sending. Supports OAuth authentication.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Outlook / Microsoft 365" icon="microsoft">
    Two-way email sync for Outlook with Microsoft 365 accounts.
  </Card>

  <Card title="SendGrid" icon="at">
    Connect SendGrid as your SMTP service for reliable bulk sending.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Mailgun" icon="at">
    Connect Mailgun for transactional and marketing email delivery. See the [Mailgun setup guide](/marketing/mailgun-setup).
  </Card>

  <Card title="Custom SMTP" icon="server">
    Connect any third-party SMTP service with your server credentials.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Dedicated sending domain" icon="globe">
    Set up a subdomain dedicated to sending email from the HoopAI Platform.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

### Adding a third-party SMTP account

<Steps>
  <Step title="Go to email services">
    Navigate to **Settings > Email Services** and click **Add Service**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select your provider">
    Choose Gmail, Outlook, SendGrid, Mailgun, or Custom SMTP.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enter credentials">
    Provide the SMTP host, port, username, and password (or OAuth for Gmail/Outlook).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Send a test email">
    Use the **Test Email** button to verify the connection is working correctly.
  </Step>
</Steps>

***

## Dedicated sending domain

A dedicated sending domain (e.g., `mail.yourdomain.com`) gives your emails their own sending reputation, separate from shared infrastructure.

<Frame caption="Dedicated sending domain setup — add your subdomain and configure DNS records for SPF, DKIM, DMARC, and MX">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/hoopai-84ec0cdc/8BZonhAp8IB5hpm1/images/marketing-email-deliverability-dedicated.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=8BZonhAp8IB5hpm1&q=85&s=68bfa3aaca0b2198a67a117d93d9c69e" alt="Dedicated sending domain" width="1598" height="500" data-path="images/marketing-email-deliverability-dedicated.png" />
</Frame>

<Steps>
  <Step title="Add your domain">
    Navigate to **Settings > Email Services > Dedicated Domain** and enter the subdomain you want to use.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add DNS records">
    The platform will display the DNS records you need to add to your domain registrar:

    * **MX record** — for receiving bounces and replies
    * **SPF record** — authenticates your sending domain
    * **DKIM record** — adds a cryptographic signature to your emails
    * **DMARC record** — sets policy for failed authentication
  </Step>

  <Step title="Verify the domain">
    After adding DNS records, click **Verify** in the platform. DNS propagation can take up to 48 hours.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set as default">
    Once verified, set the dedicated domain as your default sending service.
  </Step>
</Steps>

***

## Email authentication

Proper authentication is essential for inbox delivery.

<Frame caption="DMARC policy configuration — set up domain-based authentication to protect your sending reputation">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/hoopai-84ec0cdc/8BZonhAp8IB5hpm1/images/marketing-email-deliverability-dmarc.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=8BZonhAp8IB5hpm1&q=85&s=0be1c71700bbad4b32fff1d214e6784f" alt="Email authentication — DMARC" width="1539" height="818" data-path="images/marketing-email-deliverability-dmarc.png" />
</Frame>

### SPF (Sender Policy Framework)

Tells receiving mail servers which IP addresses are authorized to send email for your domain. Add an SPF record to your DNS.

### DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail)

Adds a cryptographic signature to outgoing emails so recipients can verify they haven't been tampered with. The platform generates your DKIM keys.

### DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication)

Sets a policy for what happens when emails fail SPF or DKIM checks. Recommended minimum policy: `p=none` (monitoring mode) to start, then tighten to `p=quarantine` or `p=reject`.

<Note>
  Meeting Google and Yahoo's email sender requirements (2024) requires SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to be configured for domains sending more than 5,000 emails per day.
</Note>

***

## SSL certificate for dedicated domains

Once your dedicated sending domain is verified, an SSL certificate is automatically provisioned to enable secure email transmission.

***

## Forwarding address and BCC

* **Forwarding address** — set a forwarding address to receive a copy of all inbound replies
* **BCC** — automatically BCC a specific address on all outgoing emails for audit or compliance purposes

***

## Custom reply address

Set a custom **Reply-To** address so that when recipients reply to your emails, their replies go to a different address than the From address.

***

## Masking sender emails

Configure a **From Name** and **From Address** that differs from your actual sending account — useful for sending on behalf of team members or client brands.

***

## Two-way email sync

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Gmail 2-way sync">
    Connects your Gmail inbox so that emails sent and received through Gmail also appear in your CRM conversation threads.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Outlook 2-way sync">
    Same as Gmail sync but for Microsoft Outlook / 365 accounts.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

***

## Troubleshooting

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Test email errors">
    If your test email fails, check that your SMTP credentials are correct and that your provider allows SMTP authentication. Some providers require an app password rather than your regular login password.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Gmail / Google Workspace error codes">
    Common Gmail delivery errors include authentication failures (550-5.7.26) and rate limits. Refer to the Error Codes Library for Gmail in the platform help articles.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Outlook error codes">
    Outlook blocks emails from IPs with poor reputations. Check your sending IP's reputation and ensure SPF/DKIM are correctly configured.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Emails going to spam">
    Check SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records. Ensure you are sending to opted-in contacts, include an unsubscribe link, and avoid spam trigger words in subject lines.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Bounce classifications">
    The platform logs bounce events from your sending service. Hard bounces (permanent failures) should be removed from your list. Soft bounces (temporary failures) are retried automatically.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="RSS email body showing HTML tags">
    If your RSS feed block is rendering HTML tags as literal text, ensure your RSS feed outputs plain text or properly encoded HTML.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

***

## Microsoft SNDS integration

Connect Microsoft SNDS (Smart Network Data Services) to monitor your sending IP's reputation as seen by Microsoft/Outlook. This helps you identify delivery issues before they affect your campaigns.

***

## Google Postmaster Tools integration

Link your Google Postmaster Tools account to see your domain reputation, spam rate, and feedback loop data as seen by Gmail directly in the HoopAI Platform dashboard.

***

## Dedicated IP guide

For high-volume senders, a dedicated IP address gives you exclusive control over your sending reputation. Contact support to set up a dedicated IP for your account.

***

## Understanding email verification

Email verification checks whether an address is valid and likely to receive email before you send to it. Use the verification tool to clean your list and reduce bounce rates.

***

## Frequently asked questions

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Which sending service should I use?">
    For most users, setting up a dedicated sending domain is the recommended option because it gives your emails their own reputation, separate from shared infrastructure. Mailgun and SendGrid are good choices for high-volume sending. Gmail and Outlook are best suited for low-volume, conversational email sync.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How long does DNS propagation take after adding records?">
    DNS changes can take anywhere from a few minutes to 48 hours to propagate globally. If verification fails immediately after adding records, wait a few hours and try again before contacting support.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I connect multiple sending services?">
    Yes. You can connect multiple SMTP services and choose the default sender for each type of outbound email. This is useful for separating transactional and marketing emails across different services.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What is the difference between a Forwarding address and a Reply-To address?">
    A Forwarding address routes all inbound replies to a specified inbox — useful for logging all email activity. A Reply-To address tells the recipient's email client where to send replies, which may differ from the actual sending address.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What does masking the sender email do?">
    Masking lets you configure a different From Name and From Address than your actual sending account. This is useful for sending on behalf of team members or presenting a branded sender identity to recipients.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Do I need a dedicated IP for my account?">
    Most businesses do not need a dedicated IP. Dedicated IPs are recommended for high-volume senders (100,000+ emails per month) who want exclusive control over their sending reputation. Contact support if you believe a dedicated IP is appropriate for your volume.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

***

## SMTP provider setup guides

### Google / Gmail / Google Workspace setup

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="App passwords (recommended)">
    If your Google account has 2-factor authentication enabled (required for Google Workspace):

    <Steps>
      <Step title="Generate an app password">
        Go to your Google Account > **Security > App Passwords**. Select "Mail" as the app and "Other" as the device, then generate a password.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Enter SMTP settings">
        In **Settings > Email Services > Add Service > Custom SMTP**, enter:

        * **Host**: `smtp.gmail.com`
        * **Port**: `587` (TLS) or `465` (SSL)
        * **Username**: your full Gmail/Workspace email address
        * **Password**: the app password you generated (not your Google login password)
      </Step>

      <Step title="Send a test email">
        Click **Test Email** to verify the connection.
      </Step>
    </Steps>

    <Warning>
      Never use your regular Google password for SMTP authentication. Google requires app-specific passwords for third-party SMTP connections.
    </Warning>
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="OAuth connection">
    For two-way sync with Gmail (reading and sending from your Gmail inbox):

    1. Go to **Settings > Email Services > Add Service > Gmail**
    2. Click **Connect** and sign in with your Google account
    3. Grant the requested permissions
    4. Gmail emails will sync bidirectionally with your CRM conversations

    OAuth connections are recommended for conversational email (one-to-one), while SMTP is better for bulk sending.
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

### SendGrid setup

<Steps>
  <Step title="Create a SendGrid API key">
    In your SendGrid dashboard, go to **Settings > API Keys** and create a new key with "Mail Send" permissions.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enter SMTP settings">
    In **Settings > Email Services > Add Service > SendGrid** (or Custom SMTP), enter:

    * **Host**: `smtp.sendgrid.net`
    * **Port**: `587`
    * **Username**: `apikey` (literally the word "apikey")
    * **Password**: your SendGrid API key
  </Step>

  <Step title="Verify your sender">
    Ensure your sending email address is verified in SendGrid under **Settings > Sender Authentication**.
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Zoho setup

<Steps>
  <Step title="Enable SMTP in Zoho">
    In Zoho Mail, go to **Settings > Mail Accounts > IMAP/POP/SMTP** and enable SMTP access.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enter SMTP settings">
    * **Host**: `smtp.zoho.com` (or `smtp.zoho.eu` for EU accounts)
    * **Port**: `587` (TLS)
    * **Username**: your full Zoho email address
    * **Password**: your Zoho password (or app-specific password if 2FA is enabled)
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Why free email addresses cannot be used as SMTP senders

Free email addresses (gmail.com, yahoo.com, hotmail.com, outlook.com) cannot be used as the "From" address for bulk email sending because:

* These providers enforce strict DMARC policies (`p=reject`) that cause emails sent from third-party SMTP servers to be rejected
* Using a free email as a sender triggers spam filters and authentication failures
* It violates the terms of service of most free email providers

**Solution:** Use a custom domain email address ([you@yourdomain.com](mailto:you@yourdomain.com)) as your sender. Set up a dedicated sending domain or connect a business email service.

### SMTP limitations — when emails will not send

Emails may fail to send through SMTP in these situations:

| Scenario                    | Cause                                                           | Solution                                                             |
| --------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Daily sending limit reached | Gmail limits to \~500/day (personal) or \~2,000/day (Workspace) | Use a dedicated sending domain or Mailgun/SendGrid for higher volume |
| Authentication failure      | Wrong password or app password expired                          | Regenerate app password and update credentials                       |
| TLS/SSL mismatch            | Port and encryption type do not match                           | Use port 587 with TLS or port 465 with SSL                           |
| Sender not verified         | From address not verified with the SMTP provider                | Verify the sender address in your provider's settings                |
| Rate limiting               | Sending too many emails too quickly                             | Reduce sending speed or switch to a bulk-sending provider            |