# Set up email sending (SMTP or Amazon SES)

> Connect a sending account so your campaigns can go out.

_Source: https://hexafloww.com/docs/email/set-up-email-sending_

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Before you can send an email campaign, you need to connect a sender — either an SMTP account or Amazon SES. This is at `/admin/smtp-settings`.

> [!TIP]
> **Before you start**
> Have your provider's details ready: SMTP host, port, username, and password; or for SES, an access key, secret, and region.

## Add a sender

1. **Open Settings → SMTP Settings → Add Configuration.** Go to `/admin/smtp-settings` and click **Add Configuration**.
2. **Provider.** Choose **SMTP** or **Amazon SES**.
3. **General Information.** Give it a name you'll recognize (e.g. "Marketing – Brevo").
5. **Server Configuration / AWS Configuration.**
   - **SMTP** — host, port (usually 587), and the encryption option (e.g. TLS).
   - **Amazon SES** — pick the AWS region (e.g. *Asia Pacific (Mumbai)*).
6. **Authentication / AWS Credentials.** SMTP username and password, or SES access key and secret.
7. **Sender Information.** The **from name** and **from email** recipients will see. The from address must be verified with your provider.
8. **Save.** HexaFloww runs a live connection test before saving, so wrong credentials are caught now rather than mid-campaign.

   ![Email sender configuration form](https://hexafloww.com/docs/email/smtp-form.webp)

## Test it

From the configurations list, use the **Test** button, enter an address, and send yourself a message to confirm delivery.

## Common problems

- **"Authentication failed (535)"** — wrong username or password, or your provider needs an app password.
- **"Connection timed out"** — wrong host or port, or a firewall is blocking it.
- **SES "email address not verified"** — verify the from address (or domain) in the SES console first.
- **Emails land in spam** — verify your domain (SPF, DKIM) with your provider, and warm up a new sender slowly.

> [!NOTE]
> A brand-new sender should ramp up gradually. When you create a campaign, HexaFloww warns you if the sender is less than two weeks old and offers a slower sending speed.