Send from your own address

By default, form notification emails come from [e-mail]. Connect your own mailbox or email service to send them from your own address instead.

Why do it: better deliverability, your own sender address, and more control over sending limits.

📌 Optional. Skip this and the app keeps sending from its default address. No setup needed.

🔀 Two Options

Option	SMTP	Email API
What it is	Connect a mailbox you already own	Connect a dedicated email sending service
Best for	Small to medium volume, quick setup	High volume, delivery reports
You provide	Server, port, encryption, username, password	An API key (plus a few extra values for some services)
Examples	Gmail, Outlook, your own mail server	SendGrid, Mailgun, Amazon SES

📮 Option 1: SMTP

Send through a normal mailbox, so emails leave from your own address.

Where: app Settings > Custom Mail & SMTP > Provider > choose Google, Outlook, or Other.

Provider controls whether the app uses its default sender, SMTP or an email API.

What you enter:

Field	Enter	Example
SMTP	Server hostname	smtp.gmail.com
Port	Port your provider requires	465 (SSL) or 587 (TLS)
Mail encryption	SSL, TLS, or None	SSL
Username	Full email address	[e-mail]
Password	Password or app password	••••••

With Other selected, enter the host, port, encryption, username and password supplied by your provider.

Google and Outlook pre-fill the server values. With Other , get every value from your mail provider.

💡 Using Gmail? Use smtp.gmail.com, port 465, SSL, and a Google app password , not your normal password.

Create a Google app password

1. Sign in to the Google account you want to send from and open Google Account > Security.

2. Under How you sign in to Google, turn on 2-Step Verification if it is off.

3. Search your Google Account for App passwords and open it.

4. Name the password something recognizable, such as Powerful Contact Form Builder, then create it.

5. Copy the 16-character password and enter it in Password / App password without spaces.

Google shows the password once. If you lose or revoke it, create a new one and update the saved SMTP configuration. See Create app password for Gmail SMTP for the illustrated walkthrough.

➡️ Full walkthrough: Set up SMTP

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🔑 Option 2: Email API

Send through a service built for volume and deliverability. You connect with a key instead of a mailbox password.

Where: Settings > Custom Mail & SMTP > Provider > choose an API service.

➡️ Full walkthrough: Set Up Email API

API providers use a key instead of an SMTP server and password.

Provider	What you provide
Sendinblue	API key
SendGrid	API key
Pepipost	API key
Elastic Email	API key
Mailgun	API key, Domain, Region
Zoho	API key, From address, Bounce address
Amazon SES	Key ID, Secret key, Region

For Mailgun, use the sending domain and region registered in Mailgun. For Zoho, use a verified

⚠️ Before you connect: Create a key with permission to send, and verify the domain or sender address you plan to use. For Amazon SES, the Region must match where your identity is verified.

➡️ Full walkthrough: Set up email API

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✅ After You Connect

Connecting a provider does not switch your forms automatically. Apply it to each form that should use it:

Forms > open the form > Mail > Admin > Use SMTP & API > select Mail provider > Save .

Then submit the form once and check the sender address. Forms left on PowerfulForm keep the default sender.

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❓ FAQs

Why can't I send a test email?

A failed test means the saved provider configuration is not working yet.

For SMTP, check that:

• Username / Email address contains the full address.

• Password / App password was copied exactly and contains no extra spaces.

• SMTP is the correct hostname for the provider.

• Port matches Mail encryption — commonly 465 with SSL or 587 with TLS.

• Mail encryption matches the value required by the provider.

For an email API, confirm that the key was copied exactly, has permission to send, and has not been revoked. Verify the sender address or domain with the provider, and make sure values such as Region match the provider account.

If the values are correct and the test still fails, use the exact error message when you contact support.

Which providers may require an app password?

Gmail, Google Workspace, Outlook, Hotmail, Yahoo Mail and iCloud Mail may require a provider-generated app password instead of your normal account password, especially when two-step verification is enabled. Follow your provider's current security instructions.

Can I use a free Gmail account?

Yes. Turn on 2-Step Verification, generate a Google app password, and use that app password in Password / App password.

What's the difference between SSL and TLS?

Both encrypt the connection to your mail server. Port 465 is commonly paired with SSL and port 587 with TLS. Use the port and encryption combination specified by your email provider.

Is SMTP required?

No. Leave Provider on PowerfulForm email (default) and keep Use SMTP & API on PowerfulForm in the form when you want the app to send through its own service.

What common errors mean

Authentication failed / invalid login

The username or password is wrong. Google requires an app password. Outlook may require one when two-step verification is enabled. For another provider, try the full email address as the username rather than only the part before @.

Invalid API key / unauthorized

The key was mistyped, revoked or created without permission to send. Generate a fresh key with sending permission and paste it again, checking for an extra space.

Sender address not verified / domain not allowed

The provider will not send from the address in From email. Verify that address or its domain in the provider dashboard, or turn off Send mail from another email.

Connection timed out or refused

The host, port or encryption is wrong. Check the provider's SMTP documentation and confirm that the port matches the encryption method.

Region mismatch (Amazon SES)

The selected Region does not match the region where the SES identity is verified. Use the region shown in the Amazon SES console.

Next steps

• Admin email notification — choose who receives the submission email.

• Create app password for Gmail SMTP — generate the password Google requires.

• Customer autoresponder — send a confirmation to the customer.

• Not receiving admin emails — troubleshoot a notification that does not arrive.

• Email sending limits — understand what your plan allows.