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Configure SMTP in a self-hosted Discourse installation by editing /var/discourse/containers/app.yml, adding the provider’s SMTP hostname, port, credentials and TLS mode under env, then recreating or rebuilding the app container. Port 587 with STARTTLS is the usual authenticated submission choice; port 465 uses implicit TLS and needs a different Discourse setting. After the container reloads, test delivery and check both Discourse’s email log and the provider’s response.
What Discourse SMTP settings control
SMTP is the outbound mail connection Discourse uses to validate new accounts and send notifications. In the standard self-hosted Docker installation, these settings are injected into the application container as environment variables. They are not entered in a separate mail-server configuration file inside the running container.
The Discourse template describes DISCOURSE_SMTP_ADDRESS as “The SMTP mail server used to validate new accounts and send notifications.” The actual hostname, credentials, port and encryption requirements come from your SMTP provider.
Before you edit the container
Have the following information ready from the SMTP service you intend to use:
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- The SMTP hostname, such as the provider’s submission server name.
- The required submission port and whether that port expects STARTTLS or implicit TLS.
- The SMTP username and password, if authentication is required.
- Any required sending domain or provider-specific OpenSSL verification setting.
- A sender address that the provider permits for the authenticated account.
For a new community, Discourse support advice generally favors using an established SMTP service instead of operating a mail server yourself. A hosted service normally handles delivery reputation, queueing and provider-side rejection details that you would otherwise have to operate and monitor.
Where to put the settings
On a conventional Docker-based installation, open:
/var/discourse/containers/app.ymlFind the existing env: section. Add or update the SMTP variables at the same indentation level as the other environment entries. YAML indentation matters: use spaces, not tabs, and keep each variable beneath env:.
Minimal authenticated STARTTLS example
env:
DISCOURSE_SMTP_ADDRESS: smtp.example.com
DISCOURSE_SMTP_PORT: 587
DISCOURSE_SMTP_USER_NAME: user@example.com
DISCOURSE_SMTP_PASSWORD: "replace-with-secret"
DISCOURSE_SMTP_ENABLE_START_TLS: trueReplace every example value with the values issued by your provider. Quoting the password is prudent when it contains YAML-sensitive characters such as :, #, braces or leading special characters.
What each variable does
| Variable | Purpose | What to enter |
|---|---|---|
DISCOURSE_SMTP_ADDRESS |
SMTP server hostname | The provider’s current SMTP host; this is the required address in the Discourse template. |
DISCOURSE_SMTP_PORT |
TCP submission port | The port specified by the provider. Port 587 is a common authenticated choice. |
DISCOURSE_SMTP_USER_NAME |
SMTP login name | The provider-issued username, often an email address but not always. |
DISCOURSE_SMTP_PASSWORD |
SMTP login secret | The password, token or other credential required by the provider. |
DISCOURSE_SMTP_ENABLE_START_TLS |
Whether to upgrade the connection with STARTTLS | true when the selected port expects STARTTLS; follow the provider’s instructions. |
DISCOURSE_SMTP_FORCE_TLS |
Forces TLS from the beginning of the connection | Set to true for implicit-TLS configurations such as port 465 when the provider requires it. |
DISCOURSE_SMTP_DOMAIN |
Optional SMTP domain value | Only when the provider requires it; do not add a guessed domain. |
DISCOURSE_SMTP_OPENSSL_VERIFY_MODE |
Provider-specific certificate verification behavior | Only the value documented by the provider for your connection. |
Discourse’s defaults are port 25, plain SMTP authentication and STARTTLS enabled. Authentication is used when a username or password is present. Those defaults do not mean port 25 is the right choice for your service; submission providers commonly require another port.
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Choose the correct port and encryption mode
| Port | Encryption model | Typical Discourse treatment | When to use it |
|---|---|---|---|
| 587 | STARTTLS upgrade | Set DISCOURSE_SMTP_PORT: 587 and normally keep DISCOURSE_SMTP_ENABLE_START_TLS: true. |
The usual authenticated submission option when the provider supports STARTTLS. |
| 465 | Implicit TLS from connection start | Use the provider’s required port and set DISCOURSE_SMTP_FORCE_TLS: true according to Discourse troubleshooting guidance. |
Only when the provider explicitly documents implicit TLS on 465. |
| 2525 | Provider-defined submission mode | Use the provider’s specified TLS setting; the port can be an alternate when standard submission ports are blocked. | A fallback submission port offered by some providers. |
| 25 | Default SMTP port in Discourse | Discourse defaults to 25, but the provider may not permit authenticated submission there. | Only when your provider specifically supports it and your host network allows it. |
Do not combine STARTTLS and implicit TLS settings by guesswork. Port 587 generally begins unencrypted and upgrades with STARTTLS; port 465 generally negotiates TLS immediately. A mismatch can produce connection resets, handshake errors or authentication failures that look like bad credentials.
Step-by-step: configure SMTP in app.yml
- Connect to the Discourse host. Use an account that can edit files under
/var/discourseand manage the application container. - Open the container configuration. Edit
/var/discourse/containers/app.ymlwith your preferred terminal editor. - Locate
env:. Keep the SMTP entries inside that mapping and preserve the file’s existing YAML structure. - Enter the provider hostname. Set
DISCOURSE_SMTP_ADDRESSto the exact SMTP server name supplied by the provider, not the webmail URL. - Set the submission port. Use 587 for a STARTTLS service, 465 for a provider that documents implicit TLS, or 2525 when the provider offers it as an alternate.
- Add credentials when required. Set
DISCOURSE_SMTP_USER_NAMEandDISCOURSE_SMTP_PASSWORD. If the provider uses an API-generated SMTP token, enter that token as the password. - Set TLS options to match the port. Keep
DISCOURSE_SMTP_ENABLE_START_TLS: truefor STARTTLS. For implicit TLS on port 465, addDISCOURSE_SMTP_FORCE_TLS: trueas directed by the provider. - Add provider-specific values only when documented. Some services require
DISCOURSE_SMTP_DOMAINor a particularDISCOURSE_SMTP_OPENSSL_VERIFY_MODE. Copy the current provider value rather than inventing one. - Save and inspect the YAML. Check indentation, spelling, quotation marks and whether a duplicate variable later in the file would override your intended value.
Apply the new environment variables
Editing app.yml does not by itself change the environment of an already-created container. From the Discourse directory, recreate the application container:
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
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./launcher destroy app
./launcher start appA simple restart may leave the old environment in place. If your maintenance plan calls for a rebuild, Discourse also documents this application path:
cd /var/discourse
./launcher rebuild appChoose recreation or rebuild according to your normal change procedure and maintenance window. The important requirement is that the app container be recreated or rebuilt so it receives the edited values.
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- 【Plug and play】: This mouse and keyboard pad is powered by USB, plug and play, no driver required. One button control light modes. Press one time to change the lighting mode, press twice to change the brightness, press and hold about 3 seconds turn ON/OFF.
Set a sender address the provider will accept
Successful SMTP login does not guarantee that a message will be accepted. Some services require the message’s From address to match the authenticated mailbox or a sender identity verified with that service.
In Discourse, the notification sender is controlled by the SiteSetting.notification_email setting. If the provider rejects mail after authentication succeeds, set this value to an address permitted by the provider—often the same mailbox used as the SMTP username—and then send another test. A sender-domain verification requirement is separate from the SMTP password: the provider may require both an authenticated account and an approved domain or mailbox.
Verify delivery after the change
- Use Discourse’s email test or trigger a notification that should be sent to an address you can inspect.
- Check whether Discourse records a successful handoff or an error in its email logs.
- Inspect the SMTP provider’s activity, rejection or bounce information when available.
- Confirm receipt, including the recipient’s spam or quarantine folder. A successful SMTP handoff means the provider accepted the message; it does not guarantee inbox placement.
Record the exact error text rather than relying on a generic “email failed” message. The distinction between DNS failure, a refused TCP connection, a TLS handshake error, authentication rejection and a sender-policy rejection determines the next fix.
Troubleshoot in a predictable order
1. The hostname cannot be reached or resolved
From the Discourse host, confirm that the SMTP hostname resolves. A typo in DISCOURSE_SMTP_ADDRESS, a local DNS problem or a provider hostname that has changed will prevent a connection before authentication begins. Correct the hostname, recreate the container and test again.
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2. The connection is refused or times out
Verify the provider’s required port and whether outbound traffic on that port is allowed by your host, cloud firewall or network policy. Do not assume port 25 is usable simply because it is Discourse’s default. If the provider offers 2525, try that alternate submission port when a standard port is blocked.
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3. TLS negotiation fails
Match the encryption mode to the port. For 587, use STARTTLS. For 465, use implicit TLS and the provider-required DISCOURSE_SMTP_FORCE_TLS: true. Check any provider instruction for DISCOURSE_SMTP_OPENSSL_VERIFY_MODE; changing certificate verification without a documented reason can hide a certificate or hostname problem.
4. Authentication is rejected
Re-enter the username and password or SMTP token exactly as issued. Confirm that the provider allows SMTP authentication for the account and that the credential has not expired or been revoked. If the service requires a domain value, add the documented DISCOURSE_SMTP_DOMAIN and recreate the container afterward.
5. Login succeeds but the message is rejected
Check the sender policy first. Set SiteSetting.notification_email to the authenticated mailbox or another sender identity explicitly permitted by the provider. Review the provider’s rejection text for an unverified domain, disallowed sender or policy restriction.
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6. Changes appear to have no effect
Confirm that you edited /var/discourse/containers/app.yml, not a temporary file or a different Discourse installation. Then recreate or rebuild the app container. A restart alone may continue using the previous environment values. After the operation completes, generate a new test rather than judging from an earlier failed message.
How to evaluate an SMTP provider
The lowest advertised price is not enough to determine whether a service is suitable for a community forum. Compare the operational characteristics that affect registration emails, password resets and notifications:
| Evaluation area | Questions to answer |
|---|---|
| Delivery reputation | How does the service protect sending reputation, and what controls exist when recipients mark mail as spam? |
| Authentication | Does it use a password, token or another SMTP credential, and does it require a specific domain value? |
| Ports and TLS | Are 587/STARTTLS, 465/implicit TLS or 2525 available, and which mode is documented for each? |
| Sender verification | Must the authenticated mailbox, domain or both be verified before mail is accepted? |
| Logs and bounces | Can you see accepted, rejected, bounced and deferred messages with useful error details? |
| Regional availability | Are signup, sending and support available in the jurisdictions where your forum operates? |
| Cost structure | Is pricing based on monthly volume, recipients, features or a recurring minimum, and can it change as the forum grows? |
Amazon SES is one example that appears in Discourse configuration discussions, but the same checks apply to any provider. Use the service’s current documentation for exact hostnames, ports, TLS requirements and sender-verification rules.
Quick Recap
Operational and security practices
- Restrict access to
app.yml; it contains an SMTP credential in plain configuration text. - Use a mailbox or sending identity dedicated to forum notifications rather than a personal inbox.
- Rotate the SMTP password or token at the provider and update
app.ymlwhen credentials change. - Keep a record of the selected port and TLS mode so a future administrator does not “fix” a working setup by mixing 587 and 465 conventions.
- Monitor Discourse email logs and provider rejection or bounce reports after major forum changes.
- When changing any SMTP value, recreate or rebuild the application container and perform a fresh delivery test.
Quick configuration checklist
DISCOURSE_SMTP_ADDRESSis the provider’s SMTP hostname.DISCOURSE_SMTP_PORTmatches the provider’s submission service.- STARTTLS is enabled for a STARTTLS port, or forced TLS is enabled for documented implicit TLS.
- Username, password or token and any required domain are correct.
app.ymlis valid YAML and the values are underenv:.- The
appcontainer was recreated or rebuilt after editing. SiteSetting.notification_emailuses an accepted sender address.- A new test message was checked in Discourse logs and at the provider.
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