---
title: "Email"
description: "How to configure your email when self-hosting Infisical."
---

Infisical requires you to configure your own SMTP server for certain functionality like:

- Sending email confirmation links to sign up.
- Sending invite links for projects.
- Sending alerts.

We strongly recommend using an email service to act as your email server and provide examples for common providers.

## General configuration

By default, you need to configure the following SMTP [environment variables](https://infisical.com/docs/self-hosting/configuration/envars):

- `SMTP_HOST`: Hostname to connect to for establishing SMTP connections.
- `SMTP_USERNAME`: Credential to connect to host (e.g. team@infisical.com)
- `SMTP_PASSWORD`: Credential to connect to host.
- `SMTP_PORT`: Port to connect to for establishing SMTP connections.
- `SMTP_SECURE`: If `true`, the connection will use TLS when connecting to server with special configs for SendGrid and Mailgun. If `false` (the default) then TLS is used if server supports the STARTTLS extension.
- `SMTP_FROM_ADDRESS`: Email address to be used for sending emails (e.g. team@infisical.com).
- `SMTP_FROM_NAME`: Name label to be used in `From` field (e.g. Team).

Below you will find details on how to configure common email providers (not in any particular order).

<AccordionGroup>
<Accordion title="Twilio SendGrid">

1. Create an account and configure [SendGrid](https://sendgrid.com) to send emails.
2. Create a SendGrid API Key under Settings > [API Keys](https://app.sendgrid.com/settings/api_keys)
3. Set a name for your API Key, we recommend using "Infisical," and select the "Restricted Key" option. You will need to enable the "Mail Send" permission as shown below:

![creating sendgrid api key](../../images/email-sendgrid-create-key.png)

![setting sendgrid api key restriction](../../images/email-sendgrid-restrictions.png)

4. With the API Key, you can now set your SMTP environment variables:

```
SMTP_HOST=smtp.sendgrid.net
SMTP_USERNAME=apikey
SMTP_PASSWORD=SG.rqFsfjxYPiqE1lqZTgD_lz7x8IVLx # your SendGrid API Key from step above
SMTP_PORT=587
SMTP_SECURE=true
SMTP_FROM_ADDRESS=hey@example.com # your email address being used to send out emails
SMTP_FROM_NAME=Infisical
```

  <Info>
    Remember that you will need to restart Infisical for this to work properly.
  </Info>
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Mailgun">

1. Create an account and configure [Mailgun](https://www.mailgun.com) to send emails.
2. Obtain your Mailgun credentials in Sending > Overview > SMTP

![obtain mailhog api key estriction](../../images/email-mailhog-credentials.png)

3. With your Mailgun credentials, you can now set up your SMTP environment variables:

```
SMTP_HOST=smtp.mailgun.org # obtained from credentials page
SMTP_USERNAME=postmaster@example.mailgun.org # obtained from credentials page
SMTP_PASSWORD=password # obtained from credentials page
SMTP_PORT=587
SMTP_SECURE=true
SMTP_FROM_ADDRESS=hey@example.com # your email address being used to send out emails
SMTP_FROM_NAME=Infisical
```

</Accordion>

<Accordion title="AWS SES">

1. Create an account and [configure AWS SES](https://aws.amazon.com/premiumsupport/knowledge-center/ses-set-up-connect-smtp/) to send emails in the Amazon SES console.
2. Create an IAM user for SMTP authentication and obtain SMTP credentials in SMTP settings > Create SMTP credentials

![opening AWS SES console](../../images/email-aws-ses-console.png)

![creating AWS IAM SES user](../../images/email-aws-ses-user.png)

3. With your AWS SES SMTP credentials, you can now set up your SMTP environment variables:

```
SMTP_HOST=email-smtp.ap-northeast-1.amazonaws.com # SMTP endpoint obtained from SMTP settings
SMTP_USERNAME=xxx # your SMTP username
SMTP_PASSWORD=xxx # your SMTP password
SMTP_PORT=587
SMTP_SECURE=true
SMTP_FROM_ADDRESS=hey@example.com # your email address being used to send out emails
SMTP_FROM_NAME=Infisical
```

<Info>
  Remember that you will need to restart Infisical for this to work properly.
</Info>
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="SocketLabs">

1. Create an account and configure [SocketLabs](https://www.socketlabs.com/) to send emails.
2. From the dashboard, navigate to SMTP Credentials > SMTP & APIs > SMTP Credentials to obtain your SocketLabs SMTP credentials.

![opening SocketLabs dashboard](../../images/email-socketlabs-dashboard.png)

![obtaining SocketLabs credentials](../../images/email-socketlabs-credentials.png)

3. With your SocketLabs SMTP credentials, you can now set up your SMTP environment variables:

```
SMTP_HOST=smtp.socketlabs.com
SMTP_USERNAME=username # obtained from your credentials
SMTP_PASSWORD=password # obtained from your credentials
SMTP_PORT=587
SMTP_SECURE=true
SMTP_FROM_ADDRESS=hey@example.com # your email address being used to send out emails
SMTP_FROM_NAME=Infisical
```

<Note>
  The `SMTP_FROM_ADDRESS` environment variable should be an email for an
  authenticated domain under Configuration > Domain Management in SocketLabs.
  For example, if you're using SocketLabs in sandbox mode, then you may use an
  email like `team@sandbox.socketlabs.dev`.
</Note>

![SocketLabs domain management](../../images/email-socketlabs-domains.png)

<Info>
  Remember that you will need to restart Infisical for this to work properly.
</Info>
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Zoho Mail">

1. Create an account and configure [Zoho Mail](https://www.zoho.com/mail/) to send emails.

2. With your email credentials, you can now set up your SMTP environment variables:

```
SMTP_HOST=smtp.zoho.com
SMTP_USERNAME=username # your email
SMTP_PASSWORD=password # your password
SMTP_PORT=587
SMTP_SECURE=true
SMTP_FROM_ADDRESS=hey@example.com # your personal Zoho email or domain-based email linked to Zoho Mail
SMTP_FROM_NAME=Infisical
```

<Note>
  You can use either your personal Zoho email address like `you@zohomail.com` or
  a domain-based email address like `you@yourdomain.com`. If using a
  domain-based email address, then please make sure that you've configured and
  verified it with Zoho Mail.
</Note>

<Info>
  Remember that you will need to restart Infisical for this to work properly.
</Info>
</Accordion>

</AccordionGroup>
