---
title: "Set up a Custom SMTP Server for 8x8 Contact Center Email Communication"
slug: "set-up-a-custom-smtp-server-for-8x8-contact-center-email-communication"
updated: 2026-04-20T15:18:18Z
published: 2026-05-21T21:25:58Z
canonical: "help.8x8.com/set-up-a-custom-smtp-server-for-8x8-contact-center-email-communication"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.8x8.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Set up a Custom SMTP Server for 8x8 Contact Center Email Communication

## Objective

Set up a custom SMTP server for email communication within 8x8 Contact Center.

## Applies To

- 8x8 Contact Center

## Procedure

8x8 offers the possibility to route email communication through pre-configured SMTP servers. However, it's also possible to configure a custom SMTP server, should this be required. The custom SMTP server must be configured with authentication and STARTTLS protocol to ensure emails are not hijacked on their way to the tenant facilities.

1. From the Configuration Menu, open **Security**.
2. Go to the **SMTP Servers** tab.
3. Click **SMTP Server**.
4. Enter the following information:

| SMTP Server Definition | Description |
| --- | --- |
| Name | Label for the SMTP server |
| Server Name | Name of the SMTP server as registered |
| Port | Specific port number that varies with the choice of connection security method (the default port for SMTP server is 25) |
| Connection Security | Preferred way to encrypt communication, using SSL/TLS or STARTTLS protocols |
| Authentication Method | Authentication method that decides how to bundle the password |
| User Name | User name is usually the email address. For example, the username for Gmail SMTP is your Gmail address. |
| Password | Password for the email address. Enter the Gmail password for your Gmail account. |
5. Enter a working email address to send a test mail. The test verifies if the SMTP server is configured correctly.
6. Click **Test** to verify the setup. If the configuration is correct, you receive a test email in the test email account.
7. Set up the SMTP server as the default server.

## Additional Information

If 8x8 Contact Center fails to deliver emails when the remote SMTP server is down or when configuration parameters are invalid, 8x8 Contact Center attempts to determine the reason for failure, and retries a few times before sending a failure notification.