> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://www.towbar.dev/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Email (SMTP)

> Connect an SMTP server, add recipients, and test operational and account email.

Towbar uses one SMTP connection for operational notifications and account messages such as invitations, password resets, and email-change confirmation. The connection belongs in the protected control-plane YAML file; operational recipients are managed in the dashboard.

## Prepare an SMTP account

Get a public SMTP hostname, port, sender address, and credentials from your mail provider. Authorize the sender identity with that provider and confirm that the account can send to the intended recipients. Towbar rejects SMTP hosts that resolve to private or reserved addresses. Choose the provider's TLS mode: for a provider that offers STARTTLS on port 587, use `secure: false`; for implicit TLS on port 465, use `secure: true`.

```yaml title="/etc/towbar/towbar.yml" theme={"system"}
notifications:
  enabled: true
  providers:
    smtp:
      from: towbar@example.com
      host: smtp.example.com
      port: 587
      secure: false
      username: towbar
      password: "<smtp-password>"
  routes: []
```

Run `sudo towbar config validate`, then `sudo towbar restart`. Open **Manage → Notifications → Email**. The destination controls appear only when SMTP is configured.

## Add and test a recipient

Choose **Add email**, enter an operational recipient, and select its **Deployments**, **Backup & Restore**, and **Alerts & Incidents** subscriptions. Preview events follow Deployments. Checkbox changes save immediately. Use the test action on that row and confirm that the provider accepted the sample message; then check the recipient mailbox. Account messages go to the affected account independently of this operational destination list.

If testing fails, check the sender identity, SMTP authentication, TLS mode, host resolution, and the [delivery result](/docs/integrations/notifications#delivery-history). A provider acceptance does not guarantee inbox placement. Rotate a credential in YAML, validate and restart, send a test message, and only then revoke the previous credential.

<div className="towbar-doc-screenshot">
  <div className="towbar-product-light">
    <img src="https://mintcdn.com/avgeek/EgLPXnoUAEgajpP9/assets/release-v2/email-notifications-light.jpg?fit=max&auto=format&n=EgLPXnoUAEgajpP9&q=85&s=4fd0ddf6a69f8e84ab3d7a56c567a4f2" alt="Email notification destinations and category subscriptions in Towbar." width="2560" height="1440" loading="lazy" data-path="assets/release-v2/email-notifications-light.jpg" />
  </div>

  <div className="towbar-product-dark">
    <img src="https://mintcdn.com/avgeek/EgLPXnoUAEgajpP9/assets/release-v2/email-notifications-dark.jpg?fit=max&auto=format&n=EgLPXnoUAEgajpP9&q=85&s=9eeb90794f43edde0e32e8746e9b4bf7" alt="Email notification destinations and category subscriptions in Towbar." width="2560" height="1440" loading="lazy" data-path="assets/release-v2/email-notifications-dark.jpg" />
  </div>

  <p>
    Email destinations and their category subscriptions appear here once SMTP is
    configured.
  </p>
</div>