If you do not prefer sending out emails from the default Post Affiliate Pro email address, you can configure your merchant account to send emails from your Gmail email address instead. This process uses the Google SMTP mail server and a Google app password.
Creating a Google App Password
First, create an app password in your Google account. In order to do that, you need 2-step verification enabled.
Log in to your Google account, navigate to the Security section, and enable the 2-step verification.
After you've activated the 2-step verification, go to the App passwords section by searching for it in the top search bar.
Type in Post Affiliate Pro as the App name (or any other name you want), click on the "Create" button, and copy the generated password.
App passwords are only shown once, and you won't be able to view them again.
Connecting Gmail Address in the Merchant Panel
After generating your new Google app password, log in to your merchant panel. Navigate to Configuration > Mail Account and fill out the configuration as follows:
Make sure to paste the Google app password exactly as it was generated, including spaces.
- Choose how emails should be sent - Send by SMTP
- From Email - your Gmail email address
- SMTP Server - smtp.gmail.com
- SMTP Port - 465
- SMTP Username - your Gmail email address
- SMTP Password - use the generated app password instead of your regular Gmail password!
- Use SMTP authentication - yes
- Authentication Method - Default
- SMTP TLP/SSL - yes
In the final step, to confirm the changes, enter your merchant account password as verification to save the configuration.
And there you have it! Now, emails sent from your Post Affiliate Pro account will be sent using your Gmail email address.
Additional Information
535 error in the mail outbox
As Google no longer allows normal password authentication for SMTP on most accounts, use the above method if you are getting such error in merchant panel > Emails > Mail outbox:
535 5.7.8 https://support.google.com/mail/?p=BadCredentials ... - gsmtp
This error means that your email credentials (even if correct) are being rejected because Google blocks "Less secure apps" which is now a deprecated feature.
What to do if "App Passwords" is not available in your Gmail account?
This can happen if:
- You don't have 2FA enabled,
- You're using a Google Workspace/GSuite account and the admin forbids it,
- You're on a work/school account that blocks this option,
- Google has fully removed the feature from new personal accounts (rare but increasing after 2023).
Alternatives:
- Use a different SMTP send service (e.g., SendGrid, Mailgun, Mailjet, etc.).
- Use your ISP's SMTP server if available.
- Use an @gmail.com account that still allows App Passwords.