SMTP
Warning
This guide is not for using StartOS as an email server. It is for granting StartOS the simple ability to send emails through a 3rd party SMTP server.
Use Case
Adding SMTP credentials to StartOS makes it possible for certain services to send email notifications. Many services, such as NextCloud, Vaultwarden, Gitea, and others expect to send emails and require SMTP credentials to send them.
Getting SMTP Credentials
The guides below are for using Gmail, Amazon SES, or Proton Mail for SMTP, but you may also use another third party provider of your choice.
-
Access your Google 2-step verification settings: https://myaccount.google.com/signinoptions/two-step-verification.
-
Enable 2-Step verification if not already.
-
Under “App Passwords” (bottom), add a new App Password.
-
Choose a name for the new App Password. You may call it anything, such as “SMTP”, then click “Create”.
-
A random 16-character password will be created and shown to you. This is your app password. Save it somewhere secure, such as your Vaultwarden password manager, then click “Done”.
-
Now you can use this SMTP account for any service that has the capability to send an email. The table below shows all the details you may need:
Parameter Value Host smtp.gmail.com Port 587 Encryption TLS Username your-username@gmail.com Password your App Password (from above)
Configuring StartOS
-
Navigate to
System > SMTP -
Enter your SMTP credentials and hit “Save”.
-
On the same page, send yourself a test email. Remember to check your spam folder. If the email goes to spam, mark it as not spam.
-
For each service you want to use the credentials to send emails, go to the dashboard of that service, click “Actions”, and locate the relevant action.