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This guide explains how to access WordPress email logs, and how to verify outgoing email delivery at the server level using cPanel.
Email delivery plays an important role in the functionality of any WordPress website. From contact form submissions and password reset requests to ecommerce order confirmations and automated system notifications, your website depends on reliable email communication to operate efficiently.
By default, WordPress uses PHP’s built-in mail() function to send messages. While this method allows basic email functionality, it does not provide logging. This means there is no way to confirm whether an email was successfully sent, delayed, rejected, or failed due to configuration issues.
Without logging enabled, troubleshooting email problems can become difficult and time-consuming. Enabling email logs allows you to verify sending activity, diagnose authentication errors, monitor delivery status, and identify potential blacklisting or spam-related issues.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
How to Access WordPress Email Logs
WordPress does not store email logs by default, meaning you must install a logging plugin.
1. Login to the Hosted.com® Client Area.
2. From the dashboard, open the Manage Services drop-down menu and choose your hosting plan.
3. On the next page, click Manage next to your domain.
4. Under Product Information, click Login next to Control Panel to access cPanel.
5. Open WordPress Manager by Softaculous.
6. Next, click Login to access the WordPress dashboard.
7. Navigate to Plugins and click Add New.
8. In the search bar, type: WP Mail Logging.
9. Click Install Now.
10. Once installation is complete, click Activate.
Alternatively, you can install an SMTP plugin which includes built-in logging functionality for more advanced diagnostics.
Access WordPress Email Logs
After activation:
1. In the WordPress dashboard, locate the newly added Email Log or plugin menu item.
2. Click to open the log interface.
You will typically see a list displaying:
- Date and time the email was sent.
- Recipient email address.
- Subject line.
- Sending status.
- Error messages (if applicable).
Click on any individual log entry to view detailed technical headers and server response messages. These logs confirm whether WordPress successfully handed the message off to the mail server.
Verify Email Delivery in cPanel
If your website sends mail through your Hosted.com® server, you can check server-level delivery tracking.
1. Login to cPanel.
2. Scroll to the Email section.
3. Click Track Delivery.
4. Enter the recipient’s email address in the search field.
5. Click Run Report.
The report will show the delivery status, such as:
- Delivered.
- Deferred.
- Failed.
- In Progress.
You will also see the SMTP response message, which provides insight into whether the receiving server accepted, delayed, or rejected the message.
Why Email Logging is Important
Accessing email logs allows you to:
- Confirm whether a message was generated and sent by your website.
- Identify SMTP authentication or configuration errors.
- Detect delivery delays, rejections, or server responses.
- Monitor outgoing email frequency and patterns.
- Troubleshoot spam filtering or domain reputation issues.
Additional Information
- Modern mail servers apply rate limiting and spam filtering rules that can temporarily delay or block outgoing email if large volumes are sent within a short time frame.
- Automated systems such as contact forms or ecommerce notifications can unintentionally trigger temporary restrictions if spam submissions occur.
- Common temporary SMTP errors include “421 Service not available” and “451 Temporary local problem”, which are classified as soft failures and usually resolve automatically after retry attempts.
- The default PHP mail() function is less reliable than authenticated SMTP and does not provide encryption or powerful error reporting.
- Configuring authenticated SMTP improves deliverability, enhances security, and provides clearer diagnostic feedback when issues occur.
- Proper DNS configuration, including valid SPF and DKIM records in cPanel, strengthens domain reputation and reduces the likelihood of messages being marked as spam.
- Reviewing both WordPress-level logs and server-level tracking reports provides a complete view of the email delivery path from your website to the recipient’s inbox.
- If email failures persist despite correct configuration, reviewing bounce messages and full email headers can help identify external blocking or blacklisting issues.
Login to Hosted.com® Account
1. Go to the Hosted.com® website Account Login page.
2. Enter your Email and Password and click the Sign In button.
3. You will see the Hosted.com® Dashboard, displaying the Manage Account menu on the left and your Account Information, Account Overview and Open Support Tickets on the right.
Login to cPanel from your Hosted.com® Dashboard
4. Click on Manage Services to view the sub-dropdown menu and select the hosting package for the domain you want to work with – in our example we are using WordPress Hosting.
5. Click the Manage button to the right of the domain name you want to access.
6. The display will now show Product Information, Quick Manage, Resource Usage and Site Statistics for that domain name.
7. Under Product Information, scroll down to Control Panel, which will display cPanel to the right, and click on the Login button.
8. The cPanel Dashboard will now be displa
