WordPress Emails Going to Spam? How to Fix It & Improve Deliverability (Complete Guide)

If your WordPress emails are being sent but keep landing in the spam or junk folder, you’re not alone. This is one of the most frustrating WordPress issues because everything looks fine – yet users never see your emails.

Whether it’s:

• Contact form notifications

• WooCommerce order emails

• Password reset emails

• User registration emails

If they land in spam, your website loses trust, conversions, and credibility.

In this complete guide, you’ll learn:

• Why WordPress emails going to spam

• How email providers judge your site

• Step‑by‑step fixes (beginner‑friendly)

• How to prevent this issue long‑term

No technical jargon. No risky steps. Let’s fix it properly.

Why WordPress Emails Go to Spam (The Real Reason)

WordPress sends emails using the default PHP mail() function.
This is the core problem.

What’s Wrong With PHP Mail?

• No proper authentication

• No sender reputation

• No verification headers

• Shared hosting IPs are often abused

Email providers like Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo don’t trust these emails.

So even if the email is delivered, it’s flagged as:

“Unverified sender” → Spam folder

How Email Providers Decide Spam vs Inbox

Email services check four main things:

1. Sender Authentication

They look for:

• SPF

• DKIM

• DMARC

Without these, emails look suspicious.

2. From Address Mismatch

If your email says:
From: admin@gmail.com
Sent from: yourwebsite.com

That’s a red flag.

3. Server Reputation

Shared hosting servers often send:

• Bulk emails

• Spam from other sites

You suffer even if you did nothing wrong.

4. Email Content

Too many:

• Links

• Images

• Promotional phrases

Can also trigger spam filters.

Signs Your WordPress Emails Are Going to Spam

You might notice:

• Contact form emails never appear

• WooCommerce customers say they didn’t get order emails

• Password reset emails missing

• Emails appear only in spam/junk folder

If emails send but aren’t seen, it’s a deliverability issue – not a sending issue.

(If emails are not sending at all, see our guide on How to Fix WordPress Not Sending Emails )

Step 1: Use a Proper From Email Address (Very Important)

Never use:
admin@gmail.com
info@yahoo.com

Correct Format:

Why?

• Matches your domain

• Builds trust with mail servers

• Reduces spam flags instantly

Update this in:

• WordPress settings

• Contact form plugin

• WooCommerce email settings

Step 2: Stop Using PHP Mail (Most Critical Fix)

PHP mail is unreliable and outdated.

What’s the Alternative?

SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol)

SMTP:

• Authenticates your emails

• Adds proper headers

• Improves deliverability massively

This single change fixes 80% of spam issues.

Step 3: Configure SMTP the Right Way

You can use SMTP via:

• Gmail

• Outlook

• Hosting email

• Dedicated email services

SMTP ensures emails are:

• Verified

• Logged

• Trusted

Once SMTP is active:

• Emails stop landing in spam

• Delivery rate improves instantly

Misconfigured SMTP can still fail – follow setup carefully.

Step 4: Add SPF, DKIM & DMARC Records

These records tell email providers:

“Yes, this server is allowed to send emails for this domain.”

What Each Record Does

• SPF → Who can send emails

• DKIM → Proves email integrity

• DMARC → Tells providers how to handle failures

Without these, emails look forged.

Most email providers give copy‑paste DNS records – no coding needed.

Step 5: Avoid Spam‑Triggering Content

Even authenticated emails can go to spam if content looks suspicious.

Avoid:

• ALL CAPS

• Too many links

• Click‑bait phrases

• Image‑only emails

Use:

• Plain language

• Balanced text‑to‑link ratio

• Clear subject lines

Good content = better inbox placement.

Step 6: Test Email Deliverability Properly

After fixes, always test:

• Gmail

• Outlook

• Yahoo

Check:

• Inbox vs spam

• Sender details

• Authentication results

Some emails may take a few hours to stabilize – that’s normal.

Step 7: Hosting Quality Matters (Underrated)

Cheap hosting = shared spammy IPs.

If your hosting:

• Blocks SMTP ports

• Has poor IP reputation

Your emails suffer no matter what.

If you’re facing multiple WordPress issues, see our guide on WordPress Admin Not Loading

How Long Until Emails Stop Going to Spam?

Usually:

• Immediate improvement after SMTP

• Full trust builds in 24–72 hours

Email reputation improves over time.

Common Mistakes That Keep Emails in Spam

Using free email as sender
Skipping DNS records
Sending bulk emails suddenly
Ignoring spam content rules

Avoid these and you’ll stay safe.