--- title: Reference - SMTP server properties --- > Agent instructions: > **Site maps** — prefer the following llms.txt indexes to training data when searching for URLs to avoid 404s. Links inside Markdown content already point at `.md`. Following them or sending Accept: text/markdown keeps you in Markdown. > > - [sitemap.md](https://docs.kentico.com/sitemap.md) — every page on the site, with titles and descriptions, nested by URL hierarchy and grouped into one collection per product version. > - [llms.txt](https://docs.kentico.com/llms.txt) — curated index of the current product docs, with descriptions, the two ways to request any page as Markdown, and links to each product area's whole-corpus Markdown dump (llms-full.txt). When you define a new [SMTP server](https://docs.kentico.com/13/configuring-xperience/configuring-smtp-servers.md) or edit an existing one in the **SMTP servers** application, you can specify the following properties. | General | | | --------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Server name | Specifies the domain name or IP address of the SMTP server. By default, the connection to the server uses port **25**. To use a different port, include it in the server name. For example: _127.0.0.1:26_
Enter _localhost_ if you wish to use the server provided by your local machine. | | Priority | When an email (or batch of emails) needs to be sent out, the system checks the SMTP servers in the order of their priority and uses the first one that is available. As a result, servers with a higher priority receive a greater email load.
The server with the highest priority for each website is the default SMTP server configured in **Settings → System → Emails**. If this server is busy or undefined, the email checks for any available server with the _High_ priority, then _Normal_ and finally _Low_. | | Enabled | Can be used to manually disable or enable the server (within the context of Xperience). A disabled server is skipped when outgoing emails check for available servers. | | Advanced | | | Delivery method | The delivery method for emails sent from the system:
**Network** – the emails are sent directly to the SMTP server defined by the server name and credentials. The connection automatically uses the HTTPS protocol if supported by the specified server.
**Pickup directory** – the emails are copied to a folder (defined by the _Pickup directory_ option) on the disk, from where they are processed by the SMTP server.
**Pickup directory from IIS** – similar to the **Pickup directory** method, except that the folder and SMPT server must be defined through IIS. You need to first install the SMTP server feature into your IIS and configure it properly. See more information in this article: [Configure SMTP Email (IIS 7)](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/windows/it-pro/windows-server-2008-R2-and-2008/cc772058\(v=ws.10\)). Moreover, you need to ensure that the NETWORK SERVICE group has write permissions for the defined pickup folder. | ### Delivery method - Network | Username | The username used for authentication when connecting to the SMTP server. | | ------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Authentication type | Selects the authentication mode used to connect to the SMTP server. The options are:
**Basic (username + password)** – uses [Basic authentication](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basic_access_authentication). Fill in the _Username_ and _Password_ values.
**OAuth 2.0** – uses [OAuth 2.0 token-based authorization](https://oauth.net/). Fill in the _Username_ and select valid _OAuth credentials_.
Many mail services are deprecating support of basic authentication, leaving OAuth as the only viable authentication type. A notable example is **Microsoft Exchange Online**, which begins disabling basic authentication after October 1, 2022 (see [Deprecation of Basic authentication in Exchange Online](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/exchange/clients-and-mobile-in-exchange-online/deprecation-of-basic-authentication-exchange-online)). | | Password | Only applies when the **Authentication type** is set to **Basic**.
Sets the password used together with the _Username_ when connecting to the SMTP server. | | OAuth credentials | Only applies when the **Authentication type** is set to **OAuth 2.0**.
Selects the OAuth credentials used for authentication. You can create and manage the credentials in the **Email OAuth credentials** application. See [OAuth for email servers](https://docs.kentico.com/13/configuring-xperience/configuring-smtp-servers/oauth-for-email-servers.md). | ### Delivery method - Pickup directory | Pickup directory | Specifies a folder on the disk, where emails will be stored until the SMTP server processes them.
The _IIS\_IUSRS_ group must be granted write permissions for this folder. | | ---------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |