---
title: Reference - SMTP server properties
---

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>
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When you define a new [SMTP server](https://docs.kentico.com/k10/configuring-kentico/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. If the connection to the server should use a different port than _25_, include it in the name. For example: _127.0.0.1:26_<br>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 e‑mail load.<br>The server with the highest priority for each website is the default SMTP server configured in **Settings -> System -> E\*\*\*\*mails**. 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 Kentico). A disabled server is skipped when outgoing emails check for available servers.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| Advanced        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
| Delivery method | The delivery method for emails sent from the system:<br>**Network –** the emails are sent directly to the SMTP server defined by the server name and credentials.<br>**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.<br>**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)](http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc772058%28v=ws.10%29.aspx). Moreover, you need to ensure that the NETWORK SERVICE group has write permissions for the defined pickup folder. |

### Delivery method - Network

| Username | If the SMTP server requires authentication, you can enter the user name here.                                                                |
| -------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Password | If the SMTP server requires authentication, you can enter the password here.                                                                 |
| Use SSL  | Indicates if the SMTP connection to the server should be secured by SSL. The server must be configured to use SSL in order for this to work. |

### Delivery method - Pickup directory

| Pickup directory | Specifies a folder on the disk, where emails will be stored until the SMTP server processes them.<br>The _IIS\_IUSRS_ group must be granted write permissions for this folder. |
| ---------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |