---
title: Configuring an SMTP Notification Publisher instance
description: Set up an instance of the SMTP Notification Publisher for PingFederate to notify administrators and end users about various events. You can configure multiple instances, each with different settings as needed.
component: pingfederate
version: 12.3
page_id: pingfederate:administrators_reference_guide:help_notificationsendermanagementstate_configureauthnadapterstate_smtp
canonical_url: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingfederate/13.1/administrators_reference_guide/help_notificationsendermanagementstate_configureauthnadapterstate_smtp.html
llms_txt: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingfederate/llms.txt
docs_for_agents: https://developer.pingidentity.com/build-with-ai/docs-for-agents.md
revdate: September 26, 2023
superseded_by: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingfederate/13.1/administrators_reference_guide/help_notificationsendermanagementstate_configureauthnadapterstate_smtp.html
section_ids:
  steps: Steps
  next-steps: Next steps
---

# Configuring an SMTP Notification Publisher instance

Set up an instance of the SMTP Notification Publisher for PingFederate to notify administrators and end users about various events. You can configure multiple instances, each with different settings as needed.

## Steps

1. On the **Instance Configuration** tab, provide the required information or update any default or previously configured setting values.

   For more information about each field, refer to the following table.

   | Field                                                                              | Description                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
   | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
   | **From Address** (Required)                                                        | The email address that appears in the "From" header line in email messages generated by PingFederate. The address needs a valid format but doesn't need to be set up on your system.                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
   | **Sender Name**                                                                    | The sender name displayed in email messages generated by PingFederate.Sender name can't exceed 256 characters.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
   | **Email Server** (Required)                                                        | The IP address or host name of your email server.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
   | **SMTP Port**                                                                      | The SMTP port on your email server.The default value is `25`.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
   | **Encryption Method**                                                              | Select **SSL/TLS** to establish a secure connection to the email server at the SMTPS port.Select **STARTTLS** to establish an unencrypted connection to the email server at the SMTP port and initiate a secure channel afterward.Select **None**, the default value, to establish an unencrypted connection to the email server at the SMTP port.                                                      |
   | **SMTPS Port**                                                                     | The secure SMTP port on your email server. Not applicable unless **SSL/TLS** is the chosen encryption method.The default value is `465`.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
   | **Verify Hostname**                                                                | Indicates whether to verify the host name of the email server matches the `Subject (CN)` or one of the `Subject Alternative Names` from the certificate. Not applicable unless either **SSL/TLS** or **STARTTLS** is the chosen encryption method.This checkbox is selected by default.                                                                                                                 |
   | **UTF-8 Message Header Support**                                                   | Indicates whether the email server supports UTF-8 encoding in message headers; for example, in the recipient email address. Enable this option only if your email server supports this feature.With this option enabled, PingFederate supports UTF-8 characters in the sender and recipient email addresses. It does not support emojis in the domain portion of the email address.                     |
   | **Username**                                                                       | The username for the SMTP server.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
   | **Password**                                                                       | The password for the SMTP server.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
   | **Test Address**                                                                   | Enter an email address PingFederate should use to verify connectivity with the configured email server.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
   | Click **Show Advanced Fields** to review the following settings. Modify as needed. |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
   | **Connection Timeout**                                                             | The amount of time in seconds that PingFederate waits before it times out connecting to the SMTP server.The default value is `30`.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
   | **Enable SMTP Debugging Messages**                                                 | Turns on detailed error messages for the PingFederate server log to help troubleshoot SMTP issues.

This setting is disabled by default. When enabled, PingFederate logs email messages, which can contain sensitive information, to the server log. Consider enabling debug messages solely for troubleshooting purposes and disabling this option when debug messages are no longer required. |

2. Click **Next**.

## Next steps

You can modify email-notification template files to suit the particular branding requirements. Learn more in [Customizable email notifications](pf_customiz_email_notificat.html).