How to Configure gmail to send emails from moodle

Introduction

This post explains how to configure gmail and moodle, so that we can use gmail as outgoing mail server for moodle. This is required so your application can send notifications via email. Find below an example of configuring the email using a Gmail account from the Moodle Administration Panel.

Easiness

80%

Steps – Tested on moodle 3.8

Turn on less secure app access
Configure moodle
Testing configured mail server

1. Turn on less secure app access

To use gmail as a relay server we need to allow less secure app access.
Login to gmail -> Accounts -> Security and turn on the less secure app access

You will receive an email stating that Access for less secure apps settings has been turned off. You can safely ignore

2. Configure Moodle

Login to Moodle

Navigate to Dashboard –> Site Administration –> Server –> outgoing mail Configuration

Enter the following values and save

SMTP Hosts : smtp.gmail.com:587
SMTP Security: TLS
SMTP Auth Type : Login
SMTP username :
 <username>
SMTP Password :<password>

Now you have successfully configured the outgoing mail server.

3. Testing configured mail server

Login to Moodle

Navigate to Dashboard –> Site Administration –> Server –> Test outgoing mail server

Enter an test email and send a test message. You will receive a success message as follows. Now you have successfully configured outgoing mail server

Limitations of using gmail as outgoing mail server

For personal account gmail imposes a daily limit of 500 emails
Higher chances of blocking your gmail account when trying to send bulk email to users.

You can use other third party applications like Send Grid , Socket Labs to send the emails