---
title: Configure email server
slug: cms-12/docs/configuring-your-email-server
docTags: 
createdAt: 2026-08-10T15:55:58.000Z
---

For Optimizely Content Management System (CMS) to send out email notifications (for example, to users who are working with projects or content approvals), or if you are using [Forms](docId:3SbSlJZIS_3iFmghfQA3J) and want to send emails from form postings, you need to configure your email server.

:::hint{type="info"}
**Note**
If you are using Optimizely Digital Experience Platform  (DXP), see [Configure the email server](/digital-experience-platform/v1.2.0-dxp-cloud-services/docs/configuring-the-email-server) for information on how to configure the email server for your websites.
:::

Specify an SMTP server endpoint that is reachable from the site and can send emails using the specified from-address. The from-address is only used as a fallback and can be overridden by, for example, notifications, forms, or other features using the SMTP functionality built into .NET.

Configure settings in `appSettings.json`:

```json
{
  "EPiServer": {
    "CMS": {
      "Smtp": {
        "DeliveryMethod": "Network",
        "Network": {
          "Host": "smtp.example.com",
          "Port": "25",
          "UserName": "user name",
          "Password": "password",
          "UseSsl": "true/false"
        },
        "SpecifiedPickupDirectory": "Pickup directory to place email files in"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

## Default sender for notifications (optional)

Default settings for the sender in Optimizely notifications can be configured as follows: specify an email address and display name to be used in, for example, project or content approval notifications to editors. These are defaults. A notification can override these defaults with a custom sender. If `NotificationEmailAddress` is not specified, the from-attribute on the email settings described above is used; if no address is found, sending notifications to users is impossible.

```json
{
  "EPiServer": {
    "Cms": {
      "Notification": {
        "NotificationEmailAddress": "System default email address for notification emails.",
        "NotificationEmailDisplayName": "System default sender name for no notification emails. default value is Optimizely"
      }
    }
  }
}
```