How to Configure Email Settings in SharePoint 2013

We can use the following procedure to configure incoming e-mail by selecting the Automatic settings mode and using the default settings. After we complete the procedure, users can send e-mail to lists and libraries.

To configure incoming e-mail in a basic scenario:

  1. Verify that we have the following administrative credentials:

    • We must be a member of the Administrators group on the server that is running the SharePoint Central Administration Web site.
  2. In Central Administration, click System Settings.

  3. On the System Settings page, in the E-Mail and Text Messages (SMS) section, click Configure incoming e-mail settings.

  4. If we want to enable sites on this server to receive e-mail, on the Configure Incoming E-Mail Settings page, in the Enable Incoming E-Mail section, click Yes.

  5. Select the Automatic settings mode.

  6. In the Incoming E-Mail Server Display Address section, in the E-mail server display address box, type a display name for the e-mail server, for example, mail.fabrikam.com.

  7. Use the default settings for all other sections and then click OK.

After we configure incoming e-mail, users who have Manage Lists permissions can configure e-mail–enabled lists and document libraries.

Configure incoming e-mail in an advanced scenario

We can use the following procedure to configure incoming e-mail in an advanced scenario by selecting the Advanced settings mode and additional options that we want to use for the incoming e-mail environment. After we complete the procedure, users can send e-mail to lists and libraries.

We can also use the Automatic settings mode in an advanced scenario. In the Automatic settings mode, we can select to receive e-mail that has been routed through a safe-e-mail server application. In the Advanced settings mode, we can instead specify a drop folder.

To configure incoming e-mail in an advanced scenario:
  1. Verify that we have the following administrative credentials:

    • We must be a member of the Administrators group on the server that is running the SharePoint Central Administration Web site.

  2. In Central Administration, click System Settings.
  3. On the System Settings page, in the E-Mail and Text Messages (SMS) section, click Configure incoming e-mail settings.
  4. If we want to enable sites on this server to receive e-mail, on the Configure Incoming E-mail Settings page, in the Enable Incoming E-Mail section, click yes.
  5. Select the Advanced settings mode.
  6. If we want to connect to the Directory Management Service, in the Directory Management Service section, click Yes.
  7. If we want to use a remote Directory Management Service, select Use remote and complete the remainder of this step. Otherwise, click No and proceed to Step 8.

    If we select this option and we are using Exchange Server, we must configure the DNS Manager and add an SMTP connector. For more information, see the "Configure DNS Manager" and "Add an SMTP connector in Exchange Server 2010" sections later in this article. The AD DS has most likely already been configured, so we do not need to do this.

    • In the Directory Management Service URL box, type the URL of the Directory Management Service that we want to use. The URL is typically in the following format: http://server:adminport/_vti_bin/SharePointEmailWS.asmx.
    • In the SMTP mail server for incoming mail box, type the name of the SMTP mail server. The server name must match the FQDN in the A resource record entry for the mail server in DNS Manager on the domain server.
    • To accept messages from authenticated users only, click Yes for Accept messages from authenticated users only. Otherwise, click No.
    • To allow creation of distribution groups from SharePoint sites, click Yes for Allow creation of distribution groups from SharePoint sites. Otherwise, click No.

  8. In the Incoming E-Mail Server Display Address section, in the E-mail server display address box, type a display name for the e-mail server (for example, mail.fabrikam.com). We typically use this option together with the Directory Management Service.
  9. In the E-Mail Drop Folder section, in the E-mail drop folder box, type the name of the folder from which the Windows SharePoint Services Timer service retrieves incoming e-mail from the SMTP service. This option is available only if we selected Advanced settings mode. If we select this option, ensure that the necessary permissions are configured for the e-mail drop folder.

  10. In the Safe E-Mail Servers section, select whether we want to accept e-mail from all e-mail servers or from specific e-mail servers.

    This option is available only if we selected the Automatic settings mode.
  11. Click OK.