SMTP Amazon SES (by ROBOTSTXT) WP Registry grade A. No security issues foundWP RegistryNo security issues foundOpen the reportA git.robotstxt.es #9 in Email & Notifications

This private add-on connects the ROBOTSTXT SMTP plugin with Amazon Simple Email Service (SES).

Description

SMTP Amazon SES (by ROBOTSTXT) extends the core ROBOTSTXT SMTP plugin with a first-class Amazon SES transport. Configure the IAM credentials and region once to deliver transactional email securely and reliably through your AWS account. The extension keeps the familiar SMTP plugin interface while enforcing WordPress security best practices, validating credentials, and handling mail routing transparently.

Key features

• Authenticate with IAM access and secret keys managed securely inside WordPress.
• Select from all supported Amazon SES regions with automatic discovery of newly available endpoints.
• Send mail using the AWS SDK while preserving the original message structure, headers, and attachments.
• Re-use the ROBOTSTXT SMTP logging tools to audit delivered messages.

Installation

1. Upload the plugin files to the /wp-content/plugins/ directory or install the ZIP package via the WordPress admin.
2. Activate the plugin through the Plugins screen. The base SMTP (by ROBOTSTXT) plugin must remain active.
3. Navigate to SMTP (by ROBOTSTXT) → Settings and choose the Amazon SES integration.
4. Provide the IAM access key, secret key, and select your Amazon SES region. Save the settings to verify your credentials.
5. Send a test email from the SMTP settings page to confirm successful delivery.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need the base SMTP plugin?

Yes. This add-on depends on the core SMTP (by ROBOTSTXT) plugin for the settings interface, logging, and overall mail routing logic. If the base plugin is missing or inactive, this add-on will show an admin notice and will not run.

Are my credentials validated?

The plugin validates Amazon SES credentials during saving to prevent misconfigurations. Only definitive authentication errors (invalid access key or secret) will block saving. If the IAM user lacks the ses:GetAccount permission or there is a network issue, the credentials are still saved and will be used for sending.

Does the plugin support multisite?

Yes. Network administrators can manage credentials centrally or allow individual sites to configure their own Amazon SES connection.

How do I get updates for this plugin?

Updates are delivered through the Manager (by ROBOTSTXT) plugin. The main SMTP (by ROBOTSTXT) plugin shows a notice when it is not installed and active: Manager (by ROBOTSTXT).

Compatibility

• WordPress: 5.7 - 7.1
• PHP: 8.2 - 8.5

Changelog

Only the 3 last versions. The full changelog will be at changelog.txt

2.1.9

Release date: 2026-09-01

Fixed

• Emails were aborted when a recipient or Reply-To header used the combined "Name " form — for example WooCommerce admin "New order" notifications carrying Reply-To: Customer Name <customer@email.com>. The display name and the email address are now split before being passed to PHPMailer, so these emails are delivered instead of failing with "Amazon SES rejected the reply-to address". Applies to To, CC, BCC, and Reply-To headers, including folded (multiline) header values.

Compatibility

• WordPress: 5.7 - 7.1
• PHP: 8.2 - 8.5

Tests

• PHP_CodeSniffer: 3.13.6
• WordPress Coding Standards: 3.4.1
• PHPCompatibility: 9.3.5
• PHPStan: 2.2.9

2.1.8

Release date: 2026-08-24

Changed

• Added the Update URI header pointing to https://www.robotstxt.software/plugins/robotstxt-smtp-amazonses/ so WordPress never offers conflicting updates from other channels (takes effect on WordPress 5.8+); updates continue to be delivered exclusively through the Manager (by ROBOTSTXT) plugin.
• Updated bundled AWS SDK for PHP to 3.393.4 (now shipping Guzzle 8.1.0).

Compatibility

• WordPress: 5.7 - 7.1
• PHP: 8.2 - 8.5

Tests

• PHP_CodeSniffer: 3.13.6
• WordPress Coding Standards: 3.4.1
• PHPCompatibility: 9.3.5
• PHPStan: 2.2.9

2.1.7

Release date: 2026-08-17

Changed

• Plugin renamed to "SMTP Amazon SES (by ROBOTSTXT)".
• Plugin URI now points to https://www.robotstxt.software/plugins/robotstxt-smtp-amazonses/.
• Removed the built-in Gitea self-updater; updates are now delivered through the Manager (by ROBOTSTXT) plugin. The required Manager notices are handled by the main SMTP plugin.
• Updated bundled AWS SDK for PHP to 3.392.3 (now shipping Guzzle 8).

Compatibility

• WordPress: 5.7 - 7.1
• PHP: 8.2 - 8.5

Tests

• PHP_CodeSniffer: 3.13.6
• WordPress Coding Standards: 3.4.1
• PHPCompatibility: 9.3.5
• PHPStan: 2.2.8

Previous versions

If you want to see the full changelog, visit the changelog page.

Compliance

This plugin adheres to the following security measures and review protocols for each version:

• WordPress Plugin Handbook
• WordPress Plugin Security
• WordPress APIs Security
• WordPress Coding Standards
• Plugin Check (PCP)