This Is How to Remove "via" and IP When Sending Mails with WordPress
As a WordPress user, you may have noticed that your emails, whether they're notifications, password resets, or contact form submissions, sometimes include unwanted "via" text and IP addresses. This can be a frustrating issue, as it can negatively impact the professionalism and deliverability of your emails.
Fortunately, there's a solution to this problem, and in this article, we'll guide you through the steps to fix the WordPress email return-path header and remove the "via" and IP address from your outgoing emails.
Understanding the Problem
When WordPress sends emails, it typically includes the server's IP address and the "via" text in the "Return-Path" header of the email. This is because WordPress uses the server's default email settings, which often include these elements. While this may not be an issue for internal communications, it can be problematic when sending emails to clients, customers, or other external recipients.
The presence of "via" and the IP address in the email header can have several drawbacks:
- Deliverability Issues: Some email providers, such as Gmail, may flag these emails as suspicious or potentially spam, which can decrease the deliverability of your messages.
- Branding and Professionalism: The inclusion of "via" and IP addresses can make your emails appear less professional and diminish your brand's image.
- Security Concerns: Revealing the IP address of your server can potentially expose sensitive information about your hosting environment, which could be a security risk.
To address these issues, we need to modify the WordPress email return-path header to remove the unwanted elements and ensure your emails are sent cleanly.
Fixing the WordPress Email Return-Path Header
There are a few different methods you can use to remove the "via" and IP address from your WordPress emails. We'll go through the most effective solutions:
Method 1: Using a Dedicated Email Sending Service
One of the most reliable ways to fix the WordPress email return-path header is to use a dedicated email sending service, such as SendGrid, Mailgun, or Amazon SES. These services are designed to handle email delivery for you, ensuring that your emails are sent with a clean return-path header and improving overall deliverability.
Here's how you can set up a dedicated email sending service with WordPress:
- Choose an Email Sending Service: Select a reputable email sending service that fits your needs and budget. Popular options include SendGrid, Mailgun, and Amazon SES.
- Create an Account: Sign up for an account with your chosen email sending service.
- Obtain API Credentials: Locate your API key, username, and password, as you'll need these to integrate the service with your WordPress site.
- Configure WordPress to Use the Email Sending Service: Install and activate a plugin like WP Mail SMTP or Easy WP SMTP, which will allow you to connect your WordPress site to the email sending service.
- Enter Your API Credentials: Follow the plugin's instructions to input your email sending service's API credentials into the plugin settings.
- Test the Email Delivery: Send a test email from your WordPress site to ensure that the "via" and IP address are no longer present in the email header.
By using a dedicated email sending service, you can eliminate the "via" and IP address issues and improve the overall deliverability and professionalism of your WordPress emails.
Method 2: Using a Custom SMTP Server
If you don't want to use a third-party email sending service, you can also configure your WordPress site to use a custom SMTP server. This approach involves setting up your own SMTP server, which can be hosted on your own server or through a third-party provider.
Here's how you can set up a custom SMTP server for your WordPress site:
- Choose an SMTP Server: Decide whether you want to host your own SMTP server or use a third-party SMTP service. Popular options for third-party SMTP services include SendGrid, Mailgun, and Amazon SES.
- Obtain SMTP Server Credentials: If using a third-party SMTP service, locate your SMTP server address, port, username, and password.
- Configure WordPress to Use the Custom SMTP Server: Install and activate a plugin like WP Mail SMTP or Easy WP SMTP, and follow the plugin's instructions to input your SMTP server credentials.
- Test the Email Delivery: Send a test email from your WordPress site to ensure that the "via" and IP address are no longer present in the email header.
By using a custom SMTP server, you can have more control over the email headers and ensure that your WordPress emails are sent with a clean return-path.
Method 3: Modifying the WordPress Email Filter
If you're comfortable with code, you can also try modifying the WordPress email filter to remove the "via" and IP address from the email header. This approach involves adding a custom function to your WordPress theme's functions.php
file or to a site-specific plugin.
Here's an example of how you can modify the WordPress email filter:
add_filter('wp_mail_from', 'remove_via_and_ip_from_email');
function remove_via_and_ip_from_email($from) {
$from = str_replace('via ', '', $from);
$from = preg_replace('/\s\([0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\)/', '', $from);
return $from;
}
This code snippet adds a custom filter to the wp_mail_from
hook, which is responsible for the email's "From" header. The remove_via_and_ip_from_email()
function removes the "via " text and the IP address from the email header.
You can save this code in your theme's functions.php
file or in a site-specific plugin to apply the changes across your entire WordPress site.
Get a Free AI Website Audit
Automatically identify UX and content issues affecting your conversion rates with Flowpoint's comprehensive AI-driven website audit.
Verifying the Fix
After implementing one of the above solutions, you should test the email delivery to ensure that the "via" and IP address have been successfully removed from the email header. You can do this by sending a test email from your WordPress site and checking the email headers in your email client or using an online email header analyzer tool.
If the fix has been successful, you should no longer see the "via" text or the IP address in the email header. This will improve the deliverability and professionalism of your WordPress emails.
Conclusion
Removing the "via" and IP address from your WordPress emails is an important step in ensuring the deliverability and branding of your communications. By using a dedicated email sending service, setting up a custom SMTP server, or modifying the WordPress email filter, you can effectively solve this issue and provide a better email experience for your recipients.
Remember, the choice of solution will depend on your specific needs, technical expertise, and the resources available to you. Experiment with the different methods and choose the one that works best for your WordPress site.
For more information on improving your WordPress email setup, be sure to check out Flowpoint.ai, a web analytics platform that can help you identify and fix technical issues impacting your website's conversion rates.