Step 1 - Register for a SendGrid account
Go to this page and register for an account: http://sendgrid.com/partner/wordpress
SendGrid has removed their free option. Take a look at an alternative transactional email service here: https://eventespresso.com/wiki/postmark-app-mandrill-transactional-email-handling-services/
Step 2 - Confirm your email address with SendGrid
Go to your email inbox and look for an email from SendGrid. Here is an example:
Then click on the button to confirm your email address.
Step 3 - Update your profile with SendGrid
You'll see a screen with a form to update your profile. Here is an example:
Complete the entire form and click on the Save button.
Step 4 - Allow time for your account to be provisioned by SendGrid
You'll then be taken to your account dashboard. At the top you'll see a message that your account is being provisioned. Here is an example:
After your account has been provisioned then you'll receive an email letting you know. Here is an example:
Click the button in the email to go back to your account dashboard for SendGrid.
If your account is not provisioned due to an issue, then SendGrid will notify you. Go ahead and follow up with them to resolve the issue. You will not be able to use the SendGrid service until your account has been provisioned (approved).
Step 5 - Create an API Key
From your SendGrid account dashboard, look for Settings and then click on API Keys. Here is an example:
You'll then be taken to the API Keys screen. Look for the Create API Key button in the top left area of the screen and click on it. Then click on General API Key and some options will appear. Enter a name for the API Key such as WordPress and then enable Full Access for the Mail Send option. Scroll down and look for the Stats option and enable Read Access. Then click on Save.
You'll immediately see your new API Key. Copy it by clicking on it and keep that browser tab open.
Step 6 - Install and Activate the SendGrid plugin on your WordPress site
Open a new browser tab and login to your WordPress dashboard (WP-admin) and go to Plugins. Then click on Add New. Type SendGrid in the search box and run the search. You'll then see some search results. Look for the SendGrid plugin. Here is an example:
Then click on Install Now to install the plugin and then click on Activate.
Step 7 - Configure your SendGrid plugin
Look for the Settings menu in the admin menus on the left side of your screen and then click on SendGrid.
You'll now be viewing the settings page for SendGrid within your WP-admin. Paste in the API Key that you created in step 5. Here is an example:
If you are not sure, then switch back to the other browser tab and copy it again. Then switch to your browser tab for the SendGrid settings page in your WordPress dashboard and paste it in the API key field.
Then enter the name of your website / organization and then the sending email address. Scroll down and set the Content-Type to text/html and save changes by clicking on the Update Settings button.
References:
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