ServiceNow needs an SMTP server to send any outbound email — notifications, password resets, approval requests. This guide walks you through setting up the SMTP configuration so your instance can actually deliver messages.
Why SMTP configuration breaks email delivery
Out of the box, ServiceNow can't send email anywhere. Every notification you build, every workflow email, every password reset just sits in the queue until you point the instance at a working SMTP server. Platform admins inherit instances where notifications were built but never tested, and users complain that approval emails never arrive. The root cause is usually missing or wrong SMTP settings — either no server configured, wrong authentication, or the glide.email.smtp.active property still set to false.
How ServiceNow handles outbound email
ServiceNow uses System Mailboxes to manage email flow. For outbound, you create an SMTP Account that defines the mail server, port, and authentication method. The instance tries to connect using these settings whenever it needs to send email. Most setups start with basic authentication against a corporate mail server, then add TLS encryption if the mail server requires it. The global system property glide.email.smtp.active acts as a master switch — even perfect SMTP settings won't work if this property is false.
Production-quality email configuration
Once basic email delivery works, the improvements worth making are: setting up a dedicated service account for ServiceNow (not a personal mailbox), configuring proper TLS settings to match your mail server's security requirements, and testing with different notification types to verify delivery. Many organizations also set up email filtering rules to handle bounced messages and create separate SMTP accounts for different email types — system notifications vs. user-facing messages.
Before you start
- •admin role
- •SMTP server details from your mail administrator
- •Service account credentials for email authentication
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Step by step
Navigate to System Mailboxes
Go to System Mailboxes > Administration > System Mailboxes. You'll see inbound and outbound mailbox sections. The Outbound section is where SMTP accounts live — this controls how ServiceNow sends email to external recipients.
Create new SMTP account
In the Outbound section, click New on the SMTP Accounts related list. If you already have an SMTP account, open that record instead. The Name field is just a label for your reference — use something like 'Corporate SMTP' or the actual server name.
Configure server and port settings
Set SMTP Server to your mail server hostname or IP address. Set Port to match your server — typically 25 for unencrypted, 587 for STARTTLS, or 465 for SSL/TLS. Get these values from your mail administrator, don't guess.
Test connectivity to the SMTP server and port from your ServiceNow instance before proceeding — firewall rules often block these connections.
Set authentication credentials
If your SMTP server requires authentication (most do), check the Authentication required box. Enter the Username and Password for your ServiceNow service account. Leave these blank only if your mail server allows anonymous sending from your ServiceNow instance's IP address.
Configure TLS encryption
Set the TLS setting based on your mail server requirements. Use 'No' for unencrypted connections, 'STARTTLS' if your server supports upgrading the connection to TLS, or 'TLS' for connections that start encrypted. Match this exactly to your server's configuration — wrong TLS settings cause authentication failures even with correct credentials.
STARTTLS on port 587 is the most common configuration for modern mail servers.
Test the SMTP connection
Click Test Connection to verify ServiceNow can reach your SMTP server with these settings. Fix any connection errors before proceeding — they usually indicate wrong server, port, or firewall issues. Save the SMTP account record once the test succeeds.
Activate email sending globally
Navigate to System Properties > System and search for 'glide.email.smtp.active'. Set this property to 'true' if it isn't already. This is the master switch for all outbound email — ServiceNow won't send anything regardless of SMTP settings if this property is false.
Verify with test notification
Send a test email through System Mailboxes > Notifications > Send Test Email or trigger a notification you know works. Check the Email Logs (System Mailboxes > Administration > Email Logs) to confirm delivery status and troubleshoot any remaining issues.
Best practices
Use a dedicated service account for ServiceNow email authentication — personal mailboxes get disabled when people leave, breaking all notifications.
Set the From Address on your SMTP account to match the authenticating user's email address — many mail servers reject messages where these don't align.
Monitor Email Logs regularly after setup — bounced messages and authentication failures often go unnoticed until users complain about missing notifications.
Configure separate SMTP accounts for different email types if you need different routing or authentication for system alerts vs. user notifications.
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