Configuring Outlook SMTP settings

Question

I am trying to configure Outlook 2010 to use AWS SES as a SMTP server. The problem is that once I enter the information and try to test the connection, Outlook keeps asking me if I want to store the password, which suggests that either the username and/or password are wrong.

Here’s what I am trying: I log into AWS then go to Amazon Simple Email Service page. I expand the menu on the left and select SMTP Settings. This shows me the SMTP endpoint, email-smtp.us-east-1.amazonaws.com and indicates that I should use port 587 for STARTTLS or port 465 for TLS Wrapper. I believe that Outlook 2010 uses ‘real’ TLS, so I feel that port 587 is the proper one to use. I then click on ‘Manage my existing SMTP credentials’ and then I click on the username. The username is of the form ses-smtp-user.xxxxxxxx-xxxxxx. I also see Access Key 1 which I assume is the SMTP password.

I enter all of this into Outlook’s account settings, but it does not work. I have tried both ports 465 and 587, and I also tried eliminating the ses-smtp-user. From the username. I have no idea what else to try, any suggestions?

Answer

Here are some steps you can take to troubleshoot the issue:

Confirm SMTP Credentials:

Double-check that you are using the correct SMTP username and password provided by AWS SES. The username should be in the format ses-smtp-user.xxxxxxxx-xxxxxx and the password should be the Access Key 1.
Use Port 587 with STARTTLS:

Since Outlook 2010 supports STARTTLS, use port 587 for your SMTP server configuration. This is the recommended port for secure email transmission.
Ensure SSL/TLS Settings:

In Outlook's account settings, ensure that SSL/TLS encryption is enabled for the SMTP connection. This ensures that the communication between Outlook and AWS SES is encrypted.
Test Connection with Telnet:

You can test the SMTP connection to AWS SES using Telnet to diagnose any potential issues. Open a command prompt and enter the following commands:

```
telnet email-smtp.us-east-1.amazonaws.com 587
EHLO example.com
STARTTLS
EHLO example.com
```
Check AWS SES Sending Limits:

Ensure that your AWS SES account is not exceeding any sending limits, as this could cause issues with SMTP authentication.
Review AWS IAM Permissions:

Make sure that the IAM user associated with the SMTP credentials has the necessary permissions to send emails via AWS SES.
Contact AWS Support:

If you're still experiencing issues, consider reaching out to AWS Support for assistance. They can provide more specific guidance and help troubleshoot any issues with your SES configuration.
By following these steps and ensuring that your Outlook SMTP settings are configured correctly, you should be able to successfully send emails using AWS SES as your SMPT SERVER

Hope it clarifies and if does I would appreciate answer to be accepted so that community can benefit for clarity, thanks ;)

Configuring Outlook SMTP settings

Relevant content