Title: SMTP Authenticate Error
Last modified: March 23, 2023

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# SMTP Authenticate Error

 *  Resolved [abhiunitedlayer](https://wordpress.org/support/users/abhiunitedlayer/)
 * (@abhiunitedlayer)
 * [3 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/smtp-authenticate-error/)
 * Hi, Today automatically we are reciving ”
 * “There was a problem while sending the test email.” All Settings are fine and
   we have cross checked it, How can we resolve it ?
 *     ```wp-block-code
       Versions:WordPress: 6.1.1WordPress MS: NoPHP: 8.1.5WP Mail SMTP: 3.7.0
   
       Params:Mailer: smtpConstants: NoErrorInfo: SMTP Error: Could not authenticate.Host: smtp.office365.comPort: 587SMTPSecure: tlsSMTPAutoTLS: bool(true)SMTPAuth: bool(true)
   
       Server:OpenSSL: OpenSSL 1.1.1 11 Sep 2018Apache.mod_security: No
   
       Debug:Email Source: WP Mail SMTPMailer: Other SMTPSMTP Error: Could not authenticate.
   
       SMTP Debug:2023-03-23 17:52:07 Connection: opening to smtp.office365.com:587, timeout=300, options=array()
   
       2023-03-23 17:52:07 Connection: opened
   
       2023-03-23 17:52:07 SERVER -> CLIENT: 220 BYAPR03CA0012.outlook.office365.com Microsoft ESMTP MAIL Service ready at Thu, 23 Mar 2023 17:54:01 +0000
   
       2023-03-23 17:52:07 CLIENT -> SERVER: EHLO www.unitedlayer.com
   
       2023-03-23 17:52:07 SERVER -> CLIENT: 250-BYAPR03CA0012.outlook.office365.com Hello [2607:f3a0:10:8:215:5dff:fe05:513a]250-SIZE 157286400250-PIPELINING250-DSN250-ENHANCEDSTATUSCODES250-STARTTLS250-8BITMIME250-BINARYMIME250-CHUNKING250 SMTPUTF8
   
       2023-03-23 17:52:07 CLIENT -> SERVER: STARTTLS
   
       2023-03-23 17:52:07 SERVER -> CLIENT: 220 2.0.0 SMTP server ready
   
       2023-03-23 17:52:07 CLIENT -> SERVER: EHLO www.unitedlayer.com
   
       2023-03-23 17:52:07 SERVER -> CLIENT: 250-BYAPR03CA0012.outlook.office365.com Hello [2607:f3a0:10:8:215:5dff:fe05:513a]250-SIZE 157286400250-PIPELINING250-DSN250-ENHANCEDSTATUSCODES250-AUTH LOGIN XOAUTH2250-8BITMIME250-BINARYMIME250-CHUNKING250 SMTPUTF8
   
       2023-03-23 17:52:07 CLIENT -> SERVER: AUTH LOGIN
   
       2023-03-23 17:52:07 SERVER -> CLIENT: 334 VXNlcm5hbWU6
   
       2023-03-23 17:52:07 CLIENT -> SERVER: [credentials hidden]
   
       2023-03-23 17:52:07 SERVER -> CLIENT: 334 UGFzc3dvcmQ6
   
       2023-03-23 17:52:07 CLIENT -> SERVER: [credentials hidden]
   
       2023-03-23 17:52:18 SERVER -> CLIENT: 535 5.7.139 Authentication unsuccessful, the user credentials were incorrect. [BYAPR03CA0012.namprd03.prod.outlook.com 2023-03-23T17:54:12.623Z 08DB2B6C62B2DEC9]
   
       2023-03-23 17:52:18 SMTP ERROR: Password command failed: 535 5.7.139 Authentication unsuccessful, the user credentials were incorrect. [BYAPR03CA0012.namprd03.prod.outlook.com 2023-03-23T17:54:12.623Z 08DB2B6C62B2DEC9]
   
       SMTP Error: Could not authenticate.
   
       2023-03-23 17:52:18 CLIENT -> SERVER: QUIT
   
       2023-03-23 17:52:18 SERVER -> CLIENT: 221 2.0.0 Service closing transmission channel
   
       2023-03-23 17:52:18 Connection: closed
   
       SMTP Error: Could not authenticate.
       ```
   

Viewing 9 replies - 1 through 9 (of 9 total)

 *  Plugin Support [Dake](https://wordpress.org/support/users/dakeg/)
 * (@dakeg)
 * [3 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/smtp-authenticate-error/#post-16589203)
 * Hi [@abhiunitedlayer](https://wordpress.org/support/users/abhiunitedlayer/)
 * Thanks for reaching out to us and we’re sorry to hear that you are experiencing
   issues with the Other SMTP mailer.
 * Since you are getting the “**SMTP ERROR: Password command failed: 535 5.7.139
   Authentication unsuccessful, the user credentials were incorrect.**” error, I
   suspect that you might not have [generated an APP Password](https://wpmailsmtp.com/docs/how-to-set-up-the-other-smtp-mailer-in-wp-mail-smtp/#app-passwords)
   as mentioned in our documentation regarding setting up the Other SMTP mailer.
 * Please ensure that you are using a generated APP Password in the password field.
 * I hope this helps 🙂
 *  Thread Starter [abhiunitedlayer](https://wordpress.org/support/users/abhiunitedlayer/)
 * (@abhiunitedlayer)
 * [3 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/smtp-authenticate-error/#post-16590469)
 * but it was working fine for last 3-4 months ? why this now ?
 *  Plugin Support [Dake](https://wordpress.org/support/users/dakeg/)
 * (@dakeg)
 * [3 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/smtp-authenticate-error/#post-16591796)
 * Hi [@abhiunitedlayer](https://wordpress.org/support/users/abhiunitedlayer/)
 * Thanks for getting back to us.
 * Based on the error log alone, we are not seeing any clear reason for this and
   we are not seeing widespread reports about this sudden issue. We can only assume
   that there may have been a conflict with another plugin, a firewall is disrupting
   the connection or there is an issue with your Microsoft account.
 * For now, let’s perform the relevant troubleshooting step based on the error message.
 *  Thread Starter [abhiunitedlayer](https://wordpress.org/support/users/abhiunitedlayer/)
 * (@abhiunitedlayer)
 * [3 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/smtp-authenticate-error/#post-16597664)
 * We checked with the plugins, i dont think they have any impact directly with 
   SMTP plugin. What do you think ? What should we do ? For app password : Its just
   a distribution email. Please help.
 *  Plugin Support [Dake](https://wordpress.org/support/users/dakeg/)
 * (@dakeg)
 * [3 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/smtp-authenticate-error/#post-16598566)
 * Hi [@abhiunitedlayer](https://wordpress.org/support/users/abhiunitedlayer/)
 * Thanks for getting back to us.
 * Please try performing the steps in the documentation link I shared previously.
   You should follow the steps under the “Generating an App Password in Outlook”
   section.
 * To confirm if this is a mailer specific issue, you can try using one of our other
   mailers.
 * You can find the setup instructions for each one of our mailers here: [https://wpmailsmtp.com/docs/a-complete-guide-to-wp-mail-smtp-mailers/](https://wpmailsmtp.com/docs/a-complete-guide-to-wp-mail-smtp-mailers/)
 * The easiest ones to set up for testing purposes are generally the Google and 
   Sendinblue mailers.
 *  Thread Starter [abhiunitedlayer](https://wordpress.org/support/users/abhiunitedlayer/)
 * (@abhiunitedlayer)
 * [3 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/smtp-authenticate-error/#post-16598589)
 * we are using this smtp without app password on other platform as well, and there
   it was working fine. If we chnage/create app password it may give issue to other
   platforms
 *  Plugin Support [Dake](https://wordpress.org/support/users/dakeg/)
 * (@dakeg)
 * [3 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/smtp-authenticate-error/#post-16598615)
 * Hi [@abhiunitedlayer](https://wordpress.org/support/users/abhiunitedlayer/)
 * Thanks for getting back to us.
 * Microsoft had deprecated basic authenticated months ago, so we are not certain
   how or why you were able to connect to their SMTP service despite not generating
   an APP password.
 * The APP password step is not something that is enforced by us specifically, this
   is supposed to be a requirement by Microsoft (which is why this is covered in
   our documentation).
 * Since you are using the connection elsewhere, you should be able to use the newly
   generated APP password for all of your other connections.
 * By “other platform”, I assume you mean you are using it on a different website
   with WP Mail SMTP? If not please clarify.
 *  [rtnlsltn](https://wordpress.org/support/users/rtnlsltn/)
 * (@rtnlsltn)
 * [3 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/smtp-authenticate-error/#post-16626700)
 * [@abhiunitedlayer](https://wordpress.org/support/users/abhiunitedlayer/) what
   was the resolution? I am also suddenly facing this issue out of the blue. The
   password to the account was changed but also updated on the website. The issue
   persists.
 *  Plugin Support [Dake](https://wordpress.org/support/users/dakeg/)
 * (@dakeg)
 * [3 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/smtp-authenticate-error/#post-16626772)
 * Hi [@rtnlsltn](https://wordpress.org/support/users/rtnlsltn/)
 * Just to confirm, have you already tried the troubleshooting steps I mentioned
   in both this and the other thread you replied to?
 * If yes and that didn’t resolve the issue, please create a new thread so we can
   take a look at your unique case of this issue.

Viewing 9 replies - 1 through 9 (of 9 total)

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 * Last activity: [3 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/smtp-authenticate-error/#post-16626772)
 * Status: resolved