Contact Form 7 emails not sending? Find where delivery stops
Diagnose Contact Form 7 email problems from the form response, WordPress mail logs and the destination inbox.
Run a traceable test
On a form you manage, send a test with a unique phrase in the message. Note the time, form URL and on-screen response. Check that the form’s Mail template includes the message field so you can search for the same phrase later.
If the form reports an error
Check the validation response before changing mail settings. Contact Form 7 can report both a sending failure and a spam decision. Use its diagnostic information and your WordPress mail log to tell them apart.
If the form accepts the test but nothing arrives
Verify the Mail tab’s To address and From domain. Search all mail, spam and quarantine for the exact phrase. If you have access to the sending provider’s logs, compare the timestamp and look for rejection or deferral. Change one setting at a time and repeat with a new phrase.
Use the mail log to choose the next check
If the sender has no log entry at the test time, check the Mail template and the WordPress-to-mail-provider connection. If the provider reports a rejection or deferral, inspect its response and sending configuration. If it reports acceptance by the destination, look for mailbox rules, aliases, quarantine and the exact marker. The form success message does not confirm inbox delivery.
Record the first confirmed recovery
After the change, verify that a new test actually appears in the destination inbox. Save the before-and-after evidence so a future incident can be compared to a known good result.