How to configure Gmail / Google Workspace for Ghost Blog

· 2 min read
How to configure Gmail / Google Workspace for Ghost Blog

Ghost needs additional setting after installation in order to send emails - for password resets, user invitations, system notifications, and other features. Ghost uses Nodemailer. You have two option using Direct Mail service or configuring an external mail service will generally be more reliable.

Ghost has the ability to deliver posts as email newsletters natively. A bulk-mail provider is required to use this feature and SMTP cannot be used

The mail configuration is not change but here you will find steps how to configure your ghost mail with Google Workspace or Gmail account:

  • Log on your server using SSH
  • Access the config.production.json file
    When setting up SMTP email sending for Ghost, you only need to make an edit to the config.production.json file.

Open with your favorite editor file: config.production.json
for example - /var/www/blog.myblog.com
find and comment old mail configuration:

"mail": {
    "transport": "Direct"
  },
  • Add Google Workspace SMTP settings:
  "mail": {
    "from": "[email protected]",
    "transport": "SMTP",
    "options": {
        "host": "smtp.gmail.com",
        "port": 587,
        "auth": {
            "user": "[email protected]",
            "pass": "Your App Password"
        }
    }
},

Use your actual email credentials here for "from", "user", and "pass". You need to use the same email address as your "from" and you "user".

  • SMTP GMail or Google Workspace settings for Ghost additional setup:

  • enable the IMAP

  • app password

In your Gmail or Google Workspace, log into the account, go to My Account, Security, App Passwords. Create an app password (bypasses 2 Step Verification if it is setup).

  • Restart

In order for your settings changes to take effect, you'll want to restart. Just restart Ghost/Docker container and the config should get loaded.

Now you can send email using Outgoing Mail (SMTP) Server.

Please note: When you send an email for the first time it may be blocked. Check for a blocked email in your Google account to “approve” Ghost sending the email. You should then be free to send any emails once you have approved it.