---
name: "aerc-smtp"
section: "5"
platform: "linux"
package: "aerc"
version: "0.22.0-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/aerc-smtp"
---

# aerc-smtp(5)

SMTP configuration for aerc(1)

## NAME

aerc-smtp - SMTP configuration for [**aerc**(1)](/aerc/1.md)

## SYNOPSIS

aerc implements the SMTP protocol as specified by RFC 5321.

## CONFIGURATION

Basic SMTP configuration may be done interactively with the **:new-account** command.

In *accounts.conf* (see [**aerc-accounts**(5)](/aerc-accounts/5.md)), the following SMTP-specific options are available:

**outgoing** = *\<scheme\>*\[*+\<auth\>*\]://*\<username\>*\[*:\<password\>*\]*@\<hostname\>*\[*:\<port\>*\]?\[*\<oauth2\_params\>*\]

Remember that all fields must be URL encoded. The *@* symbol, when URL encoded, is *%40*.

The value of *\<scheme\>* can be:

*smtp*

SMTP with STARTTLS

*smtp+insecure*

SMTP without STARTTLS

*smtps*

SMTP with TLS/SSL

*smtps+insecure*

SMTP with TLS/SSL, skipping certificate verification

Additionally, you can specify an authentication mechanism like so:

*none*

No authentication is required to use this SMTP server. You may omit the username and password in this case.

*plain*

Authenticate with a username and password using AUTH PLAIN. This is the default behavior.

*login*

Authenticate with a username and password using AUTH LOGIN. This is an obsolete protocol, but is required for some common webmail providers.

*oauthbearer*

SMTP with TLS/SSL using OAUTHBEARER Authentication. See documentation in [**aerc-imap**(5)](/aerc-imap/5.md) for usage.

*xoauth2*

SMTP with TLS/SSL using XOAUTH2 Authentication. See documentation in [**aerc-imap**(5)](/aerc-imap/5.md) for usage.

**outgoing-cred-cmd** = *\<command\>*

Specifies the command to run to get the password for the SMTP account. This command will be run using *sh -c \[command\]*. If a password is specified in the **outgoing** option, the password will take precedence over this command.

Example:

outgoing-cred-cmd = pass hostname/username

**smtp-domain** = *\<domain\>*

Local domain name to use in the HELO/EHLO SMTP command. Set this to a fully qualified domain name if the server requires it as an antispam measure.

Default: *localhost*

## SEE ALSO

[**aerc**(1)](/aerc/1.md) [**aerc-accounts**(5)](/aerc-accounts/5.md)

## AUTHORS

Originally created by Drew DeVault and maintained by Robin Jarry who is assisted by other open source contributors. For more information about aerc development, see *https://sr.ht/~rjarry/aerc/*.