Configured return path is not used

[Laserjones]

Bonasera Stefano!

I’m using the Newsletter plugin successfully, there is only one problem: The return path I configured is not used. Instead, bounces are sent to a default address generated by the server. The same happens if the return path field is left blank. After reading your documentation regarding the return path, I contacted my provider. They say that the problem must be within the plugin and that it uses the PHP mail() function incorrectly and the return path is not properly specified under “additional_parameters”.

I would be surprised if there was such a significant bug in such a widely used plugin, but could you check this and/or give me a statement I can tell my provider that (and why) the plugin cannot be the reason?

Ciao,
Joerg

[Stefano]

You should ask the provider if they’re forcing the “return path”. Some providers do it, specially if the sender email you set is not a real mailbox.

We use wp_mail() to send maybe you have a plugin which changes the wp_mail() behavior (for example postman or like)?

Stefano.

[Laserjones]

The provider claims that they do not change the return path, so it had to be a reason within WordPress.

I solved the problem now by installing a little plugin I found named “wp_mail return-path”. Its description is: “Simple plugin that sets the PHPMailer->Sender variable so that the return-path is correctly set when using wp_mail”. Now the return path is set to the same address as the sender (From). You might want to mention it in your documentation as a possible solution.

https://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-mail-returnpath/

Now I can finally use a dedicated mailbox for bounces and thus use the “Bounce” plugin to remove bounced addresses. 🙂

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