How to send emails automatically with n8n (Gmail, SMTP, and Outlook — free workflow JSON)

Sending emails from your workflows is one of the most common n8n tasks — and one of the most searched. Whether you want to notify a team member when a form is submitted, send a confirmation to a new customer, or alert yourself when an API errors out, n8n has you covered.

This tutorial walks you through all three email options: Gmail, generic SMTP, and Outlook. I'll also share the workflow JSON at the end so you can copy-paste it straight into your n8n instance.

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Option 1: Gmail node (easiest for personal use)

The Gmail node uses OAuth2 and is the fastest way to get started if you already have a Google account.

Setup:

1. In n8n, create a new Gmail credential (OAuth2 type)
2. Follow the OAuth consent screen — you'll need to allow n8n to send mail on your behalf
3. Drag a Gmail node into your workflow
4. Set Operation to "Send"
5. Fill in To, Subject, and Message fields — you can use expressions like {{ $json.email }} to pull values from previous nodes

Limitations: Gmail rate-limits to ~500 emails/day on free accounts. For bulk sending, use SMTP or a transactional provider (Resend, SendGrid, Mailgun).

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Option 2: Send Email node (SMTP — works with any provider)

The Send Email node is provider-agnostic. It works with Gmail SMTP, Mailgun, Resend, SendGrid, Postmark, or your own mail server.

Gmail SMTP settings:

• Host: smtp.gmail.com
• Port: 465 (SSL) or 587 (TLS)
• User: your Gmail address
• Password: an App Password (not your regular password — generate one at myaccount.google.com/apppasswords)

Resend SMTP settings (recommended for transactional):

• Host: smtp.resend.com
• Port: 465
• User: resend
• Password: your Resend API key

Node config:

1. Add a Send Email node
2. Create a new credential → fill in host/port/user/password
3. Set From, To, Subject, Text or HTML body
4. Connect it after whatever trigger you're using

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Option 3: Microsoft Outlook node

If your team is on Microsoft 365, use the Microsoft Outlook node:

1. Create a Microsoft credential (OAuth2)
2. Grant mail.send permissions in Azure AD
3. Drag the Microsoft Outlook node, set Operation to "Send"

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A complete example: send a confirmation email when a form is submitted

Here's a real workflow that fires on every Tally form submission and sends a confirmation to the submitter:

Nodes:

1. Webhook trigger (POST from Tally)
2. Send Email node → uses SMTP, pulls {{ $json.body.data.fields[0].value }} as the recipient email

Subject: "Got your submission — here's what happens next"

Body:

Hi {{ $json.body.data.fields[1].value }},

We received your submission and we'll be in touch within 24 hours.

Thanks,
The Team

That's it. Two nodes, zero code.

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Common issues

"Authentication failed" on Gmail SMTP
You need an App Password, not your regular Gmail password. Go to myaccount.google.com/apppasswords, generate one, and use that.

Emails going to spam
If you're sending from Gmail SMTP at volume, switch to a transactional provider (Resend/Mailgun) with proper SPF/DKIM records. Gmail SMTP is for low-volume or personal use.

"Connection timed out" on port 465
Try port 587 with TLS instead. Some hosting environments block 465.

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Free workflow JSON

I'll drop the full workflow JSON for the form → Send Email confirmation flow in the comments below — copy it, import it into n8n (Settings → Import Workflow), swap in your SMTP credentials, and you're live in under 5 minutes.

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If you want 10+ pre-built production-ready n8n workflows (lead capture → CRM, Stripe receipt, form → Google Sheets, webhook router, and more) I packaged them all into one starter pack: n8n Workflow Starter Pack — $29 on Gumroad.

Every workflow comes with the JSON file, a plain-English walkthrough, and setup notes. One purchase, unlimited use.

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Drop a comment if you run into any issues with your email node setup — happy to help debug.

Comments

[Pirate Prentice]

Here is the free workflow JSON for the form to Send Email confirmation flow.

Import via Settings > Import Workflow, then swap in your SMTP credentials and update the To field expression.

{
  "name": "Form Submission to Send Email",
  "nodes": [
    {
      "parameters": {"httpMethod": "POST", "path": "form-confirm", "responseMode": "lastNode", "options": {}},
      "name": "Webhook",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.webhook",
      "typeVersion": 1,
      "position": [250, 300]
    },
    {
      "parameters": {"fromEmail": "[e-mail]", "toEmail": "={{ $json.body.email }}", "subject": "Got your submission", "text": "Hi,\n\nWe received your submission and will be in touch within 24h.\n\nThanks,\nThe Team", "options": {}},
      "name": "Send Email",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.emailSend",
      "typeVersion": 2,
      "position": [500, 300],
      "credentials": {"smtp": {"id": "1", "name": "SMTP credentials"}}
    }
  ],
  "connections": {"Webhook": {"main": [[{"node": "Send Email", "type": "main", "index": 0}]]}}
}

Update the ={{ $json.body.email }} expression to match your actual form field path. Drop a reply if you hit any snags.