If you're running into trouble sending emails from Tern, the fix depends on which part of the process is failing. Start by figuring out which of these you're seeing:
The Send button is greyed out, or clicking Send throws an error. Your email isn't leaving Tern at all. Go to Path A.
The email shows as sent, but your client says they never got it. The email is leaving Tern but getting stopped somewhere between you and your client. Go to Path B.
Before you troubleshoot: how Tern sends email
Tern has two ways of sending email on your behalf.
Without an email integration connected, your emails go out from [email protected] and appear to your client as "Your Name via Tern." This is the default.
Once you connect an email integration, your emails send directly from your own email account through an API. Tern currently supports direct integration with Gmail, Microsoft (Outlook, Office 365), Yahoo, and AOL. Any other provider connects through IMAP/SMTP configuration.
Most sending failures happen once an integration is connected.
Path A: The Send button is greyed out or the email fails to send
1. Check that a recipient is added
The most common reason the Send button is greyed out is that there's no valid recipient in the "To" field. Tern won't activate the button until it has at least one recipient with a real email address on file.
What to check:
Make sure there's a recipient in the "To" field.
If the contact you're trying to email doesn't have an email address on their record, add one first, then try again.
2. Replace any placeholder text in the body
Some emails in Tern (like invoice emails) come pre-populated with placeholder text such as [Write your message here] in the body. The Send button stays greyed out until you replace that placeholder with your own message or remove it.
What to check:
Look in the email body for any placeholder text in square brackets, most commonly
[Write your message here].Replace it with your own message, or delete it entirely if you don't want to add one.
Try sending again.
3. Check that your email integration is still connected
If you're using a connected email account and it's dropped its connection (from a password change, an expired OAuth token, or a provider security update), Tern can't send on your behalf anymore.
What to check:
Go to Settings → Email & Scheduling.
Look at the status of your connected email account. If it shows as disconnected or has an error, disconnect it and reconnect it.
Note: Disconnecting and reconnecting your email will break any itinerary links you've already sent and will disable existing scheduler events. Be aware of this before you reconnect.
4. Check your SMTP settings (IMAP/SMTP connections only)
If your email provider connects through IMAP/SMTP rather than a direct integration, both IMAP and SMTP settings need to be correct. IMAP is what lets Tern read your email. SMTP is what lets Tern send. If SMTP is missing or misconfigured, you can receive email in Tern but you won't be able to send.
What to check:
Go to Settings → Email & Scheduling.
Look at your connection settings. If you only see IMAP settings, or the SMTP settings look off, disconnect and reconnect with both configured correctly.
To find the right settings, search for "IMAP and SMTP settings for [your email provider]." Your provider will have them documented.
5. Try an app password if you have 2FA enabled
If you have two-factor authentication turned on for your email account, your provider will likely block Tern from logging in with your regular password, even if it's typed correctly. This usually shows up as a "wrong password" error when you try to reconnect.
What to check:
Confirm you have 2FA enabled on your email account.
Generate an app password from your email provider. Search "how to create an app password for [your email provider]" for their exact steps.
Use that app password instead of your regular password when reconnecting in Tern.
6. If you use Titan email
Titan email has a known, ongoing incompatibility with Tern's email sync tool. Titan blocks the connection because Tern's sync tries to pull more data than Titan will allow, and this can't be fixed on Tern's side.
If you're using Titan, your options are:
Switch to a supported provider (Gmail or Microsoft) for reliable sending.
Send without an integration, in which case emails will go out from
[email protected]as "Your Name via Tern."
Path B: Emails show as sent but your client isn't getting them
1. Check your email deliverability settings
When you send through a connected integration, your emails go out through an API instead of directly from your email client. The receiving mail server checks a few DNS records on your domain (SPF, DMARC, and DKIM) to decide whether the email is legitimate. If those records are missing or misconfigured, the email can be silently blocked or dropped into spam, and you won't get a bounce notification.
What to check:
Go to Settings → Email & Scheduling.
Look for the email deliverability section. If there are any warnings about your domain, that's likely your issue.
Contact your DNS or domain manager (GoDaddy, Namecheap, Squarespace, etc.) and your email provider (Gmail, Microsoft, etc.) to get the records fixed.
Tern can't make these changes for you. The records live in your domain and email accounts, not in Tern.
When you talk to your provider, mention that you use a platform (Tern) that connects to your inbox by API to send emails, and you need your SPF, DMARC, and DKIM records set up correctly.
What each record does:
SPF declares which sending methods are authorized for your domain.
DMARC sets the policy for what happens when an email looks suspicious.
DKIM is a digital signature that proves the email is authentic and hasn't been altered.
2. Ask your client to check spam and promotions
Even with everything set up correctly, some clients' email providers will still route your emails to Spam, Junk, or Promotions. This happens more often with newer sender domains, or with clients who haven't interacted with your email before.
Ask your client to check those folders. If they find the email, they can mark it as "Not Spam" to help future emails land in the inbox.
3. Double-check the email address on the contact record
Sometimes the culprit is a typo or an outdated address. Confirm the email address on the client's contact record in Tern is correct, then resend.
Quick reference
Symptom | Most likely cause | First thing to try |
Send button greyed out | No recipient in the To field | Check the To field for a valid recipient |
Send button greyed out with a recipient added | Unreplaced placeholder in the email body | Replace or remove |
Send button greyed out or fails | Email integration disconnected | Check Settings → Email & Scheduling |
"Wrong password" error on reconnect | App password required due to 2FA | Generate an app password from your email provider |
Can read email but not send | SMTP settings missing or incorrect | Disconnect and reconnect with correct IMAP + SMTP |
Titan email, persistent failures | Known Titan incompatibility | Switch to Gmail or Microsoft |
Email shows as sent but not received | SPF/DMARC/DKIM misconfiguration | Check the deliverability section in Email settings |
Email in spam | Spam filtering | Ask client to check Spam/Junk/Promotions |
When to reach out to Tern
Contact support if:
Your email integration shows as connected, your SMTP settings are correct, and the Send button is still greyed out or fails every time.
Your emails aren't arriving and you've already confirmed your DNS records are set up correctly.
You're seeing send failures with a supported provider (Gmail, Microsoft, Yahoo, AOL) that reconnecting doesn't fix.