Before you start
- A test order and the expected notification type.
- A mailbox you can check and the site’s sending settings.
Confirm that a notification is expected
Open the order and read its status and notes. Different stages trigger different messages. An unpaid order may not generate the confirmation you expect, and an error during processing can interrupt email generation.
- Record order number, time and the missing notification type.
- Check customer and merchant notifications separately.
- Verify the customer's address without exposing it in a public request.
Review email settings
Open WooCommerce → Settings → Emails and select the relevant notification. Check enablement, configurable recipients and sender settings. Labels and preview tools vary with versions and extensions.
- Use an authorized sender address on your domain.
- For merchant notifications, check recipients and typing errors.
- Preserve existing settings before changing several options.
Test delivery independently
If an SMTP plugin is used, send its test message to a mailbox you can check. This tests transport without proving that WooCommerce triggers the notification. If the test fails, fix the connection before changing order templates.
- Verify username, port, encryption and password against the actual provider's requirements.
- Check spam and any bounce notification.
- Receiving a form message does not guarantee identical settings for all WooCommerce notifications.
Reproduce an order without a real payment
On an isolated copy, use a gateway's test mode and reproduce the order journey. Observe status changes, notes and available logs. Prevent messages to real customers on the copy and use your own test recipient.
- Compare a simple notification with the missing one.
- For customized templates, test a standard version on the copy.
- Do not randomly change real order statuses merely to trigger emails.
Separate generation, sending and receipt
WooCommerce logs and SMTP service logs provide different information. Availability depends on versions and installed tools. A message marked sent may have been accepted by transport without reaching the main inbox.
- Look for a PHP or notification error at the order time.
- If no email is generated, investigate its trigger or a plugin conflict.
- If transport accepts the message but the destination rejects it, check domain authentication and the delivery failure response.
Correct and verify an actual notification
After correction, test an entire order and verify customer, merchant and received content. To resend an existing notification, use the appropriate action and confirm it does not initiate another payment operation.
- Avoid repeatedly sending messages during diagnosis.
- Provide support with order number, time and error, masking unnecessary personal information.
- If problems return after an update, follow the conflict-testing procedure.
Official documentation
Labels and options vary with versions, plugins and your account. Refer to publisher documentation for your configuration.