How to Send Email From the Command Line in Windows (Without Extra Software)
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Sending emails is part of our daily routine, especially in the workplace, as it is an efficient way to communicate with our colleagues and clients. While we often use email applications like Microsoft Outlook or Gmail, there is a way to send emails from the command line in Windows without needing extra software.
Here is a step-by-step guide on how to send emails from the command line in Windows:
1. Open the Command Prompt
To start, open the Command Prompt by clicking on the Start menu and typing “cmd” in the search bar. Once the Command Prompt app appears, click on it to launch the application.
2. Establish a Mail Server Connection
To send emails, you first need to establish a connection with the mail server, which can be done by using the “Telnet” command. Type the following command in the Command Prompt and hit Enter:
telnet smtp.mailserver.com 25
Note: “smtp.mailserver.com” should be replaced with the name of your mail server.
3. Enter Your Credentials and Recipient Details
After establishing a connection, you need to enter your email credentials and the recipient’s details. Here’s how:
a. Type the following command to start the emailing process:
HELO yourdomain.com
Note: “yourdomain.com” should be replaced with your website’s domain name.
b. Next, enter the sender’s email address by typing the following command:
MAIL FROM: [email protected]
Note: “[email protected]” should be replaced with your email address.
c. Then, enter the recipient’s email address by typing the following command:
RCPT TO: [email protected]
Note: “[email protected]” should be replaced with the email address of the recipient.
4. Compose and Send Your Email
Now that you have entered the email details, you can compose and send your email. Here’s how:
a. Type the following command to start the message:
DATA
b. After hitting Enter, you can start writing your email message. Make sure to separate the subject and body with a blank line, like so:
Subject: Your email subject
Hello,
Body of your email.
Sincerely,
Your Name
c. Once you have finished composing your message, type a period (.) on an empty line and hit Enter to send your email.
Note: If you receive an error message stating that the email was not sent, ensure that you have entered the correct email credentials and the recipient’s email address.
In conclusion, using the command line to send emails can be a fast and efficient way to communicate without additional software. While it may take some time to get used to the commands, once you get the hang of it, you can quickly and easily send emails without opening an email application like Microsoft Outlook or Gmail.