> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://infisical.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Email alerts

> Send certificate alert notifications by email.

An email channel on a certificate [alert](/docs/documentation/platform/pki/applications/alerting/overview) emails the recipients you choose whenever the alert fires. Email channels are available on every plan.

<Note>
  If you self-host Infisical, [configure an SMTP server](/docs/self-hosting/configuration/envars#email-service) before you create an email alert. Without one, Infisical writes alert emails to its logs instead of sending them, so a **Send test** can look successful even though no email arrives.
</Note>

## Prerequisites

* The Certificate Manager **Admin** role to create a Certificate Manager alert, or the **Admin** [application role](/docs/documentation/platform/pki/applications/overview#application-roles) to create an application alert
* Recipients who are organization members, or addresses on one of your organization's [verified email domains](/docs/documentation/platform/email-domain)

## Step 1: Start an alert

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Certificate Manager">
    <Steps>
      <Step>
        Go to **Certificate Manager** > **Settings** and select the **Alerts** tab, then select **Create Alert**.
      </Step>

      <Step>
        Select the **Alert Type** from the **Certificate Lifecycle** or **Code Signing** group, then enter an **Alert Name** and an optional **Description**.
      </Step>

      <Step>
        For an expiration alert, enter **Alert Before** as a number and a unit. For example: `30d` or `2w`, up to 365 days.

        <Note>
          To get a reminder every day, turn on **Repeat daily until expiry**. Otherwise, the alert repeats on a [schedule based on **Alert Before**](/docs/documentation/platform/pki/applications/alerting/overview#how-often-expiration-alerts-repeat).
        </Note>

        Select **Continue**.
      </Step>

      <Step>
        On the **Filters** step, optionally select **Add Filter** to [narrow the certificates the alert covers](/docs/documentation/platform/pki/applications/alerting/overview#filter-a-certificate-manager-alert). A signer certificate expiration alert skips this step.

        Select **Continue** to go to the **Channels** step.
      </Step>
    </Steps>
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Application">
    <Steps>
      <Step>
        Go to **Certificate Manager** > **Applications** and select your application.
      </Step>

      <Step>
        Select the **Settings** tab, then select **Create Alert** in the **Alerts** section.
      </Step>

      <Step>
        Select the **Alert Type**, then enter an **Alert Name** and an optional **Description**.
      </Step>

      <Step>
        For an expiration alert, enter **Alert Before** as a number and a unit. For example: `30d` or `2w`, up to 365 days.

        <Note>
          To get a reminder every day, turn on **Repeat daily until expiry**. Otherwise, the alert repeats on a [schedule based on **Alert Before**](/docs/documentation/platform/pki/applications/alerting/overview#how-often-expiration-alerts-repeat).
        </Note>

        Select **Continue** to go to the **Channels** step.
      </Step>
    </Steps>

    An application can have one alert for each event. To notify more places about the same event, add more channels to that alert.
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

<Tip>
  To add this channel to an existing alert instead, edit the alert and go to its **Channels** step.
</Tip>

## Step 2: Add the email channel

<Steps>
  <Step>
    Select **Add Channel** > **Email**.
  </Step>

  <Step>
    In **Recipients**, select organization members, or type an address on one of your organization's verified email domains and add it.
  </Step>

  <Step>
    Optionally, select **Send test** to send a test email to the recipients.
  </Step>

  <Step>
    Select **Continue**, check the **Review** step, and select **Create Alert**.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Check>
  Your alert is set up. Infisical emails the recipients whenever the alert fires.
</Check>

If a recipient is an organization member, they stop receiving alerts when they leave the organization.


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