TrueNAS text alerts: email-to-SMS setup
TrueNAS emails alerts for pool degradation, failed drives, S.M.A.R.T. errors, and scrub results. Point its alert email at your EmailToTxt address and a failing drive becomes a text instead of an email you might miss.
What you’ll need
- An EmailToTxt account and an endpoint (created in step 1).
- A mailbox for the device to send from — a free Gmail/Outlook account with an app password works.
- Access to your TrueNAS settings (web interface, app, or local console).
- The phone number(s) that should receive the texts.
- 1
Create your EmailToTxt endpoint
In your EmailToTxt dashboard, add an endpoint and choose the “generic” template. EmailToTxt generates a unique inbound address for it, like
server-room-a1b2c@alerts.emailtotxt.com. - 2
Set up an email account to send from
EmailToTxt receives your alert emails, but your device still needs a mailbox to send from. The simplest option is a free, dedicated Gmail or Outlook account with an app password — most NVRs can’t do modern sign-in, and an app password works around that. You only set this up once and can reuse the same sending account across every recorder and endpoint.
Provider SMTP server SSL port STARTTLS port Gmail smtp.gmail.com 465 587 Outlook.com smtp-mail.outlook.com — 587 Microsoft 365 smtp.office365.com — 587 Yahoo Mail smtp.mail.yahoo.com 465 587 Tip: turn on 2-Step Verification for the account, then generate an app password and use that 16-character value as the SMTP password — typed without the spaces Google shows (they’re display-only, and some recorders reject them). Use the account’s full email address as the user name. - 3
Configure TrueNAS email (SMTP) settings
TrueNAS SCALE: Credentials → Email (older CORE: System → Email). Configure the outgoing mail server or, on newer builds, a sending mailbox with an app password.
- Set the from address and SMTP server/port (465 SSL or 587 STARTTLS) with authentication.
- The recipient is the root user’s email — set that (Credentials → Local Users → root → Email) to your EmailToTxt endpoint, or use an alert service email target.
- Use “Send Test Mail” to confirm delivery.
- 4
Turn on email for the events you want texted
System Settings → Alert Settings — set the alert categories you care about (Storage, S.M.A.R.T., Pool) to the Email level so they’re sent.
- Set critical storage/drive alerts to Email; leave informational ones at a lower level so they don’t consume texts.
- 5
Set the recipient to your EmailToTxt address and send a test
Set the device’s recipient/receiver to your EmailToTxt endpoint address, then use the built-in Test button (or trigger a test event). The email should reach EmailToTxt within seconds — you’ll see it appear in your Activity log.
- 6
Add phone numbers and confirm delivery
In EmailToTxt, open the endpoint and add the phone numbers that should receive alerts in E.164 format (for example
+15555550123). Trigger a real event and watch the Activity tab — each alert is logged as received → parsed → sent. Recipients can reply STOP to opt out anytime.
Tips for TrueNAS
- TrueNAS routes system alerts to the root user’s email address — make sure that address is your EmailToTxt endpoint, not a stale mailbox.
What the text looks like
EmailToTxt reads the alert emails TrueNAS sends and pulls out the event and key details, so your phone gets a single clean line instead of a full email.
The alert email
Subject: TrueNAS @ nas.local
New alert: * Pool tank state is DEGRADED: One or more devices has been taken offline.
The text you receive
EmailToTxt
Delivered · now
TrueNAS text alerts: FAQ
- Which TrueNAS alerts should I text?
- Pool degraded/offline, drive failures and S.M.A.R.T. errors, and failed scrubs — the events that risk data loss. Leave routine notices (successful scrubs, updates) at a non-email level.
Other setup guides
Ready to text your TrueNAS alerts?
Create an endpoint, paste the address into your recorder, add your number.