Sending Email and Text Messages with Python: A Beginner’s Complete Guide

Send emails & SMS with Python easily! Beginner tutorial covering smtplib, Twilio, security best practices. Start your automation journey!
code
python
Author

Steven P. Sanderson II, MPH

Published

November 6, 2025

Keywords

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Key Takeaway:
This guide will teach you how to send emails and text messages using Python, with step-by-step instructions, practical code examples, and troubleshooting tips—perfect for beginners!

*Author’s Note: I’m learning as I write this series! That means you might spot mistakes or see things done in a way that could be improved. If you have suggestions or spot errors, please let me know.**

Why Use Python for Email and SMS?

Python is one of the most popular programming languages for automating tasks—including sending emails and text messages. With just a few lines of code, you can:

  • Send notifications automatically
  • Alert yourself about important events
  • Build contact forms or customer support tools
  • Save time by automating repetitive communication

What You Need to Get Started

  • Python 3.x installed on your computer
  • A code editor (like VS Code, PyCharm, or even Notepad++)
  • Internet access
  • For emails: a Gmail (or other SMTP) account
  • For SMS: a Twilio account (free trial available)

Required Libraries: - smtplib (built-in for emails) - email (built-in for formatting emails) - twilio (install with pip install twilio for SMS)

Sending Emails with Python (Step-by-Step)

Understanding smtplib

smtplib is Python’s built-in library for sending emails using the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP). It lets you connect to email servers (like Gmail) and send messages programmatically.

Setting Up Gmail SMTP

To send emails through Gmail:

  1. Enable 2-Step Verification on your Google account.
  2. Create an App Password (not your regular password) for your Python script.
  3. Use these SMTP settings:
    • Server: smtp.gmail.com
    • Port: 587 (TLS)

Your First Email Script

Here’s a simple script to send an email using Python and Gmail:

import smtplib
from email.message import EmailMessage

# Set up your email details
EMAIL_ADDRESS = '[email protected]'
EMAIL_PASSWORD = 'your_app_password'

msg = EmailMessage()
msg['Subject'] = 'Hello from Python!'
msg['From'] = EMAIL_ADDRESS
msg['To'] = '[email protected]'
msg.set_content('This is a test email sent from Python!')

# Connect to Gmail SMTP server and send email
with smtplib.SMTP('smtp.gmail.com', 587) as smtp:
    smtp.starttls()  # Secure the connection
    smtp.login(EMAIL_ADDRESS, EMAIL_PASSWORD)
    smtp.send_message(msg)

print("Email sent successfully!")

Tip: Never use your regular Gmail password in scripts. Always use an App Password for security.

Sending HTML Emails and Attachments

Want to send a fancy HTML email or attach a file? Here’s how:

import smtplib
from email.message import EmailMessage

EMAIL_ADDRESS = '[email protected]'
EMAIL_PASSWORD = 'your_app_password'

msg = EmailMessage()
msg['Subject'] = 'HTML Email with Attachment'
msg['From'] = EMAIL_ADDRESS
msg['To'] = '[email protected]'
msg.set_content('This is a plain text fallback.')

# Add HTML content
msg.add_alternative("""
<html>
  <body>
    <h1 style="color:blue;">Hello from Python!</h1>
    <p>This is an <b>HTML email</b> with an attachment.</p>
  </body>
</html>
""", subtype='html')

# Attach a file
with open('example.pdf', 'rb') as f:
    file_data = f.read()
    file_name = f.name
msg.add_attachment(file_data, maintype='application', subtype='pdf', filename=file_name)

with smtplib.SMTP('smtp.gmail.com', 587) as smtp:
    smtp.starttls()
    smtp.login(EMAIL_ADDRESS, EMAIL_PASSWORD)
    smtp.send_message(msg)

print("HTML email with attachment sent!")

Validating Email Addresses

Before sending, it’s smart to check if the email address looks valid:

import re

def is_valid_email(email):
    pattern = r'^[\w\.-]+@[\w\.-]+\.\w+$'
    return re.match(pattern, email) is not None

print(is_valid_email('[email protected]'))  # True
print(is_valid_email('not-an-email'))      # False

Sending SMS with Python (Twilio)

Getting Started with Twilio

  1. Sign up for a free Twilio account at twilio.com.
  2. Get your Account SID and Auth Token from the Twilio Console.
  3. Buy a Twilio phone number (free credits available for trial accounts).

Twilio Python Integration

Install the Twilio library:

pip install twilio

SMS Example Code

Here’s how to send a text message with Python and Twilio:

from twilio.rest import Client

# Your Twilio credentials
account_sid = 'your_account_sid'
auth_token = 'your_auth_token'
client = Client(account_sid, auth_token)

message = client.messages.create(
    body='Hello from Python SMS!',
    from_='+1234567890',  # Your Twilio number
    to='+0987654321'      # Recipient's phone number
)

print("SMS sent! Message SID:", message.sid)

Automating Text Messages

You can use Python to send SMS alerts automatically—for example, when a script finishes running or an error occurs. Just wrap the SMS code in a function and call it when needed!

Error Handling & Troubleshooting

  • SMTP Connection Refused: Double-check your SMTP server, port, and internet connection. Make sure your firewall isn’t blocking port 587.
  • Authentication Errors: Use App Passwords for Gmail. For Twilio, make sure your Account SID and Auth Token are correct.
  • SMS Not Sending: Check if your Twilio trial number is verified and you have enough credits.

Security Best Practices

  • Never hard-code passwords or API keys in your scripts. Use environment variables or a .env file.
  • Use App Passwords for Gmail, not your main password.
  • Keep your credentials private—never share them or upload them to public repositories.

Practical Examples & Use Cases

  • Automated Email Alerts: Get notified when a script finishes or an error occurs.
  • Order Confirmations: Send customers a confirmation email or SMS after a purchase.
  • Contact Forms: Automatically email or text yourself when someone fills out a form on your website.

Your Turn!

Try sending an email and an SMS using the code above. As a challenge, modify the email script to send a message to multiple recipients at once.

Click here for Solution! 
# Sending to multiple recipients
msg['To'] = ', '.join(['[email protected]', '[email protected]'])

Quick Takeaways

  • Python makes sending emails and SMS easy with smtplib and Twilio.
  • Always use secure methods for storing credentials.
  • Validate email addresses before sending.
  • Automate notifications to save time and reduce manual work.
  • Troubleshoot common errors by checking settings and credentials.

Conclusion & Next Steps

You’ve just learned how to send emails and text messages with Python! With these skills, you can automate notifications, build smarter apps, and save tons of time. Keep experimenting, try new features, and don’t hesitate to ask for help or share your progress.

Ready to level up? Try building a simple notification system for your next project, or explore more advanced email and SMS features!

FAQs

1. Do I need to pay to send emails with Python?
No! Sending emails with Python’s smtplib is free. SMS via Twilio is free with trial credits, but paid after that.

2. Is it safe to use my Gmail password in Python scripts?
Never use your regular password. Always use an App Password for scripts.

3. Why do I get ‘connection refused’ errors?
Check your SMTP server, port, and firewall settings. For Gmail, use smtp.gmail.com:587 with TLS.

4. Can I send SMS without Twilio?
Yes! Alternatives include TextBelt, MessageBird, and Nexmo.

5. How many emails can I send per day with Python?
Gmail allows 500/day for regular accounts. Other providers have different limits.

Engage!

Did this guide help you?
Share your experience, ask questions, or suggest improvements in the comments below! If you found this useful, share it with friends or on social media to help more beginners discover Python automation.

You’re now ready to automate your communications with Python. Happy coding!

References

Happy Coding! 🚀

Email and Text Messages with Python

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