Could not instantiate mail function

The error message “Could not instantiate mail function” is a common problem when sending emails/newsletters via PHP through your local server.

The error indicates the following:

1. You are using the local mail exchange to send emails.
2. The PHP mail() function is incorrectly setup or requirements are not met.

If you see this error, please contact your hosting provider or email server provider and show them the error message.

The hosting provider should then investigate and either fix the PHP mail() function configuration setup or they will tell you that certain requirements are needed to relay through the local mail exchange such as authentication with a username/password for example.

In many cases, we see email servers throwing this error when there are hourly/daily email sending limits on the hosting and the sending limit is reached. At a later stage – after the hour or the next day – when the sending limit is lifted again these emails will then send out again.