# How To Choose Who Receives Alerts With BetterShield?

Send alerts to the site administration email or up to five named addresses, choose what each one gets, and test the real WordPress mail path.

In **[BetterShield](/)**, use **BetterShield › Settings › Email alerts › When alerts are sent, and to whom › Where alerts go**.

## What it does

By default, the named list is empty and alerts use the site's administration email, which receives the messages enabled for this site. Instant alerts and the weekly summary start off on a new install. Add up to five valid, distinct email addresses. They do not need WordPress accounts. Once any address is named, that list is used instead of the site address.

Each named address also has two choices of its own: **Instant alerts** (**High and critical**, **Critical only** or **None**) and **Weekly summary** (ticked or not). A new address starts on **High and critical** with the weekly summary, so adding one changes nobody else's choices. See [Choose what each address gets](/docs/choose-what-each-address-gets/).

**Send a Test Alert** sends one real **Alert delivery test** through the same WordPress mail path as live alerts. It goes to every address, whatever each one chose. It reports whether WordPress accepted it, whether alerts are muted, whether no recipient exists, or whether another test was sent too recently. When it is accepted, the screen also lists each address and the language its alerts are written in, under **Each address gets alerts in:**. See [Alerts in each person's language](/docs/alerts-in-your-language/).

<span id="set-it-up" aria-hidden="true"></span>

## Step 1: Choose Who Receives Alerts

Enter an address under **Add an address** and select **Add**. Repeat as needed. Use **Remove** beside an address to take it off, which also removes its choices. Send a test and confirm the inbox receives it.

| Option | What it does | Default |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Add an address** | Names who gets alerts. Up to five. | Empty, so the site administration email is used |
| **Instant alerts** (per address) | **High and critical**, **Critical only** or **None** | **High and critical** |
| **Weekly summary** (per address) | Whether this address gets the weekly summary | Ticked |

<figure class="doc-shot">
  <img src="/docs/screenshots/alert-recipients.png" alt="Where alerts go row with each address's Instant alerts choice and Weekly summary box, Add an address, and Send a Test Alert." width="1960" height="422" loading="lazy" decoding="async">
  <figcaption>When no address is named, BetterShield uses the WordPress administration email. Each named address has its own choices.</figcaption>
</figure>

## Recommended settings

Use a monitored shared address with at least two responsible people. Test after changing hosting, domain mail, or SMTP configuration.

## What it can break and how to undo

Removing the last named address returns delivery to the site administration email. A typo can direct alerts incorrectly, so correct or remove it immediately.

At least one address must stay on **High and critical**, so an urgent alert always reaches someone. A change that would leave none is refused with "Keep at least one address on instant alerts for high and critical events, so an urgent alert always reaches someone. To stop all alerts, use Mute everything."

Giving an address a lower level, or clearing its **Weekly summary**, makes alerts quieter. With **Ask for my password before removing a protection** on under **Settings › General**, BetterShield asks for your password first. A settings-history row can restore the prior list and choices.

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## Final Outcome

Select **Send a Test Alert** and confirm WordPress accepts it and every address receives it. Repeat this test after a mail-service or hosting change.

<figure class="doc-shot">
  <img src="/docs/screenshots/alert-recipients.png" alt="Where alerts go row with each address's Instant alerts choice and Weekly summary box, Add an address, and Send a Test Alert." width="1960" height="422" loading="lazy" decoding="async">
  <figcaption>Example Alert recipients view. Check the saved values and status on your own site.</figcaption>
</figure>

## On multisite

Recipients and what each address chose are per site. Network-wide recovery notices use the network administration address where the feature says so.

## Related

- [Choose what each address gets](/docs/choose-what-each-address-gets/)
- [Alerts in each person's language](/docs/alerts-in-your-language/)
- [Send a weekly security summary](/docs/weekly-security-summary/)
- [Put a settings change back](/docs/restore-settings-change/)
- [Locked out](/docs/locked-out/)

This is how you can choose who receives alerts with BetterShield.

Getting Stuck? Feel free to contact our [Dedicated Support Team](/support/).