---
title: "Fallback and retries"
description: "What happens after a send fails — the immediate fallback attempt, two scheduled retries, and when your alert channels fire."
image: "https://booleansmtp.com/docs/og.png"
---

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

# Fallback and retries

A message that fails to send can get an immediate fallback attempt and up to two queued retries when
those options are available and enabled.

1. **Fallback Connection.** If you've set an active one (**Settings → Delivery & Reliability**), BooleanSMTP
   retries the message immediately, in the same request, through that connection.
2. **Retry on other connections.** If that attempt also fails — or you have no Fallback Connection — and
   this setting is on (it is by default), a logged failed message can be queued for other active
   connections: once after about a minute, then once more about five minutes later, up to 2 retries.

   ![The Delivery & Reliability card, with Fallback Connection and Retry on other connections highlighted.](../../../assets/screenshots/settings-fallback.webp "Fallback and retry settings")

3. **Alerts.** If nothing is left to try, the send fails for good and your [alert channels](/docs/alerts/)
   fire, if you've set any up.

If email logging is enabled, open the message in [Email Logs](/docs/logs/) and look at its attempts to see each retry and what happened.

## Next steps

- [How a connection is chosen](/docs/advanced/how-a-connection-is-chosen/)
- [View email logs](/docs/logs/)
- [Alerts](/docs/alerts/)
- [Settings References](/docs/settings/)

Source: https://booleansmtp.com/docs/advanced/fallback-and-retries/index.mdx