EasyChair Not Sending Notification Emails?

 

A troubleshooting guide for scenarios where authors and reviewers aren’t receiving EasyChair emails, plus how Dryfta ensures automated notifications go out reliably.

TL;DR

Most EasyChair complaints about email notifications turn out to be either:

1. messages delivered but filtered (Spam/Junk, quarantine),

2. messages sent only to corresponding authors (others expected copies), or

3. an expectation mismatch i.e., chairs don’t automatically get a copy of author notices.

Here’re some fixes, with quick checks you can run immediately.

 

Symptom	Likely cause	1-minute fix
Reviewer never received the invitation	EasyChair sends from noreply@easychair.org or conference-scoped addresses; corporate filters often quarantine.	Ask them to search inbox + Spam/Junk for @easychair.org and allowlist the domain; if corporate IT is involved, request a domain allowlist.
Only one author received the decision	Your email targeted corresponding authors; others weren’t flagged to receive notices	Mark additional authors as “corresponding” in the submission record before re-notifying.
Chair didn’t receive a copy of the notice they sent	EasyChair’s author notifications don’t always CC chairs; copies aren’t guaranteed.	Verify what was sent in the Email area; if needed, send yourself a preview from the Email tool.
Author says “no confirmation after creating an account”	The confirmation came from noreply@easychair.org and was filtered.	Ask them to check Spam folder for that sender and complete the verification.

Two role-based checklists

For authors & reviewers

1. Search your mailbox for noreply@easychair.org. Check Spam folder; some universities block external senders by default. 

2. Confirm the right person is a Corresponding Author. Only authors ticked as “corresponding” will receive automated email notifications. Ask the chair to add you if needed.

3. Make sure your EasyChair account email is current. If you changed institutions, add another address in your account and update the submission.

For chairs / track admins

1. Audit what was sent: Open EasyChair’s Email area to see stored messages and recipient targeting. 

2. Target correctly: When notifying about submission decisions, choose all authors if you want every co-author to get copies.

3. If recipients still don’t see mail: Share the allowlist template below with their IT team to unblock @easychair.org traffic.

Copy-paste: IT allowlist request (for universities/corporates)

The evidence that EasyChair mail routinely originates from noreply@easychair.org appears in multiple official conference guides and university instructions.

Email Deliverability Mini-guide

• SPF, DKIM are “ID checks” for email. When they pass, recipients’ systems are more likely to trust the message.

• How to check email deliverability status in Gmail: open any email → menu → Show original. Look for spf=pass, dkim=pass. If one fails, messages are more likely to land in Junk. Use MXToolbox’s header analyzer to interpret failures.

• Reality check: Even with passes, corporate filters can still quarantine unfamiliar third-party senders. That is why domain allowlisting is often decisive.

Known EasyChair issues, and how to avoid them

• Only Corresponding Authors receive various automated notifcations unless you explicitly include more recipients. Mark every author who needs email as “corresponding.”

• Chairs don’t get copies of each submission unless enabled. Use the Email area to verify content/targets and send yourself previews as needed.

• Sender identity varies: Most system mail shows as noreply@easychair.org; some conferences use aliases (e.g., <conf>@easychair.org). Tell recipients to search/allowlist accordingly.

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💡 Decision Tree: Fix in EasyChair or Switch to Dryfta?

1. If the issue is that only corresponding authors got email: then adjust recipient selection in EasyChair and re-notify.

2. If the issue is deliverability (messages consistently quarantined because they’re from a third-party domain): consider moving notifications to Dryfta with authenticated sending on your domain for better inbox placement, plus SMS/push notifications as backups where appropriate.

How Dryfta makes notifications reliable and visible

1) Send from your own authenticated domain via SendGrid.

• Dryfta supports domain authentication so emails come from, say, events@yourdomain.org with aligned SPF/DKIM, reducing “via” banners and spam risk. You’ll also see delivery/bounce analytics in your Dryfta/SendGrid account.

2) Built-in automated notifications

• Registration confirmations, ticketing updates, acceptance letters, speaker notifications, reviewer reminders, program reminders and more, can be automated and customized inside Dryfta.

3) Multi-channel backups when email isn’t enough.

• Nudge speakers/attendees by SMS and mobile push notifications for time-sensitive items like “Your session starts in 60 minutes.” This materially reduces no-shows and claims about missing email notifications.

4) Operational visibility for admins.

• Because you’re sending on your own authenticated domain, you can test quickly (via Mail-Tester, MXToolbox) and act on clear bounce reasons.

Step-by-step: Hardening your Dryfta email in 20 minutes

1. Authenticate your domain in SendGrid.

   • In SendGrid: Settings → Sender Authentication → Domain Authentication; add DNS records (SPF/DKIM). Wait for verification.

2. Connect SendGrid to Dryfta.

   • In Dryfta, use your SendGrid API key so broadcasts and automations send through your domain/IP.

3. Send two tests:

   • A transactional test (e.g., registration confirmation) and a broadcast test to a list. Check Gmail’s Show original for SPF/DKIM.

4. Add an SMS/push notification safeguard for critical reminders (sessions, deadlines).

When to switch the workflow

If your team is spending more time chasing inboxes than managing science, it’s time to centralize notifications on Dryfta: authenticated domain, automated touchpoints, and multi-channel backups.

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FAQs

Q: We notified authors, but only one co-author replied. Is that normal?
Yes;if only one was marked “corresponding,” that’s expected. Mark all who should receive notices as “corresponding” and re-send.

Q: Can I see what we actually sent in EasyChair?
Use the Email area; EasyChair stores sent emails and supports group sends.

Q: Why do some recipients still miss emails even when SPF/DKIM pass?
Filters still apply reputation and policy. That’s why sending from your own authenticated domain and, where appropriate, adding SMS/push is so effective.