An SPF record (Sender Policy Framework) is a small DNS setting that lists which mail servers are allowed to send email using your domain. It is one of the simplest and most effective ways to improve email deliverability and stop spammers from forging messages that appear to come from you. If your legitimate emails keep landing in spam, a missing or incorrect SPF record is often the cause.
Why SPF matters #
When a receiving mail server gets a message claiming to be from your domain, it checks your SPF record to see whether the sending server is authorised. If it is, the message is more likely to be trusted; if it is not, the message may be flagged as spam or rejected. In practical terms, a correct SPF record helps in two ways:
- Better deliverability: your real emails are more likely to reach the inbox.
- Anti-spoofing: it is harder for others to send fake email as your domain.
What an SPF record looks like #
An SPF record is a TXT record that begins with v=spf1 and lists the allowed senders, ending with a policy such as ~all (soft fail) or -all (hard fail). A typical record for a domain that sends only through its own host might look like: v=spf1 a mx include:_spf.yourprovider.com ~all. Your email provider will tell you the exact value to use, so you do not have to guess.
How to add an SPF record #
- Log in to your DNS manager or control panel.
- Open the DNS or Zone Editor section.
- Create a new TXT record for your root domain.
- Paste the SPF value provided by your email service.
- Save and allow time for propagation.
Important: only one SPF record #
A domain should have exactly one SPF record. If you use more than one email service (for example, your host plus a newsletter tool), you must combine them into a single record using multiple include: statements rather than creating separate SPF records. Having two SPF records is a common mistake that causes checks to fail.
Troubleshooting #
- Emails still going to spam: confirm the record is a single, correct TXT entry and consider adding DKIM and DMARC too.
- SPF check fails: make sure every service you send from is included.
- Changes not applied: allow time for propagation and re-test with an SPF checking tool.
Need help? #
If you are unsure what your SPF record should contain, our support team can help you build the correct value over live chat.
