How to Configure an SPF Record to Stop Your Business Emails Going to Spam

Summary

This guide helps you troubleshoot and resolve: How to Configure an SPF Record to Stop Your Business Emails Going to Spam. Follow the steps below to fix the issue.

Common Causes

Email authentication is essential for small businesses and home offices relying on digital communication. An SPF (Sender Policy Framework) record tells receiving mail servers which mail servers are authorised to send email on behalf of your domain. Without a correctly configured SPF record, your outgoing business emails are more likely to be rejected or flagged as spam by providers such as Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, and Apple Mail. This guide explains how to add and verify an SPF DNS record for your domain.

Quick Fix Steps

1. Log in to your domain registrar or DNS hosting control panel.
2. Navigate to the DNS management or Zone Editor section for your domain.
3. Create a new TXT record with the host set to @ or your domain name.
4. Enter your SPF value in the Value or Text field.
5. Save the record and wait for DNS propagation.
6. Verify the record using an SPF lookup tool.

Detailed Instructions

Step 1: Access Your DNS Management Panel

Log in to the control panel where your domain’s DNS records are hosted. This may be your domain registrar account or your web hosting control panel. Look for a menu item labelled DNS Management, Zone Editor, or Manage DNS.

Step 2: Locate Your Domain’s DNS Zone

Select the domain you want to configure from your list of registered domains. Ensure you are editing the correct DNS zone, as changes made to the wrong domain will not affect your email deliverability.

Step 3: Add a New TXT Record

Click Add Record, Create Record, or Add DNS Record. Choose TXT as the record type.

• Host/Name: Enter @ to apply the record to the root domain, or enter your full domain name if required by your provider.
• Value/Text: Enter your SPF string. A common starting point for businesses using Google Workspace is:

v=spf1 mx include:_spf.google.com ~all

Replace include:_spf.google.com with the appropriate include mechanism for your email provider. If you use multiple mail services, combine them in a single SPF record rather than creating multiple TXT records. If an SPF record already exists, edit it to include all authorised senders rather than creating a second record.

• TTL: Leave at the default, typically 3600 seconds, or set to 14400 if you want slower propagation but reduced DNS load.

Click Save, Add Record, or Confirm to publish the entry.

Step 4: Allow Time for DNS Propagation

DNS changes are not instant. Depending on your TTL setting, it can take anywhere from a few minutes to 48 hours for the SPF record to propagate across Australian and global DNS servers.

Step 5: Verify the SPF Record

Use a free online SPF lookup tool to confirm your record is published correctly. Enter your domain name and check that:

• The record begins with v=spf1
• Only one SPF TXT record exists for your domain
• All authorised mail servers are included

Troubleshooting

Emails Still Going to Spam

SPF is only one part of email authentication. If messages continue to land in junk folders, also configure DKIM and DMARC records for your domain. Check that your SPF record does not exceed the 10 DNS lookup limit, as overly complex include statements can cause validation failures.

Multiple SPF Records Detected

Having more than one TXT record starting with v=spf1 for the same domain will cause SPF validation to fail. Merge all authorised senders into a single record. For example:

v=spf1 mx include:_spf.google.com include:spf.protection.outlook.com ~all

Propagation Delays

If your newly added record does not appear in lookup tools immediately, wait at least one hour and check again. Lowering the TTL before making changes can speed up future updates, but remember to raise it back to a standard value once propagation is complete.

If you need assistance editing your DNS records or verifying your email authentication setup, Open a Ticket with the 220 Internet Services support team.

Still Having Issues?