What is an SPF Record and How to Configure It?
Learn what Sender Policy Framework (SPF) is, why it's crucial for email deliverability, and how to set it up correctly for your domain.
What is SPF?
Sender Policy Framework (SPF) is an email authentication method that helps to prevent spammers from sending messages on behalf of your domain. It allows domain owners to specify which mail servers are authorized to send email for that domain.
Why Do You Need SPF?
Without an SPF record, recipient servers may mark your emails as spam because they cannot verify that the email actually came from you. Setting up SPF improves your sender reputation and email deliverability. Major providers like Gmail and Yahoo now require SPF records for all senders.
Pro Tip: Before setting up your SPF, ensure your primary sending domain is valid using our Single Email Checker.
How to Configure SPF
An SPF record is a TXT record in your DNS settings. A typical SPF record looks like this:
v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all
- v=spf1: Identifies the version of SPF.
- include:: Authorizes a third-party service (like Google Workspace) to send email.
- ~all: Soft fail - unauthorized emails may be marked as spam but accepted.
- -all: Hard fail - unauthorized emails should be rejected.
Common SPF Pitfalls
One of the most common issues is having multiple SPF records. A domain should only have one SPF TXT record. If you use multiple services (e.g., Google and Mailchimp), combine them into a single record: v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com include:servers.mcsv.net ~all.
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