Resources

Guides, tutorials, and tips for SPF records and email authentication.

Guides

The Complete Guide to SPF Records

Everything you need to know about SPF records. Learn what SPF is, how it works, how to set it up, and how to troubleshoot issues.

Articles

How to Add an SPF Record in Bluehost: Step-by-Step Guide

Add or edit an SPF record in Bluehost with step-by-step instructions. Covers cPanel DNS management, exact field values, and verification.

How to Add an SPF Record in Cloudflare: Step-by-Step Guide

Add or edit an SPF record in Cloudflare with step-by-step instructions. Covers exact field values, DNS settings, and email routing.

How to Add an SPF Record in DigitalOcean: Step-by-Step Guide

Add or edit an SPF record in DigitalOcean with step-by-step instructions. Covers DNS panel navigation, field values, and verification.

How to Add an SPF Record in GoDaddy: Step-by-Step Guide

Add or edit an SPF record in GoDaddy with step-by-step instructions. Covers exact field values, GoDaddy DNS navigation, and verification.

How to Add an SPF Record in Hostinger: Step-by-Step Guide

Learn how to add or edit an SPF record in Hostinger using hPanel. Step-by-step instructions with exact field values, propagation times, and verification.

How to Add an SPF Record in Hover: Step-by-Step Guide

Add or edit an SPF record in Hover with step-by-step instructions. Covers exact field values, Hover's DNS interface, and verification.

How to Add an SPF Record in IONOS: Step-by-Step Guide

Add or edit an SPF record in IONOS (formerly 1&1) with step-by-step instructions. Covers DNS settings, field values, and verification.

How to Add an SPF Record in Namecheap: Step-by-Step Guide

Learn how to add or edit an SPF record in Namecheap with step-by-step instructions. Covers exact field values, TTL settings, common mistakes, and verification.

How to Add an SPF Record in OVH: Step-by-Step Guide

Add an SPF record in OVHcloud with step-by-step instructions. Covers the Control Panel, TXT vs SPF record type, and verification.

How to Add an SPF Record in Porkbun: Step-by-Step Guide

Add or edit an SPF record in Porkbun with step-by-step instructions. Covers exact field values, Porkbun's DNS interface, and verification.

How to Add an SPF Record in AWS Route 53: Step-by-Step Guide

Add an SPF record in AWS Route 53 with step-by-step instructions. Covers field values, routing policies, TTL settings, and verification.

How to Add an SPF Record in SiteGround: Step-by-Step Guide

Add or edit an SPF record in SiteGround using Site Tools. Step-by-step instructions for the DNS Zone Editor with field values.

How to Add an SPF Record in Squarespace: Step-by-Step Guide

Add or edit an SPF record in Squarespace DNS settings. Step-by-step instructions with exact field values and verification steps.

Common SPF Errors: Understanding and Fixing SPF Failures

Learn what SPF error codes mean, what causes them, and how to fix common SPF misconfigurations including PermError, SoftFail, and None results.

How SPF Works: The Complete Authentication Flow Explained

Understand how SPF email authentication works, from DNS lookups to pass/fail results. Learn about mechanisms, qualifiers, and more.

SPF 10 DNS Lookup Limit: Why It Exists and How to Fix It

Learn about the SPF 10 DNS lookup limit, why exceeding it causes PermError failures, and practical solutions to optimize your SPF record.

The SPF "a" Mechanism Explained

Learn how the SPF "a" mechanism works, when to use it, its syntax with and without a domain argument, and how it compares to the "mx" mechanism.

SPF Alignment Explained: Why SPF Can Pass But DMARC Still Fails

Understand SPF alignment and DMARC. Learn strict vs relaxed alignment, why SPF can pass but DMARC still fails, and how to fix it.

SPF "all" Mechanism: Softfail vs Hardfail Explained

Understand the SPF all mechanism and its qualifiers: +all, -all, ~all, and ?all. Learn the difference between softfail and hardfail.

SPF and DNS Records: Understanding Where SPF Lives

Learn how SPF records work within DNS, the relationship between SPF and other DNS record types, and how to find and manage your domain's SPF configuration.

SPF and Email Forwarding: Why It Breaks and How to Fix It

Learn why email forwarding breaks SPF checks and how solutions like SRS, ARC, and DKIM can fix it. Practical advice for any domain.

SPF, DKIM, and DMARC Explained

Understand how SPF, DKIM, and DMARC work together to authenticate email and prevent spoofing. A practical, non-technical guide.

SPF Exists Mechanism: What It Does and When You Need It

Learn what the SPF exists mechanism does, how it uses macros and DNS A records for IP authorization, and when to use exists vs include in your SPF record.

SPF FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions About SPF Records

Answers to common SPF questions: multiple records, propagation time, DNS lookups, combining includes, and more. Get your SPF questions answered.

SPF Flattening: Benefits, Risks, and When You Need It

Learn what SPF flattening is, how it works, the risks of stale IP addresses, and when to use it versus simpler alternatives for the 10 DNS lookup limit.

SPF for ActiveCampaign: Setup and Configuration Guide

Set up SPF for ActiveCampaign with the correct include statement. Covers adding to existing SPF records, CNAME auth, and verification.

Amazon SES SPF Record: How to Set Up SPF for AWS Email

Configure SPF for Amazon SES. Covers default MAIL FROM behavior, custom MAIL FROM domains, and the correct SPF include for AWS email.

SPF for Brevo: Setup Guide for Domain Authentication

Learn how to set up SPF for Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) with the correct include value. Step-by-step DNS configuration, common mistakes, and verification.

SPF for Constant Contact: Email Authentication Setup Guide

Set up SPF for Constant Contact email campaigns. Step-by-step guide covering the correct SPF include and self-authentication.

SPF for ConvertKit (Kit): Setup Guide for Email Authentication

Set up SPF for ConvertKit (Kit) to authenticate your sending domain. Covers CNAME-based authentication, adding SPF, and verification.

SPF for Freshdesk: Setup Guide for Support Email Authentication

Set up SPF for Freshdesk to authenticate support emails. Covers the correct include value, DNS setup, and verification steps.

Gmail SPF Record: What Personal Gmail Users Need to Know

Do you need an SPF record for Gmail? Learn when Gmail handles SPF automatically and how to set it up for custom domains.

SPF for Google Workspace: The Complete Setup Guide

Configure SPF for Google Workspace with the correct include statement. Covers adding Google to existing SPF records and verification.

SPF for HubSpot: Setup Guide and Common Issues

Learn how to set up SPF for HubSpot emails. Covers shared vs dedicated IPs, connecting your sending domain, common SPF failures, and verification steps.

SPF for Klaviyo: Setup Guide and Common Issues

Learn how to set up SPF for Klaviyo emails. Covers Klaviyo's branded sending domain approach, DNS setup, adding to existing records, and verification steps.

SPF for Mailchimp: Email Authentication Setup Guide

Learn how to configure SPF for Mailchimp campaigns. Covers custom domain authentication, SPF includes, and verifying your Mailchimp email setup.

SPF for Mailgun: Email Authentication Setup Guide

Learn how to set up SPF for Mailgun. Covers domain verification, the correct SPF include, dedicated vs shared IPs, common mistakes, and verification steps.

SPF for Microsoft 365: Complete Setup Guide for Office 365 Email

Set up SPF for Microsoft 365 (Office 365) with the correct include statement. Step-by-step DNS configuration, common mistakes, and how to verify your setup.

SPF for Multiple Email Services: How to Combine Providers

Combine multiple email services into one SPF record. Avoid duplicate records and manage DNS lookup limits with several providers.

SPF for Postmark: Setup Guide and Best Practices

Configure SPF for Postmark with the correct include statement. Covers domain authentication, existing records, and verification.

SPF for Salesforce: Setup Guide and Best Practices

Configure SPF for Salesforce with the correct include statement. Covers Sales Cloud vs Marketing Cloud and adding to existing records.

SPF for SendGrid: Setup Guide and Best Practices

Configure SPF for SendGrid with the correct include statement. Covers adding SendGrid to existing SPF records and verification.

SPF Record for Shopify: Setup Guide for Custom Domains

Learn how Shopify handles SPF for email, how to set up SPF for a custom sender domain, and how to fix Shopify notification emails going to spam.

SPF Record for Squarespace: Email Authentication Setup Guide

Set up SPF for Squarespace email or add SPF records using Squarespace as your DNS host. Step-by-step instructions for both scenarios.

SPF for Wix: How to Set Up Your SPF Record

Learn how to add and configure an SPF record for your Wix website. Step-by-step instructions for Wix DNS, Google Workspace integration, and verification.

SPF for Zendesk: Setup Guide and Troubleshooting

Set up SPF for Zendesk Support emails. Covers the correct include value, adding to existing records, fixing errors, and verification.

SPF for Zoho Mail: Complete Email Authentication Setup Guide

Set up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC for Zoho Mail. Step-by-step guide covering regional SPF includes, domain authentication, and verification.

SPF Include Mechanism: How It Works and When to Use It

Learn how the SPF include mechanism works, how to use multiple includes in one record, and how each include affects your DNS lookup count.

SPF ip4 and ip6 Mechanisms: Authorizing IP Addresses

Learn how to use SPF ip4 and ip6 mechanisms to authorize IP addresses. Covers syntax, CIDR ranges, IP vs include, and common mistakes.

SPF Macros Explained: Dynamic Variables in SPF Records

Learn what SPF macros are, what each variable does, and when they're useful. A plain-English guide to SPF record macros.

SPF PermError: What It Means and How to Fix It

Learn what SPF PermError means and how to fix it. Covers multiple SPF records, the 10 DNS lookup limit, syntax errors, and more.

How to Audit Your SPF Record for Security Gaps

Learn how to analyse your SPF record for security gaps, unused includes, and misconfigurations. A step-by-step SPF audit checklist for better email security.

SPF Record Examples: Real-World Records for Every Scenario

Practical SPF record examples for common setups including Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, SendGrid, and multi-provider configurations.

SPF Records for Subdomains and Multiple Domains

Learn how SPF records work across subdomains and multiple domains. Each subdomain needs its own record — covers setup and redirect.

No SPF Record Found: What It Means and How to Fix It

Getting a 'no SPF record found' error? Learn why your domain is missing an SPF record and how to create one step by step.

SPF Record Not Working? A Step-by-Step Troubleshooting Guide

Your SPF record isn't working and emails are failing authentication. Walk through these systematic troubleshooting steps to find and fix the problem.

SPF Record Too Long: How to Fix SPF Length and Lookup Limits

Fix SPF records exceeding the 255-character or 10 DNS lookup limit. Learn flattening, subdomain splitting, and other techniques.

SPF Redirect vs Include: When to Use the Redirect Modifier

Learn the difference between SPF redirect and include. Know when to use the redirect modifier to centralize SPF across domains.

SPF Softfail vs Hardfail: Which Should You Use?

Understand the difference between SPF softfail (~all) and hardfail (-all), how receiving servers treat each, and which one is right for your domain.

SPF Record Syntax: A Complete Reference Guide

Learn every SPF record syntax element including mechanisms, qualifiers, and modifiers. A plain-English guide with examples.

SPF TempError: What It Means and How to Fix It

Learn what an SPF TempError means, what causes it, how it differs from PermError, and when you need to take action to fix temporary SPF failures.

SPF Void Lookups: The Hidden Limit That Breaks Email Authentication

Learn what SPF void lookups are, how the 2 void lookup limit differs from the 10 DNS lookup limit, and how to find and fix void lookups in your SPF record.

What is SPF? A Plain-English Guide

Learn what SPF (Sender Policy Framework) is, why it matters for email deliverability, and how it helps prevent email spoofing. No technical jargon required.