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

SiteGround is a popular hosting provider known for its performance and support. Adding an SPF record takes just a few minutes through their Site Tools interface. This guide walks you through every step, from logging in to confirming the record is live. No DNS experience required. For background on SPF records, see our complete SPF guide.

Before You Start

You need two things:

1. Your SiteGround account login. You need access to the account that hosts and manages your domain.
2. Your SPF record value. This is the text string you'll add as a DNS record. If you're not sure what yours should contain, SPF Creator can build the correct record based on the email services you use.

A typical SPF record looks like this:

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

Your record will be different depending on which services send email for your domain. Common includes are _spf.google.com for Google Workspace, spf.protection.outlook.com for Microsoft 365, and sendgrid.net for SendGrid. New to SPF? Read What is SPF? for an introduction, or see SPF record examples for common setups.

Step-by-Step: Adding an SPF Record in SiteGround

Editing an Existing SPF Record in SiteGround

If your domain already has an SPF record, you must edit it instead of creating a new one. Having two SPF records on the same domain causes a PermError, which means all SPF checks fail.

1. In the DNS Zone Editor, scroll down to find the TXT record that starts with v=spf1
2. Click the pencil icon (edit) to the right of the record
3. In the Value field, add your new include statement before the ~all or -all
4. Click Confirm to save the changes

Example: Adding SendGrid to an existing SiteGround email record.

Before:

v=spf1 +a +mx +ip4:198.54.115.226 ~all

After:

v=spf1 +a +mx +ip4:198.54.115.226 include:sendgrid.net ~all

SiteGround Email and Default SPF Records

If you're using SiteGround's built-in email service, your domain likely already has a default SPF record that authorizes SiteGround's mail servers. This record typically uses +a +mx mechanisms or includes SiteGround's server IP addresses directly.

Do not delete this record if you still use SiteGround email. Instead, add your new include statements to the existing record. Removing SiteGround's authorization while still sending email through their servers will cause those emails to fail SPF checks.

If you've fully migrated to another email provider (like Google Workspace or Microsoft 365) and no longer use SiteGround email at all, you can replace the old record with one that only references your current provider.

SiteGround-Specific UI Tips

The Name field

In SiteGround's DNS Zone Editor, leaving the Name field blank applies the record to your root domain (yourdomain.com). You can also enter @ for the same result. Do not type your full domain name.

• Correct: Leave blank or enter @
• Wrong: yourdomain.com

If you need an SPF record for a subdomain like mail.yourdomain.com, enter just mail in the Name field.

Quotation marks

Do not wrap your SPF record in quotation marks. SiteGround handles the DNS formatting automatically. Adding quotes can result in double-quoted values that cause validation errors.

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

Wrong: "v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all"

Deleting vs editing records

SiteGround's DNS Zone Editor has both edit (pencil) and delete (trash) icons for each record. If you need to change your SPF record, always use edit. Deleting and recreating can cause a brief window where no SPF record is published, which may affect email delivery during that time.

DNS management location

If you've pointed your domain's nameservers to another provider (like Cloudflare), the DNS records you set in SiteGround's Site Tools won't control your live DNS. Check your nameserver settings in Site Tools under Domain > Manage Domains. If the nameservers point elsewhere, add the SPF record at your actual DNS provider instead.

DNS Propagation Expectations

After saving your SPF record, it needs to propagate across DNS servers worldwide. SiteGround's default TTL is 3600 seconds (1 hour), which is a reasonable balance between propagation speed and DNS cache efficiency. Here's what to expect: SiteGround's own servers update almost immediately, most major DNS resolvers pick up the change within 30 minutes to 2 hours, and full global propagation can take up to 48 hours in rare cases.

If you're testing, you can set the TTL lower temporarily. Once everything is confirmed working, set it back to the default.

Verifying Your SPF Record

Once you've waited for propagation, confirm the record is published and correct.

1. Use the free checker. Enter your domain in the lookup tool at the top of this page. It will show you exactly what SPF record is published, along with any errors or warnings.

2. Send a test email. Send an email from your domain to a Gmail address. Open the email, click the three dots, and select "Show original." Look for spf=pass in the authentication results.

3. Check the full picture. Use Deliverability Checker to verify your SPF, DKIM, DMARC, and MX records all at once.

What to Do If SPF Is Not Working

If the checker doesn't show your record or shows errors, work through these common issues: wait at least 1-2 hours for propagation, check for multiple SPF records on the same domain, verify SiteGround is managing your DNS (check your nameservers), and look for typos like v=spf 1 (extra space) or inlcude: (misspelled).

For a complete list of common problems, see our common SPF errors guide.

Complete Your Email Authentication

SPF is one piece of the email authentication puzzle. For the strongest protection and best deliverability, also set up:

• DKIM adds a cryptographic signature to your outgoing emails, proving they haven't been tampered with. Check your DKIM records with DKIM Test.
• DMARC ties SPF and DKIM together and tells receiving servers how to handle emails that fail authentication. Check yours with DMARC Record Checker.

All three working together protect your domain from email spoofing and improve the chances of your emails reaching the inbox. Learn more in our guide on SPF, DKIM, and DMARC explained.

References

• RFC 7208: Sender Policy Framework (SPF) — The current SPF specification
• SiteGround: Manage DNS records — Official SiteGround DNS documentation