What SPF means
SPF helps receiving mail servers spot forged emails pretending to be from you. It is published as a TXT record and must include every service that sends on your behalf, like your CRM or newsletter tool. It works best combined with DKIM and DMARC.
Why it matters for your website
Without SPF, it is easier for scammers to send email that looks like it came from your domain, and your real emails are more likely to land in spam. Major email providers now expect senders to have proper authentication in place.
Example
A hypothetical landscaping company sends invoices through its accounting software, so it adds that service to its SPF record alongside its regular email provider.
Tips
- List every service that sends email for you, including CRMs and invoicing tools.
- Keep just one SPF record per domain and combine all senders into it.
- Pair SPF with DKIM and DMARC for full email authentication.
Common mistakes
- Creating a second SPF record instead of editing the existing one.
- Going over SPF's limit of 10 DNS lookups by adding too many includes.
Questions about SPF
What is SPF?
Sender Policy Framework: a DNS record listing which servers are allowed to send email for your domain.
How do I check my SPF record?
Use any free SPF or DNS lookup tool and enter your domain. It will show the record and flag errors like syntax problems or too many lookups.
What is the difference between ~all and -all in SPF?
~all is a soft fail, which tells receivers that mail from unlisted servers is suspicious. -all is a hard fail, which says it should be rejected. Many senders rely on DMARC to set how strictly failures are handled.
