SPF Record Validator is a tool designed to check if your SPF record is accurate, secure, and optimized for email deliverability
Verify the correctness and functionality of your SPF
Improve Your SPF Email Authentication
Ensure your SPF record is error-free and optimized before publishing it in your DNS. Our advanced SPF Record Validator tool provides a comprehensive analysis, identifying syntax errors, misconfigurations, or gaps that could compromise email authentication and deliverability.
Using the tool is simple:
- Enter your domain name.
- Copy and paste your SPF record into the provided field.
- Click “Validate SPF Record.”
By addressing these issues proactively, you can ensure your SPF record is robust, secure, and fully compliant with email authentication standards. This helps protect your domain from spoofing, improve email deliverability, and maintain trust with recipients.
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DMARC Tag Explanations
| TAG | TAG DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|
| v(required) | The version tag. is the only allowed value is "spf1". If it's incorrect or the tag is missing, the SPF record will be ignored. |
| IP4 | This tag should include all the IPv4 addresses that are allowed to send emails on behalf of the domain. |
| IP6 | This tag should include all the IPv6 addresses that are allowed to send emails on behalf of the domain. |
| a | The A record tag allows the SPF to validate the sender by domain name's IP address. If left unspecified, it takes the value of the current domain. |
| MX | The MX record tag checks the MX record of the mail server(s). If left unspecified, it takes the value of the current domain. |
| ptr (Not recommended) | The PTR tag prompts a PTR check for client IP hostname(s). It's a not recommended tag as per RFC 7208, because it spends too many DNS lookups. |
| exists | The exists tag checks if an A record exists or not on the mentioned domain. |
| include | The include tag is of top importance for a correct SPF record. Listing all your sending sources under this tag lets the recipient know that you verify all the aded domains/subdomains as legitimate sources. |
| all (required) | All is a required tag. It should be placed at the end of the SPF record. Depending on the qualifiers used (~, +, -, ?), this mechanism indicates how the recipient should treat emails from non-authorized sources. |
| Redirect | The "Redirect" mechanism allows a domain to delegate its SPF authentication to another domain by specifying the redirected domain in the SPF record. |
Q. What Is the SPF Record Validator?
The SPF Record Validator by DMARCtron is a powerful tool designed to ensure your SPF record is accurate, properly configured, and free of errors before it is published in your DNS. This validation step is critical to avoid typos, misconfigurations, or other issues that could compromise email authentication and deliverability.
Key Features of the SPF Record Validator:
- Syntax Error Detection: Identifies and flags syntax mistakes, such as invalid tags, misplaced mechanisms, or incorrect formatting.
- Element Validation: Verifies the correctness of all SPF components, including mechanisms (
ip4,ip6,include), qualifiers (~all,-all), and modifiers. - Duplicate Record Checks : Detects multiple SPF records on the same domain, which can lead to conflicts and authentication failures.
- DNS Lookup Compliance: Ensures your SPF record adheres to the 10 DNS lookup limit, preventing
permerrorissues. - Optimization Recommendations: Provides actionable advice to streamline and improve your SPF record for better performance and security.
How It Works:
- Enter your domain name or paste your SPF record into the tool.
- Click “Validate SPF Record” to initiate the analysis.
- Receive a detailed report highlighting any errors, warnings, or optimization opportunities.
By using DMARCtron’s SPF Record Validator, you can proactively identify and resolve issues, ensuring your SPF record is fully compliant with email authentication standards. This helps protect your domain from spoofing, enhances email deliverability, and strengthens your overall email security posture.
Take the guesswork out of SPF configuration—validate your record today with DMARCtron and ensure your email infrastructure is secure and reliable.
Q. What Should Be Included in an SPF Record?
Your SPF record must list all domains and IP addresses of services authorized to send emails on behalf of your domain. This includes your organization’s mail server, third-party email services, or a combination of both.
If you use Google Workspace (formerly G Suite), ensure you include a reference to it in your SPF record (e.g., include:_spf.google.com). Additionally, incorporate any relevant modifiers, such as include or redirect, to define how emails from other sources should be handled. These elements ensure proper email authentication and help prevent unauthorized use of your domain.
Q. How To Resolve a Failed SPF Record Message?
Q. Where Do I Set Up My SPF Record?
The purpose of implementing SPF is to specify which mail servers are authorized to send emails on behalf of your domain. Start by identifying and listing all the sending sources for your domain, such as your organization’s mail server or third-party email services. Once you’ve generated your SPF record, publish it in your domain’s DNS settings through your DNS hosting provider or domain registrar. This ensures that receiving mail servers can verify the authenticity of your emails.
Q. I’ve Published My SPF Records; What’s Next?
The next step is to properly configure your DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) records. Once DKIM is in place, you’ll be ready to deploy DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance). Use DMARCtron’s cloud-native platform to set up your rua and ruf tags, which are essential for receiving DMARC reports. At this stage, you’ll begin receiving detailed DMARC reports. Carefully analyze these reports to ensure proper DMARC enforcement, which will significantly enhance your domain’s security and deliverability. This process not only strengthens your email infrastructure but also provides peace of mind for you and your IT team.
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