Free tool

Free SPF record checker

Look up the SPF record on any domain, see the full record, and find out whether it is enforced. DKIM and DMARC are checked too. No signup, no email address, no result held back.

Paste a domain, a URL, or an email address, whichever you have.
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What this SPF checker looks at

It looks up the TXT records on your domain and finds the one that starts with v=spf1. It reads DNS only. It does not send an email, so it cannot tell you whether your mail reaches the inbox or the spam folder.

What an SPF record is

SPF (Sender Policy Framework) is a TXT record that lists the servers allowed to send email for your domain. When a message arrives, the receiving server checks the server that sent it against that list.

How to read your record

A typical record looks like v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all. The parts:

  • v=spf1 marks the record as SPF.
  • include: adds another domain's list of servers, usually your email provider's.
  • ip4: and ip6: name single servers or ranges of addresses.
  • The all at the end says what to do with mail from any server not on the list.

~all (softfail) asks receivers to treat mail from other servers as suspect, and -all (hardfail) asks them to refuse it. Either one counts as a pass here. ?all, +all or no all at all lets any server through, so the checker marks the record Check. No SPF record is a Fail.

SPF records for common providers

If one provider sends all your mail, its line is the whole record. These come from each provider's own setup guide.

Google Workspacev=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all

Microsoft 365v=spf1 include:spf.protection.outlook.com -all

Zoho Mail (use zohomail.in if your account is in Zoho's India data centre)v=spf1 include:zohomail.com ~all

Hostinger Emailv=spf1 include:_spf.mail.hostinger.com ~all

Sending from more than one service? Put every include: in one record, for example v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com include:_spf.mail.hostinger.com ~all. A domain should have only one SPF record.

What this checker does not test

  • The 10-lookup limit. SPF allows at most 10 DNS lookups, and every include: counts, including the ones inside it. Past 10, the record fails with an error. The checker does not count them.
  • A second SPF record. Two records starting with v=spf1 make SPF fail. The checker reads the first one it finds and does not warn about another.
  • Where your mail lands. No DNS check can tell you that.

After you change it

DNS changes can take a few hours to show up, so run the check again after you edit the record. SPF is one of three records mailbox providers look for; the SPF, DKIM and DMARC checker explains all three, and SPF, DKIM and DMARC: the 15-minute setup every sending domain needs walks through setting them up.

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