Outbound email is failing SPF validation and you need to inspect the published SPF record.
SPF Check
Check the live SPF policy for a domain.
Use SPF Check to inspect TXT records for a sending domain, confirm whether an SPF policy is published, and review the exact value before moving to DKIM, DMARC, or SMTP troubleshooting.
Verify SPF before assuming a mail delivery or alignment issue is somewhere else.
Lookup result
example.com
NOERROR
Type Value TTL
No SPF records were returned for this domain by the resolver.
What this SPF Check tool does
SPF Check queries the domain’s TXT records and filters for values that publish an SPF
policy beginning with v=spf1.
Use it to confirm whether SPF exists, inspect the live policy string, and spot missing, duplicated, or outdated sender-authorization values.
It does not confirm message acceptance by itself. A valid SPF record does not guarantee delivery if DKIM, DMARC, SMTP, reputation, or mailbox routing is broken.
When to use this tool
A new email service or sender was added and you need to confirm the domain authorizes it.
DMARC alignment is failing and you need to check whether SPF is present and syntactically valid.
Mail is being marked as spam because sending sources may not match the SPF policy.
You want to confirm whether a domain publishes more than one SPF TXT record by mistake.
You need a fast DNS-level check before moving to SMTP, DMARC, or provider-specific troubleshooting.
How to use SPF Check
- Enter the sending domain you want to verify.
- Run the check and review the TXT values that publish SPF.
- Confirm there is exactly one intended SPF policy and that it matches your sender setup.
- Compare the live SPF value with the configuration you expected to publish.
- If the result is missing, duplicated, or wrong, continue to propagation, MX, DKIM, or DMARC checks next.
How to interpret SPF check results
SPF record found
Likely meaning: A TXT record beginning with v=spf1 was returned for the domain.
Common causes: This usually means the domain publishes an SPF policy that can be evaluated by receiving mail systems.
Next action: Review included mechanisms, sending sources, and the final qualifier before moving to DMARC or SMTP checks.
No SPF record found
Likely meaning: No TXT record with an SPF policy was returned for the domain.
Common causes: SPF may not be configured, the policy may be published on the wrong domain, or TXT changes may not be visible yet.
Next action: Check DNS Lookup, confirm the exact mail domain, and then verify propagation or nameservers.
Multiple SPF records found
Likely meaning: More than one SPF policy was returned.
Common causes: This usually indicates a misconfiguration caused by multiple providers or old TXT records left in place.
Next action: Consolidate to a single SPF record and retest after caches expire.
SPF value looks incomplete or wrong
Likely meaning: The SPF record exists, but the mechanisms or qualifier do not match the intended sending setup.
Common causes: Missing include statements, old provider IPs, or publishing the wrong policy string are common causes.
Next action: Compare the live SPF value with the intended sender list and check related provider instructions.
NXDOMAIN
Likely meaning: The queried domain does not exist in DNS.
Common causes: Typos, expired domains, or checking the wrong hostname instead of the envelope or sending domain can cause this.
Next action: Confirm the exact domain name and run DNS Lookup before continuing with email-auth checks.
SERVFAIL or timeout
Likely meaning: The recursive resolver could not complete the SPF TXT lookup cleanly.
Common causes: DNSSEC failures, broken delegation, or authoritative DNS issues can interrupt SPF checks.
Next action: Verify nameservers and DNSSEC before assuming the SPF policy itself is the problem.
Common SPF issues this tool helps uncover
No SPF policy published for a sending domain
Multiple SPF TXT records causing evaluation failures
Wrong include mechanism or outdated sender list
SPF published on the wrong domain or subdomain
Recent TXT changes not yet visible across resolvers
Nameserver or DNSSEC issues that look like SPF failures
SPF appears correct in DNS but SMTP or DMARC still needs checking next
Next steps after SPF Check
Check MX Lookup
If inbound and outbound mail issues overlap, confirm the domain’s mail-routing records next.
Move to DKIM and DMARC
Once SPF is visible, continue with the other email-authentication records used for delivery and alignment.
Check DNS propagation
Use this when SPF TXT changes were made recently and some resolvers may still return older values.
Run DNS Lookup
Inspect all TXT and related DNS records for the same domain if you need broader DNS context.
Related tools
MX Lookup
Inspect mail exchange records and delivery destinations for a domain.
DKIM Check
Validate DKIM selectors and public keys for signed email.
DMARC Check
Inspect DMARC policy, alignment, and reporting configuration.
SMTP Test
Test SMTP connectivity and common mail transport responses.
DNS Lookup
Query A, AAAA, CNAME, TXT, and other DNS records for a domain.
DNS Propagation Check
Verify whether recent DNS changes are visible across resolvers.
SPF Check FAQ
What does SPF Check verify?
It checks the live TXT records for a domain and highlights SPF policies that begin with v=spf1 so you can inspect the published sender-authorization policy.
What input should I enter?
Enter the sending domain such as example.com. Avoid full URLs, mailbox addresses, or full email headers.
Why does no SPF record appear?
The domain may not publish SPF, the record may be on the wrong domain, or recent TXT changes may not be visible yet from the resolver used by the tool.
Why are multiple SPF records a problem?
A domain should publish one SPF policy. Multiple SPF records can cause validation failures because receivers cannot reliably evaluate conflicting policies.
Does this confirm email delivery will succeed?
No. SPF Check confirms the DNS policy only. Delivery can still fail because of DKIM, DMARC, SMTP, reputation, or mailbox-side issues.
What should I check after SPF Check?
Usually DKIM, DMARC, SMTP behavior, MX records, or propagation depending on whether the SPF result is missing, duplicated, or outdated.