What is an SPF record?

An SPF record defines which servers are authorized to send email for your domain. It’s part of email authentication standards that reduce spam and phishing.

How do I check my SPF record?

Enter your domain into MailTested’s SPF Checker to fetch and analyze your DNS TXT record, expanding includes and redirect mechanisms to show full validation details.

What causes SPF validation failures?

Failures are caused by syntax mistakes, missing SPF records, or exceeding the 10 DNS lookup limit. MailTested highlights where and why your SPF fails.

How can I fix SPF errors?

Simplify your record, remove redundant includes, or flatten large records. MailTested gives you detailed optimization suggestions for a valid SPF configuration.

Check Your Domain’s SPF Record

Instantly validate your SPF record. Detect syntax errors, misconfigurations, and lookup limit breaches before they hurt your inbox placement.

🚀 Step 1: Enter Your Domain Name

Explore more tools: SPF Generator • DKIM Checker • DMARC Checker • IP Blacklist Checker

Learn more: Fix SPF Errors • What Are SPF, DKIM, and DMARC? • Improve Email Deliverability

📘 SPF Checker — Frequently Asked Questions

An SPF record is a DNS TXT entry that lists which servers may send mail for your domain. It protects against spoofing and phishing attacks by validating the sender’s source.

It fetches your domain’s SPF TXT record, expands all include: and redirect= statements, and highlights syntax, alignment, and lookup issues with color-coded results.

SPF allows only 10 DNS lookups. Exceeding that limit causes validation failure and breaks DMARC alignment. MailTested shows your current lookup count and suggests reductions.

For Google Workspace: v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com -all • For Microsoft 365: v=spf1 include:spf.protection.outlook.com -all

📨 Why SPF Validation Matters

SPF validation ensures that only authorized servers can send email on behalf of your domain. A broken or misconfigured record leads to spam placement and DMARC failures. MailTested’s SPF Checker provides a full diagnostic report, helping you identify misalignments before they affect deliverability.

Keep your SPF record concise, avoid multiple TXT entries, and maintain fewer than 10 DNS lookups. Combine SPF checks with DKIM and DMARC validation for a complete authentication strategy.

Refer to the official RFC 7208 SPF specification for technical standards.

🧩 Why Use MailTested’s SPF Checker

MailTested doesn’t just read your SPF TXT — it fully resolves every DNS include and redirect, visualizes the hierarchy, and flags recursion or over-lookup risks. It’s the fastest way to verify SPF accuracy for large infrastructures, SaaS providers, or cloud mail relays.

Unlike simple DNS lookup tools, MailTested provides context-aware validation, actionable optimization hints, and integration with its SPF Generator to create corrected records instantly.

📄 Common SPF Record Examples

Google Workspace: v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com -all

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

Amazon SES: v=spf1 include:amazonses.com -all

Custom Server with IP: v=spf1 ip4:192.1.1.1 +a +mx -all

Each defines which hosts may send mail on your behalf. MailTested’s SPF Checker confirms validity and gives real-time DNS analysis.