SPF Builder: Create a Valid SPF Record (Easy Guide)

You can have the most compelling email copy in the world, but it won’t matter if it never reaches the inbox. Strong email deliverability starts with authentication, and the cornerstone of that is a valid SPF record. This record is your first line of defense, preventing spammers from using your domain and building trust with email providers. A single mistake—like having two records or a small typo—can invalidate the whole thing. That’s why we’ve put together this comprehensive guide. We’ll cover everything from identifying your sending sources to publishing the final record, showing you how an SPF builder makes the entire process foolproof and effective.

Key Takeaways

Stick to one SPF record and mind the 10-lookup limit: Your domain must have only one SPF record that includes all your sending services. Exceeding this or the 10 DNS lookup limit will cause authentication to fail, hurting your deliverability.
Keep your sender list complete and current: An SPF record is only effective if it lists every single service sending email for you. Regularly audit your tools—from your CRM to your help desk—and update your record to prevent messages from new services from being marked as spam.
Use free tools to build and validate your record: Avoid syntax errors by using a free SPF builder to create your record. Before publishing it to your DNS, always run it through a validator to catch any issues that could prevent your emails from being authenticated properly.

What is an SPF Record?

Think of an SPF record as a digital bouncer for your email domain. It’s a simple text file you add to your domain’s settings (specifically, a TXT record in your DNS) that tells the world which servers are allowed to send emails on your behalf. This record acts as an authorized sender list. Its main job is to prevent spammers and phishers from sending emails with forged "From" addresses that look like they came from you.

Every SPF record starts with v=spf1, which just tells receiving mail servers, "Hey, this is an SPF record." What follows is a list of all the IP addresses and third-party services (like Google Workspace, Mailchimp, or your own dedicated sending infrastructure from ScaledMail) that have your permission to send emails from your domain. By creating this public list, you give inbox providers like Gmail and Outlook a clear way to verify that an incoming email is legitimate. Without it, your messages have a much higher chance of being flagged as suspicious or landing straight in the spam folder.

How SPF Records Authenticate Your Emails

When you send an email, it doesn't just magically appear in the recipient's inbox. The receiving email server does a quick background check first. One of its first steps is to look up the SPF record for your domain. It checks the IP address of the server that sent the email and compares it against the approved list in your SPF record.

If the sending IP address is on your list, the email passes the SPF check—it's like showing a valid ID at the door. The server sees the message is from an authorized source and is more likely to deliver it to the inbox. If the IP address is not on the list, the email fails the check. Depending on your instructions, the server might mark it as spam or reject it completely. This simple email authentication process is a foundational step in protecting your domain's reputation.

Why You Need an SPF Record for Better Deliverability

Setting up an SPF record is one of the first and most important steps you can take to improve your email deliverability. It’s your primary defense against email spoofing, where someone fakes your email address to send malicious messages. By clearly stating who can send emails for you, you make it much harder for bad actors to impersonate your brand.

This directly impacts how inbox providers view your emails. When your messages consistently pass SPF checks, you build trust and a positive sending reputation. This tells services like Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo that you're a legitimate sender, which means your emails are far more likely to land in the primary inbox instead of the spam folder. For anyone running high-volume outreach, a properly configured SPF record is non-negotiable for campaign success.

Clearing Up Common SPF Record Myths

Two common myths about SPF records often cause major deliverability issues. First, many people believe you can have multiple SPF records for a single domain. You can't. You must have only one SPF record. If a receiving server finds more than one, it can cause a validation error, and your emails may fail authentication. All your authorized senders must be listed within that single record.

Second is the 10 DNS lookup limit. Your SPF record can’t trigger more than 10 DNS lookups to resolve all the included domains. If it exceeds this limit, it breaks the SPF check. This often happens when you use many third-party services, each with its own "include" statement. It's crucial to check your SPF record regularly to ensure you're not over the limit, as this can silently sabotage your email delivery.

How Does an SPF Builder Work?

An SPF builder is a tool designed to simplify the creation of your Sender Policy Framework (SPF) record. Think of it as a helpful assistant that translates your email sending sources into the specific syntax that email servers understand. Instead of manually writing a line of code, you use a simple interface to input your information, and the builder generates the correct record for you. This takes the guesswork out of the process and helps prevent common errors that can hurt your email performance.

At its core, an SPF record is a specific type of TXT record you add to your domain's DNS settings. It always starts with "v=spf1" and its main job is to create a public list of all the servers and IP addresses that are officially allowed to send emails on behalf of your domain. When an email arrives, the recipient's server checks this list. If the sending server is on it, the email is seen as legitimate. If not, it's flagged as suspicious, which can protect your domain from being used in phishing or spam attacks. An SPF builder just makes creating this essential security feature a whole lot easier.

What to Look for in an SPF Builder

When you start using an SPF builder, the most important thing to remember is that your domain should only have one SPF record. Having more than one can confuse receiving mail servers and cause legitimate emails to fail authentication. A good SPF builder will often remind you of this rule. Another critical point is the 10 DNS lookup limit. Your SPF record can't trigger more than 10 of these lookups to check for authorized senders. If it does, the record can break and stop working correctly. Look for a builder that helps you stay within this limit or at least makes you aware of it as you add different email services.

Why Use an SPF Builder?

Let's be honest, not everyone is a DNS expert, and that's perfectly okay. The main reason to use an SPF builder is to avoid the headache of learning and writing complicated syntax. These tools turn a technical task into a straightforward, step-by-step process, reducing the chance of typos or formatting errors that could invalidate your record. Using a properly configured SPF record is crucial for making sure your emails actually reach the inbox instead of getting lost in spam folders. Beyond deliverability, it’s a key part of email security, helping protect your brand’s reputation and your customers from fraudulent emails sent by someone pretending to be you.

Our Favorite SPF Builder Tools

Finding the right tool doesn't have to be a chore. Many great, free options are available to help you get your SPF record set up correctly. Here are a few of our favorites that are known for being reliable and user-friendly:

MxToolBox: This is a fantastic all-around tool. The SPF Record Generator from MxToolBox not only helps you create a record from scratch but is also great for diagnosing and fixing issues with your existing email delivery setup.
EasyDMARC: If you're new to this, EasyDMARC is a great place to start. Their free SPF record generator is incredibly easy to use and guides you through the process, making it perfect for beginners.
DMARCLY: This tool offers a bit more flexibility. The DMARCLY SPF generator lets you build your record by selecting different types of mail servers and adding specific IP addresses, giving you more granular control.

Create Your SPF Record: A Step-by-Step Guide

Creating your first SPF record might sound technical, but it’s really just a matter of following a few simple steps. Think of it as giving mailbox providers a guest list for your domain—if a sender isn’t on the list, they get turned away. This single line of text is one of the most effective ways to protect your domain’s reputation and improve your email deliverability. Let’s walk through how to build a valid SPF record from scratch, making sure every email you send gets the best possible chance of landing in the inbox.

Step 1: Identify All Your Email Sources

Before you can build your record, you need to know who’s sending emails on your behalf. Grab a notepad or open a spreadsheet and make a comprehensive list of every single service or server that sends mail for your domain. This includes your primary email provider (like Google Workspace or Outlook), any third-party marketing platforms (like Mailchimp or Klaviyo), your CRM, and even your own company servers if you have them. Don't forget transactional email services that send receipts or password resets. Every authorized sender needs to be on this list to avoid being flagged as spam.

Step 2: Use the SPF Builder Interface

Once you have your list of senders, you don’t have to write the record by hand. Using a dedicated tool is the easiest way to avoid syntax errors. A free SPF record generator will do the heavy lifting for you. These tools provide a simple interface where you can input your sending services and IP addresses, and they will generate a perfectly formatted TXT record for you to use. This takes the guesswork out of the process and ensures you start with a clean, valid record that mailbox providers can easily understand. It’s a simple step that saves a lot of headaches later.

Step 3: Add Your IP Addresses and Domains

Your SPF record always starts with v=spf1. This tells servers, "Hey, this is an SPF record." Following that, you'll add the IP addresses and domains from the list you made in step one. For example, if you send email from a specific server, you would add its IP address like this: ip4:123.345.567. If you use a third-party service like Google Workspace, you would add their domain using an "include" statement, like include:_spf.google.com. Your SPF builder will help you find the correct "include" statements for common services, so you just need to plug in the names of the tools you use.

Step 4: Set Your SPF Record Parameters

The final piece of your SPF record is a tag that tells receiving servers what to do with emails from sources that aren't on your list. You have two main options: ~all (SoftFail) or -all (HardFail). The ~all tag suggests that servers should accept the message but mark it as suspicious. The -all tag is a stricter instruction to reject the message outright. If you're new to SPF, it's often best to start with ~all. This gives you a chance to monitor your email streams and make sure you haven't forgotten any legitimate senders before moving to the more restrictive -all policy.

Step 5: Publish Your SPF Record

With your record generated, the last step is to publish it to your domain's DNS (Domain Name System) settings. You’ll need to log in to wherever you manage your domain—this could be your domain registrar (like GoDaddy or Namecheap) or your hosting provider. Once logged in, find the section for managing DNS records. You'll create a new TXT record, set the "Host" or "Name" field to "@" (which represents your root domain), and paste your complete SPF record into the "Value" or "Content" field. After you save it, your SPF record is live. It can take up to 48 hours to propagate, but it's often much faster.

How to Read SPF Record Syntax

At first glance, an SPF record can look like a jumble of technical code. But once you know what you’re looking for, it’s actually pretty straightforward. Think of it as a simple instruction manual for receiving mail servers. Your SPF record is a single line of text published in your domain’s DNS that tells the world which servers are permitted to send email on your behalf.

Understanding this syntax is key to troubleshooting deliverability problems and making sure your record is working correctly. A typical SPF record has three main parts: the version declaration, one or more mechanisms, and a final qualifier. For example, a very simple record might look like this: v=spf1 mx -all. Let’s break down what each piece of this puzzle means so you can read any SPF record with confidence and build one that protects your sender reputation.

Mechanisms and Qualifiers Explained

Every SPF record starts with v=spf1, which simply identifies it as a version 1 SPF record. After that, you’ll find the "mechanisms," which are the rules that specify which servers are allowed to send email for your domain. Common mechanisms include a (the domain's A record), mx (the domain's MX records), and ip4 (a specific IP address).

At the very end of the record is a qualifier, which tells the receiving server what to do with emails that don't match the rules. The most important one is -all, which creates a "hard fail." This instructs servers to reject any email that fails the check. A ~all creates a "soft fail," which suggests the email is suspicious but shouldn't necessarily be rejected. For the best security and deliverability, you should almost always use -all.

Using "Include" Statements and IP Addresses

Most businesses don't send all their emails from a single server. You probably use third-party services for marketing, transactions, or customer support—like Google Workspace, SendGrid, or your CRM. The include: mechanism is how you authorize these platforms. For example, to authorize Google Workspace, you would add include:_spf.google.com to your record.

You can also authorize specific servers by adding their IP addresses directly. The ip4: and ip6: mechanisms are used for this. Your complete record is essentially a list of all these approved sources. By listing every service and server you use to send email, you give receiving servers a complete and accurate picture of your legitimate email traffic, which helps them filter out phishing attempts made in your name.

Watch Out for the DNS Lookup Limit

Here’s a critical rule that often trips people up: an SPF record cannot generate more than 10 DNS lookups. A "lookup" is when the receiving mail server has to query the DNS to find an IP address. Mechanisms like include:, a, and mx each count as one lookup. If your record exceeds this limit, it will fail validation, and your emails won't be authenticated properly.

This is a common problem for companies that use many different cloud services to send email. Each include: statement adds to your count. You can easily troubleshoot SPF issues like this by using an online SPF checker tool, which will tell you how many lookups your record requires. Keeping your record clean and under the limit is essential for it to work correctly.

How SPF Syntax Affects Performance

Getting your SPF syntax right isn't just a technical exercise—it directly impacts whether your emails land in the inbox. A single typo, an extra space, or exceeding the 10-lookup limit can invalidate your entire record. When a receiving server can't validate your SPF record, it can't confirm the email came from an authorized source. This makes your messages look suspicious and increases the chance they’ll be sent to the spam folder or rejected completely.

Common mistakes include having more than one SPF record on a single domain (you can only have one) or creating a record that is too long. For your outreach campaigns to succeed, your emails need to be trusted. A valid, precise SPF record is a foundational step in building that trust with email providers and ensuring your messages get delivered.

Avoid These Common SPF Record Mistakes

Setting up an SPF record is a huge step toward better email deliverability, but a few common slip-ups can undo all your hard work. These mistakes can confuse receiving mail servers and send your carefully crafted emails straight to the spam folder. The good news is that they’re all completely avoidable once you know what to look for. Let’s walk through the most frequent errors so you can get your SPF record right the first time.

The "Too Many Records" Problem

This is the most common mistake I see, and it’s a big one. Your domain must have only one SPF record. If you have multiple records (for example, one for Google Workspace and another for your marketing platform), receiving servers won't know which one to use and will likely return an error. This invalidates your SPF setup entirely.

Another related issue is the 10 DNS lookup limit. Think of a lookup as your SPF record asking another service for its list of approved senders. If your record triggers more than 10 of these lookups, it will fail. This often happens when you use too many include statements. The key is to merge all your sending sources into a single, streamlined SPF record.

How to Spot and Fix Syntax Errors

SPF records have a specific format, and even a small typo can break them. It’s like having a typo in a password—close doesn’t count. Common syntax errors include forgetting spaces between mechanisms, using the wrong qualifiers, or exceeding the 255-character limit for a single string in your DNS.

The easiest way to avoid these issues is to use a reliable SPF builder and then double-check your work with an SPF record validator before you publish it to your DNS. These tools are designed to catch syntax mistakes and will flag any issues before they can affect your email delivery. It’s a simple step that can save you a lot of headaches.

Don't Forget to Include All Email Services

Your SPF record is only effective if it’s a complete list of every single service authorized to send email on your behalf. It’s easy to remember your main email provider, like Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, but what about the others? Think about your email marketing platforms, CRM systems, e-commerce platforms that send transactional emails, and even your website’s contact form plugin.

You need to gather the SPF information from each of these third-party services and add them to your single SPF record. If a sender isn't on the list, any email they send for your domain will fail the SPF check. Google offers a great guide to help you troubleshoot SPF issues if you suspect an unlisted sender is causing problems.

Simple Security Best Practices

How you end your SPF record matters. You’ll see records ending in ~all (softfail) or -all (hardfail). The ~all tag suggests that servers should accept the message but mark it as suspicious, while -all tells them to outright reject any message from a sender not listed in your record. For the best security and to prevent spoofing, you should always use -all.

Finally, and most importantly, always test your record after you publish it. DNS changes can take some time to propagate, so wait a bit and then use a validation tool to confirm everything is working correctly. This final check ensures your emails are authenticated properly and ready to land in the inbox.

How to Test and Maintain Your SPF Record

Creating your SPF record is a huge step, but it’s not a one-and-done task. Think of it like a garden—it needs regular attention to stay healthy. Once you’ve published your record, you need to test it to make sure it’s working correctly and keep it updated as your email practices change. This ongoing maintenance is what keeps your sender reputation strong and your emails landing in the inbox.

Failing to maintain your SPF record can lead to deliverability problems that are tricky to diagnose. An incorrect or outdated record can cause legitimate emails to be flagged as spam or rejected entirely. By building a simple testing and updating routine, you can avoid these headaches and ensure your email authentication is always working for you, not against you. Let’s walk through how to keep your SPF record in top shape.

Tools to Validate Your SPF Record

Once you’ve published your SPF record, the first thing you should do is check your work. Thankfully, you don’t have to do it manually. Several free online tools can validate your record in seconds, confirming it’s set up correctly and visible to receiving mail servers. My advice is to use a validator to catch any syntax errors or typos before they can cause delivery issues.

A couple of reliable options are the SPF Record Generator from MxToolBox and the free checker from EasyDMARC. These tools will look up your domain’s SPF record, parse it, and flag any potential problems, like exceeding the DNS lookup limit. Running a quick check gives you peace of mind that your record is doing its job properly.

How to Monitor and Update Your Record

Your SPF record is a living document that should reflect your current email sending practices. Any time you add a new service that sends emails on your behalf—like a new CRM, marketing automation platform, or even a help desk tool—you need to update your SPF record to include it. Forgetting this step is a common mistake that can cause emails from that new service to fail authentication.

Set a recurring reminder—maybe quarterly or bi-annually—to review your list of sending services and compare it against your SPF record. This simple audit ensures your record stays accurate. Regular monitoring helps you maintain email deliverability and protects your domain from being used by unauthorized senders, keeping your sender reputation intact.

Pairing SPF with DKIM and DMARC

While SPF is a powerful tool on its own, it works best as part of a team. For the strongest email authentication, you should use SPF along with DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) and DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance). Together, these three protocols create a layered defense that makes it much harder for phishers to spoof your domain.

DKIM adds a digital signature to your emails, while DMARC tells receiving servers what to do with emails that fail SPF or DKIM checks. When combined, they provide comprehensive protection and reporting. For maximum security, it’s also a good practice to end your SPF record with the -all mechanism. This qualifier tells servers to reject any email from senders not explicitly listed in your record.

Next-Level SPF Configurations

Once you’ve mastered the basics of creating an SPF record, you might run into more complex scenarios, especially as your business grows. Managing email for multiple domains, integrating a dozen different sending services, or troubleshooting mysterious delivery failures requires a deeper understanding of how SPF works. This is where you move beyond the simple "set it and forget it" approach.

Getting these advanced configurations right is crucial for maintaining high deliverability across all your sending platforms. It involves a bit more strategy, like carefully managing your DNS lookups and knowing how to structure a record for unique situations. Think of it as fine-tuning your email engine. A basic setup gets you on the road, but a well-tuned configuration ensures you’re running at peak performance, keeping your messages out of the spam folder and in front of your audience. If you're managing high-volume campaigns, getting this right is non-negotiable.

How to Manage SPF for Multiple Domains

If you operate multiple domains or subdomains, you might be tempted to create several SPF records for each. Here’s a critical rule to remember: you should only have one SPF record per domain. Having more than one will confuse receiving mail servers and can cause your emails to fail authentication, even if one of the records is correct.

Instead of adding a second record, you need to modify your existing one to include the new sending source. For example, if your record includes Microsoft 365 and you add a new service like Mailchimp, you’ll edit the single record to authorize both. A good SPF record generator can help you merge these sources correctly into a single, valid string for your DNS.

When to Use Custom Implementations

While an SPF builder is great for most situations, sometimes you need a more hands-on approach. A custom implementation is necessary when you have a complex sending environment, like a mix of on-premise servers, multiple third-party vendors, and dedicated IP addresses. In these cases, you’ll need to manually craft your SPF record.

This involves a deeper understanding of SPF syntax, including its various mechanisms (like a, mx, ip4) and qualifiers (+, ~, -). For instance, you might use a "soft fail" (~all) instead of a "hard fail" (-all) while testing a new sending service. A custom approach gives you granular control over your email authentication, which is essential for anyone who needs to ensure efficient delivery for high-volume campaigns.

Quick Troubleshooting Tips

Are your emails suddenly landing in spam or getting rejected? It might be time to troubleshoot your SPF setup. One of the most common issues is exceeding the 10 DNS lookup limit. Each "include," "a," "mx," and "redirect" mechanism in your record counts as a lookup. If you use too many third-party services, you can easily go over this limit, which invalidates your record.

Always test your SPF record after making changes to confirm it’s working correctly. Use an online validator to check for syntax errors and to see your DNS lookup count. If you’re still running into issues with complex configurations, it might be time to book a call with an expert to get a dedicated solution.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I use ~all (softfail) or -all (hardfail) at the end of my record? For the best security and deliverability, you should aim to use -all. This gives a clear instruction to receiving mail servers to reject any email that isn't from an authorized sender on your list. However, if you're setting up your SPF record for the first time, you might start with ~all for a short period. This allows you to monitor your email traffic and ensure you haven't accidentally forgotten a legitimate sending service before you switch to the stricter -all policy.

I just signed up for a new email marketing service. Do I need to create a second SPF record for it? No, and this is a really important point. Your domain can only have one SPF record. If you add a second one, it can cause authentication errors and hurt your deliverability. Instead, you need to edit your existing SPF record to include the new service. You'll typically add another include: statement provided by your new marketing tool into your single, consolidated record.

I just published my SPF record. How quickly will it start working? Once you save the new TXT record in your domain's DNS settings, it needs to propagate across the internet. This process can sometimes take up to 48 hours, but in most cases, you'll see it become active within a few hours. You can use an online SPF validation tool to check if your new record is publicly visible and working correctly.

My SPF record is set up correctly, but my emails are still landing in spam. What gives? An SPF record is a crucial first step for email authentication, but it's just one piece of the deliverability puzzle. If your emails are still going to spam, it's a good idea to make sure you also have DKIM and DMARC set up, as these three work together to protect your domain. Other factors, like your email content, sending reputation, and list quality, also play a huge role in whether you land in the inbox.

What actually happens if my SPF record goes over the 10 DNS lookup limit? Exceeding the 10 DNS lookup limit will cause your SPF record to fail validation. When a receiving mail server tries to check your record, it will stop processing after the 10th lookup and return an error. This effectively makes your SPF record useless for any senders listed after that point, meaning those legitimate emails won't be authenticated and are much more likely to be marked as spam or rejected.