Common SPF mistakes to avoid
SPF is simple in principle but easy to get wrong, and a broken SPF record quietly hurts your deliverability. Here are the most common mistakes and how to avoid them.
- Multiple SPF records. A domain must have only one SPF TXT record. Two or more cause an error and SPF fails. Merge all senders into a single record.
- Too many DNS lookups. SPF allows a maximum of 10
include/lookup mechanisms. Chaining many third-party includes exceeds this and breaks SPF. Remove unused includes or use SPF flattening. - Missing legitimate senders. Forgetting to add your marketing platform or relay means their mail fails SPF. Include every service that sends as your domain.
- Wrong ending. Ending with
+allallows anyone to send as you - never use it. Use~all(soft fail) or-all(hard fail). - Using a redirect or include that no longer exists, leaving a permerror.
A healthy record looks like: v=spf1 +mx include:_spf.dirhamaday.ae include:sendgrid.net ~all - one record, few lookups, all real senders, a sensible "all" qualifier.
After editing SPF in the Zone Editor, test it with mail-tester.com or an SPF-checking tool to confirm it validates and stays under 10 lookups. If your SPF is failing and you cannot see why, send us the record and we will diagnose it - support@dirhamaday.ae.
Still need a hand? Our UAE-based team is here 24/7.