SPF Record Validator
Validation Results
Step-by-Step: How to Use the SPF Record Validator
Option 1: Enter your domain. Type your domain (e.g. example.com.au) and the tool fetches and validates your existing SPF record from DNS automatically.
Option 2: Enter an SPF string. Paste an SPF record you’re drafting (e.g. v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all) to validate it before publishing to DNS. This is the safer way to test changes.
Click ‘Validate SPF Record’ and review the four output sections.
Understanding your validation results
- Parsed SPF Record: the raw SPF string being evaluated. Confirm this matches what you intended.
- Record Breakdown: explains each mechanism. ‘include:’ means you trust the SPF records of another domain (e.g. Google’s sending infrastructure). ‘ip4:’ authorises a specific IP range. ‘-all’ rejects anything not explicitly listed. ‘~all’ (softfail) flags unauthorised senders but doesn’t hard-reject them.
- DNS Lookups counter: SPF has a hard limit of 10 DNS lookups. Exceeding this causes a PermError and SPF fails entirely, meaning your legitimate emails can be rejected. If the count is above 10, you need to flatten your record by replacing ‘include:’ mechanisms with direct ‘ip4:’ entries.
- Errors: must be resolved. Common errors: exceeded DNS lookup limit, duplicate mechanisms, syntax problems.
- Warnings: don’t break SPF but indicate potential issues such as redundant mechanisms.
- Recommendations: suggested improvements, such as moving from ‘~all’ (softfail) to ‘-all’ (hardfail) once you’re confident all legitimate senders are authorised.
ImportantIf you’ve recently added a new email sending service, a marketing automation platform, CRM, or transactional email tool, you need to add their ‘include:’ mechanism to your SPF record. Without it, their emails will fail SPF checks and may be rejected or sent to spam. |
SPF is only one part of email authentication. Use the DMARC Record Generator tool to create a policy that enforces your SPF and DKIM results together. Confirm your mail routing is correct at the same time with the MX Record Lookup tool. Use the DNS Lookup tool to view your full TXT record list and confirm your SPF record is correctly published in DNS. If email delivery issues persist after validation, our website maintenance Sydney team can diagnose and resolve the underlying configuration.
Why a SPF Record Validator is Important for Your Business
An SPF Record Validator Tool is essential for businesses that want to protect their email domain from spoofing and improve deliverability. SPF (Sender Policy Framework) records help verify which mail servers are authorised to send emails on behalf of your domain, reducing the risk of phishing attacks and fraudulent activity. By validating your SPF record, you can quickly identify configuration errors that may impact inbox placement or damage your sender reputation. With Click Click Media’s SPF Record Validator, your business can strengthen email security, improve trust with recipients, and ensure your communications are delivered reliably and securely.
Need help?
Get in touch with Click Click Media today to validate your SPF record and protect your email domain with confidence.
