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SPF record lookup

Find valid sources that are authorized to take part in email delivery process.

SPF record

SPF (Sender Policy Framework) is a type of DNS record that lists all the domains and IP addresses that are authorized to send emails on behalf of a particular domain. It acts as a gatekeeper and allows only those authenticated IP addresses to send emails from that domain. By defining authorized senders in SPF records, domain owners can protect their brand reputation and ensure their emails are delivered securely.

How SPF lookup works

The recipient server checks if the sender's domain is listed as an allowed sender in the SPF record; if it passes the test, the email is sent. If not, there are multiple possibilities. Either the email might be valid and the sender might not be listed, or in other cases, the email might have been a forwarded thread or it could be completely fake. In such cases, it might be difficult to know the exact reason with just an SPF record. At this time, the DKIM and DMARC records help identify the real reason for the unsent stage of an email.

Components of the SPF record lookup

There are some rules to be followed when it comes to defining SPF records. There can be only one SPF record associated with the domain, and uppercase cannot be allowed while defining the record. Here is a sample SPF record:

v=spf1 ip4:192.0.1.0 ip4:192.0.0.1 include:test.email -all

v=spf - Defines that the record is of SPF type.

This is followed by a list of IP addresses that are authorized to send emails. We can also include third-party sites that involve email sending policies using an included tag.

+all: Defines all the servers that are allowed to send an email.

~all: Servers defined under this record will be received but marked as spam.

-all: Servers listed under this record will be rejected directly.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • How do I look up an SPF record?

    SPF records are generally stored along with your domain's DNS information. You can get the SPF details from your domain registrar or use an SPF record checker tool like Zoho Toolkit.

  • Are DKIMs and SPF records the same?

    No, these are different authentication mechanisms that help validate legitimate domains to prevent spam. While SPF is used to verify a sender's IP, DKIM uses digital signatures to authenticate email deliverability. Both DKIM and SPF can be defined under TXT records, however.

  • Why do I need an SPF record lookup?

    By defining an SPF record, you are instructing your server to protect your domain from spam and malicious attacks. Setting up SPF lets you list out IP addresses that can take part in email sending activities for your domain.

  • How does an SPF record protect your domain from spam and spoofing?

    The recipient mail server, upon getting an email, will check the domain's SPF record to confirm if it is from a legitimate IP that has been mentioned by the domain owner. If it fails in this, the received email will be marked and moved to spam.

  • What does an SPF record checker do?

    An SPF record checker helps you look up the SPF record of a particular domain, allowing you to inspect which IPs are legitimate in the email sending process.

  • What are the SPF record results?

    Usually, SPF records take one of the following statuses:

    • +Pass: This means all the servers on the internet can send an email without any authorization.
    • ~Soft Fail: The server lists the email as spam, so the email will land in the receiver's mailbox with a spam alert.
    • -Fail: The IPs listed under this status will automatically be rejected and the emails will not be sent.
    • ?Neutral: If none of the above three conditions match, the default status would be neutral. This means the IP's legitimacy can not be validated.