What Is an SPF Record and Why It Matters in DNS for Email

What‘s an SPF Record? #

A Sender Policy Framework (SPF) record is a type of Domain Name System (DNS) TXT record that identifies which mail servers are permitted to send email on behalf of your domain. The purpose of this record is to detect and prevent spammers from sending messages with forged “from” addresses on your domain.

Think of SPF as your domain’s email security gatekeeper, where it checks whether the sender is on the “approved list” before letting messages through. If the sender isn’t listed, the receiving mail server may reject the message or place it in the spam folder.

Why SPF Records Matter for Email Security and Deliverability  #

Email is one of the most trusted ways we communicate online, but without proper authentication, it can also be one of the easiest to misuse. The standard email protocol, SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol), wasn’t built to verify who is truly sending a message. That means, without added protection, anyone could pretend to send an email from your domain, which is a tactic often used in phishing or spoofing attacks.

That’s where SPF (Sender Policy Framework) records come in, making them an important part of DNS, and especially critical for your email, particularly when passing through MailChannels (our outbound firewall), reducing the amount of errors when sending.

Why Is an SPF Record Important? #

Benefit	Explanation
Prevents Email Spoofing	Stops cybercriminals from sending emails pretending to be from your domain.
Improves Email Deliverability	Ensures legitimate emails land in inboxes, not spam folders.
Protects Brand Reputation	Keep your domain trusted and prevent blacklist entries.
Strengthens Email Security	Works together with DKIM and DMARC for stronger authentication.
Reduces Bounce Rates	Validates senders, helping servers trust your messages.

How Does an SPF Record Work?  #

1. When an email is sent from your domain, the recipient’s mail server checks your SPF record.

2. The mail server verifies if the sending server is listed as an authorised sender.

3. If it is, the email passes SPF validation. If not, the email may be rejected or marked as spam.

TIP: SPF helps prevent email spoofing and improves deliverability.

What Does an SPF Record Look Like?    #

These records are stored as TXT records in your DNS settings.

Example: 

v=spf1 a mx include:relay.mailchannels.net ~all

TIP: This is the standard one we recommend.

Breakdown: 

• v=spf1 → Version tag (required)
• include:relay.mailchannels.net → Allows emails to pass through MailChannels (outbound firewall)
• ~all → Means “fail all others not listed here”

Other Examples:

• v=spf1 a mx include:spf.protection.outlook.com ~all (for Microsoft 365 users)
• v=spf1 a mx ip4:196.41.x.x include:_spf.1-grid.com ~all (custom setups)

Common SPF Errors and Fixes  #

Issue	Description	How to Fix
Too many DNS lookups	Record exceeds 10 includes.	Simplify SPF or use subdomains.
Duplicate records	More than one SPF TXT record.	Merge into one record.
Syntax error	Missing spaces or symbols.	Validate using SPF checkers.
Emails landing in spam	SPF is missing or incorrect.	Update and verify SPF alignment.

Recommended SPF Checker Tools  #

• MXToolbox SPF Checker 
• Kitterman SPF Validator 
• DNSChecker.org TXT Lookup 

How to Add or Edit an SPF Record for Your Domain  #

Control Panel DNS Zone Editor

We have some easy-to-understand, quick guides to help you navigate to your domain’s Zone Editor via your Control Panel with us, but here are some quick general steps:

• Log in to your Customer Zone / Control Panel.
• Navigate to Domains → Zone Editor.
• Select your domain and view existing records (A, MX, CNAME, TXT).
• Click Manage to update your SPF record.
• Click Save Record.

IMPORTANT: Remember to allow between 2 to 48 hours for the DNS propagation to complete.

When to Contact 1-grid Support  #

If, after updating your SPF record and waiting for propagation, your email still has issues:

• Provide your domain name and current record for SPF.
• Describe the issue (email failure, with screenshots, where possible).
• Note any recent DNS changes you made.