How To Check SPF, DKIM And DMARC For Your Sending Domain

If you send cold or marketing email, your domain's authentication records are the first thing to check. Mailbox providers use them to judge whether a message really comes from you. A missing or broken record is a common and fixable reason mail goes astray.

The free Deliverability Scan checks SPF, DKIM and DMARC against your sending domain in about a minute, according to its page, and gives the fix for whatever is missing.

What Each Record Does

SPF lists the servers allowed to send mail for your domain. DKIM adds a signature to messages so receivers can check they were not altered. DMARC tells receivers what to do when SPF or DKIM checks fail, and where to send reports. Together they show that the sender is who they claim to be.

Check Each Sending Domain

Run the check on every domain you send from, not only your main company domain. A fictional example: a team sends outreach from a separate domain and checks only the main one, so the real sending domain stays unverified.

Fix What Is Missing

If a record is missing, add it at your DNS host following your email provider's instructions. If one fails, check it for typos and for a second record of the same type. Rerun the check after DNS changes, which can take time to appear.

Know The Limits

The scan page says it checks your public authentication records only. It does not test inbox placement, blacklists or content, which need a seed test and a sending history. Passing the records is a good base and does not mean your emails will reach the inbox.

Keep Checking

Recheck when you add a sending tool or change DNS. A new tool that sends on your behalf may need its own entry in your records.

Run The Scan

Open the Deliverability Scan, enter your sending domain and read the results. Fix any missing records, then look at warmup, volume and list quality next.