Creating SPF Records Print

SPF records tell receiving servers which hosts are authorized to use your domain in the SMTP envelope sender or HELO identity. SPF alone does not authenticate the visible From header.

The addresses below are examples, not ArkHost service settings. Use the SPF guidance from your actual mail provider and account for every service that sends mail for the domain.

Steps

1. Go to Domains → DNS Manager
2. Click the pencil icon next to your domain
3. Click Add Record
4. Fill in:
   • Type: TXT
   • Name: @
   • TTL: 3600
   • Value: Your SPF record (see examples below)
5. Click Confirm

Common SPF Records

Basic (your server only):

v=spf1 ip4:192.0.2.1 -all

With Google Workspace:

v=spf1 ip4:192.0.2.1 include:_spf.google.com -all

With multiple services:

v=spf1 ip4:192.0.2.1 include:_spf.google.com include:spf.mailgun.org -all

Allow your server + MX records:

v=spf1 a mx -all

SPF Syntax

• v=spf1 - Always start with this
• ip4:192.0.2.1 - Allow specific IP
• include:domain.com - Include another SPF record
• a - Authorize the domain's matching A or AAAA addresses
• mx - Allow all MX servers
• -all - Return SPF fail for other senders; the receiving server decides how to handle the message. ~all returns softfail.

Finding Your Server IP

Use the outgoing mail settings provided for the actual sending service. The website IP is not necessarily the outbound mail IP.

Testing

After adding the record:

dig TXT yourdomain.com
nslookup -type=txt yourdomain.com

Or use online SPF checkers.

Important

• Only one SPF record per domain
• SPF evaluation permits at most 10 DNS-lookup-causing terms, including nested includes and redirects. Exceeding the limit causes a permanent error.
• Update when changing email providers
• Cached DNS answers remain until their prior TTL expires.

Related: Creating MX Records