Free SPF, DKIM & DMARC Checker: Verify Email Authentication Records

SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are the three pillars of email authentication. Without all three correctly configured, your emails risk being marked as spam, quarantined, or rejected — even when sent from a legitimate source.

Enter any domain to instantly retrieve and analyze all three authentication DNS records, with clear explanations of what each setting means for your email deliverability.

SPF / DKIM / DMARC Checker

Enter a domain name or email address to check its full email authentication configuration.

Authentication Report for {{ result.domain }}

{{ authScore }} / 3

Authentication Score

SPF Record {{ result.spf && result.spf.found ? result.spf.status.toUpperCase() : 'NOT FOUND' }}

No SPF record found for {{ result.domain }}. Without an SPF record, spam filters and receiving servers cannot verify that your emails are sent from authorised servers. Add a TXT record to your DNS.

Recommended: v=spf1 include:_spf.yourprovider.com ~all

DKIM Record {{ result.dkim && result.dkim.found ? result.dkim.status.toUpperCase() : 'NOT FOUND' }} (selector: {{ result.dkim.selector }})

DKIM record not found. To check DKIM for a specific selector, enter your selector in the selector field above and re-run the check. Common selectors: google, mail, s1, default, k1.

DKIM requires generating a public/private key pair and publishing the public key as a TXT record at selector._domainkey.yourdomain.com.

DMARC Record {{ result.dmarc && result.dmarc.found ? result.dmarc.status.toUpperCase() : 'NOT FOUND' }}

No DMARC record found for {{ result.domain }}. Without DMARC, you cannot instruct receiving servers how to handle emails that fail SPF/DKIM checks, and you'll receive no reports on email authentication failures.

Recommended starting point: v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:[email protected]

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SPF – Sender Policy Framework

SPF is a DNS TXT record that lists which mail servers are authorised to send email on behalf of your domain. When receivers check the sending server against your SPF record, it prevents spoofing.

Key directives: +all (pass), -all (fail/reject), ~all (softfail), ?all (neutral).

DKIM – DomainKeys Identified Mail

DKIM adds a cryptographic signature to outgoing emails. The receiving server verifies this signature against the public key published in your DNS. This proves the email hasn't been tampered with in transit.

Key tags: p (public key), v (version), k (key type).

DMARC – Domain-Based Message Authentication

DMARC ties SPF and DKIM together, telling receiving servers what to do with emails that fail authentication — none, quarantine, or reject. It also enables aggregate and forensic reporting.

Policies: p=none (monitor), p=quarantine (spam folder), p=reject (block).

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need all three — SPF, DKIM, and DMARC?

Yes, for maximum deliverability and security you should have all three. SPF and DKIM are strong independently, but DMARC is required to enforce policy and receive authentication reports. Major providers like Google and Microsoft now require DMARC for bulk senders.

What is a DKIM selector?

A DKIM selector is a prefix used to identify which DKIM key set you're using. It forms part of the DNS lookup: selector._domainkey.yourdomain.com. Domain can have multiple selectors for different email streams. Your email provider will tell you your selector name.

What DMARC policy should I start with?

Start with p=none (monitor mode) to collect reports without affecting delivery. After analysing reports for a few weeks, move to p=quarantine, then eventually to p=reject for full protection once you're confident all legitimate email streams are covered.

Why does SPF have a 10 DNS lookup limit?

RFC 7208 limits SPF records to 10 DNS lookups to prevent denial-of-service attacks via infinite DNS loops. Complex SPF records with many include directives often exceed this, causing SPF to fail. Use SPF flattening services to stay within the limit.