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SPF Record Checker

Validate your Sender Policy Framework (SPF) record. Check for syntax errors, multiple records, and the 10 DNS lookup limit to ensure your emails reach the inbox.

Published as
TXT record
Starts with v=spf1.
Limit
10 DNS lookups
Includes can hit this fast.
Waiting for input
Enter a domain, then press Check
How to Use

Use SPF Record Checker in 4 Steps

01
Enter domain
Type the domain name you send email from.
02
Check SPF
Click check to query the domain's TXT records.
03
Parse results
We automatically find and parse the v=spf1 record.
04
Fix issues
Identify syntax errors, too many lookups, or missing includes.

What is SPF Record Checker?

SPF Record Checker helps teams validate your spf txt record and lookup limits. This page is built for production troubleshooting, migration validation, and repeatable change verification workflows.

When to Use SPF Record Checker

  • During pre-change validation to baseline expected behavior
  • During active incidents to isolate likely root-cause signals
  • During post-change verification to confirm remediation success
  • During audit/compliance reviews where reproducible evidence is required

How to Interpret Results

Run this tool with clean input, compare output with known-good state, and cross-check adjacent dependencies. Avoid single-signal conclusions when resolver variance, provider policy, or caching windows may influence observations.

Operational Recommendations

  1. Validate input formatting and scope before execution.
  2. Re-run checks from shared URLs for team handoff consistency.
  3. Confirm final conclusions with authoritative provider logs.
  4. Document changes with before/after evidence for incident timelines.

SPF Record Checker in EMAIL Workflows

Use this route as a first-pass check in your email diagnostics stack. Then continue with related tools to validate surrounding layers and prevent false positives from partial visibility.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need SPF if I use a third-party email provider?
Yes. Your SPF record should include the services that send mail for your domain (Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, transactional email providers, etc.).
Can I publish more than one SPF record?
No. A domain should publish exactly one TXT record starting with v=spf1. Multiple SPF records can cause SPF to fail.
What is the SPF 10-lookup limit?
SPF evaluation is limited to 10 DNS lookups. Mechanisms like include, a, mx, ptr, exists, and redirect count toward the limit.
What's the difference between ~all and -all?
~all is softfail (often used during rollout). -all is fail (strict enforcement) and is recommended once your allowed senders are correct.
Why is my SPF record shown with quotes in DNS results?
DNS TXT answers are often returned as quoted strings. The underlying record content is what matters, not the quotes in the response format.
SPF Limits
Max DNS Lookups10
Max Void Lookups2
Max String Length255 chars