Email deliverability checker
Emails going to junk, or customers saying they never got your quote? Type your domain to check the four DNS records that decide whether your email is trusted: MX, SPF, DKIM and DMARC.
We don't see or save what you type. The lookups go from your browser to Cloudflare's public DNS service.
Your result
Fill in the form to begin
Type your domain and the four checks appear here.
What the checker looks at
- MX shows where your domain’s email is delivered, so you know it can receive mail at all.
- SPF lists the servers allowed to send as your domain. The checker warns about missing records, duplicate records,
+alland records close to the 10 lookup limit. - DKIM adds a signature to each message. The checker looks for keys at the names used by cPanel (
default), Google Workspace (google), Microsoft 365 (selector1andselector2), Mailchimp (k1) and SendGrid (s1). - DMARC tells servers what to do with mail that fails. The checker shows your policy and suggests the next step.
Fixing the most common problems
Two SPF records
This happens when a business moves to Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace and adds a new SPF record without removing the old one. Combine them into one record with the SPF generator and delete the other.
DKIM not switched on
DKIM has to be enabled with each provider that sends your email. On our hosting, open Email Deliverability in cPanel and click Repair if DKIM shows a problem. In Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace, it’s in the admin centre’s email authentication settings.
No DMARC record
Add one with p=none and a report address to start. It’s quick, and Gmail and Yahoo expect it. See how to set up SPF, DKIM and DMARC.
Records pass but mail still bounces
Read the bounce message. It usually names the reason, such as a blocklist or a full mailbox. See what to do if your email is blacklisted and why email is not sending.
Questions about this tool
Why are my emails going to junk?
The most common reasons are a missing SPF record, DKIM not set up, no DMARC record, or a compromised account sending spam. Fix any checks that fail here first. Our guide on why email is not arriving covers the rest.
It says no DKIM was found, but I've set it up.
Some providers use their own selector names. Look in your email provider’s settings for the DKIM record name and check it with our DNS checker.
Do I need all four?
To receive email you need MX. To be trusted when sending, you want SPF, DKIM and DMARC. Gmail and Yahoo require all three from businesses that send a lot of email.
How do I fix SPF or DMARC?
Use our SPF record generator and DMARC record generator, then add the records in your DNS. On our hosting, cPanel’s Email Deliverability page can set up SPF and DKIM for you.
Related free tools
SPF record generator
Tick the services that send email from your domain and get a single SPF record to copy into your DNS. It covers cPanel hosting, Microsoft 365, Google Workspace and any other service you add.
Open tool → EmailDMARC record generator
Choose what should happen to email that fails your SPF and DKIM checks, add an address for reports, and get a DMARC record to copy into your DNS.
Open tool → DomainsDNS record checker
Type a domain name to see where its website and email point. The checker looks up the nameservers, website address, www, MX, SPF and DMARC records, and tells you in plain English what's missing or set up wrong.
Open tool →More ways to improve your website.
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