How to set up SPF, DKIM and DMARC

This guide shows how to check and set up SPF, DKIM and DMARC for your domain, so other mail providers trust the email you send.

What they do

• SPF lists the servers allowed to send email for your domain.
• DKIM adds a digital signature to each email you send, which the receiving server checks against a key in your DNS.
• DMARC tells receiving servers what to do with mail that fails those checks, and where to send reports.

Without them, Gmail, Outlook.com and others are more likely to junk or reject your mail.

Check SPF and DKIM in cPanel

1. Log in to cPanel. See how to log in to cPanel.
2. Open Email Deliverability in the Email section.
3. Find your domain in the list. cPanel shows whether SPF and DKIM are valid or have problems.
4. Click Manage next to the domain to see the details.

If your DNS is with us

If your domain uses our nameservers (ns1.whgbdns.com to ns4.whgbdns.com), cPanel can fix the records for you.

1. In Email Deliverability, click Repair next to the domain, or on the Manage page.
2. Confirm when asked.

cPanel creates or updates the SPF and DKIM records. Check the status again after a few minutes.

If your DNS is somewhere else

If your domain’s DNS is managed elsewhere, such as at your registrar or Cloudflare, cPanel can’t change it. Copy the records across instead.

1. In Email Deliverability, click Manage next to the domain.
2. cPanel shows the suggested SPF and DKIM records, each with a name and a value.
3. Log in to your DNS provider and add each one as a TXT record, copying the name and value exactly.

The SPF value shown in cPanel will start with v=spf1 and include our server. Use the exact value cPanel gives you, as it’s specific to your account. If you already have an SPF record, for example for Microsoft 365, don’t add a second one. A domain should only have one SPF record, so combine them into one and open a support ticket if you’re unsure how.

Add a DMARC record

Add DMARC after SPF and DKIM show as valid. Create a TXT record with the name _dmarc (in cPanel this is under Zone Editor, or at your other DNS provider). Use this value to start, with your own address after mailto:

v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:you@yourdomain.co.uk

p=none means nothing is blocked yet. You’ll just receive reports showing who is sending mail as your domain. After a few weeks, if the reports show only your genuine mail, change it to p=quarantine so failing mail goes to junk. Some people later move to p=reject, which blocks it outright.

If it doesn’t work

• cPanel still shows a problem after Repair. DNS changes can take a while to update. Wait an hour and check again.
• Your mail still goes to junk. These records help a lot but don’t guarantee delivery. See why is my email not sending.
• Mail from a website form or another service fails. That service may need adding to your SPF record. Check its own instructions.

Still stuck? Open a support ticket and we’ll help.