How do I align SPF authentication with my sending domain in Google Postmaster Tools?

Summary

To align SPF authentication with your sending domain in Google Postmaster Tools, it's crucial to ensure that the domain used for sending emails (5321.MailFrom or Return-Path) matches the domain authorized in your SPF record. If these don't match, there's no authentication connection, and you should ask your email service provider to sign with your domain (or a subdomain). This involves publishing an SPF record in your domain's DNS settings, specifying authorized mail servers and domains. Use Google Postmaster Tools to verify the legitimacy of emails. When DMARC is enabled, SPF aligns with the visible 'From' domain (5322.From). Understand that SPF alignment has strict and relaxed modes. Preventing spoofing is a key goal, and remember to gather authorized sending domains, create the SPF record, add it to your DNS, and test the record. Employ SPF, DKIM, and DMARC for enhanced security.

Key findings

  • Alignment is Key: Ensuring the sending domain matches the domain authorized in the SPF record is vital.
  • Authentication Chain: There must be a clear authentication connection between the sending domain and the headers posted.
  • Publishing SPF: You need to publish an SPF record that specifies the mail servers and domains authorized to send email on your behalf.
  • DMARC alignment: When DMARC is enabled, SPF works on the visible 'From' domain (5322.From).
  • DKIM and DMARC: SPF is a form of email authorization, but DKIM and DMARC are the strongest forms of email authorization.

Key considerations

  • Configure the DNS: You need to configure your domain's DNS records properly, updating an SPF record to include all the authorized mail servers.
  • Test it works: Checking your SPF record is vital to making sure it is set up properly.
  • Prevent spoofing: Take steps to help prevent spammers from sending messages with forged addresses from your domain.
  • DMARC policy: Use DMARC with an SPF policy, in addition to SPF itself, in order to best help improve your email deliverability

What email marketers say
11Marketer opinions

To align SPF authentication with your sending domain in Google Postmaster Tools, it's crucial to ensure that the domain used for sending emails (5321.MailFrom or Return-Path) matches the domain listed in your SPF record. This alignment helps prove the legitimacy of your emails, prevents them from being marked as spam, and improves deliverability. Key steps include configuring your domain's DNS records with an accurate SPF record that includes all authorized sending sources, and verifying the SPF record using online tools. When DMARC is enabled, SPF works on the visible 'From' domain (5322.From). Employing SPF, DKIM, and DMARC in conjunction are also crucial for DMARC alignment and enhanced email security.

Key opinions

  • SPF Alignment Importance: SPF alignment is critical for ensuring emails are not marked as spam and for improving overall deliverability.
  • Domain Matching: The sending domain (5321.MailFrom) must match the domain listed in the SPF record for proper authentication.
  • DMARC Impact: When DMARC is enabled, SPF alignment works on the visible 'From' domain (5322.From).
  • DNS Configuration: Correctly configuring DNS records, including the SPF record with all authorized sending sources, is essential.
  • Verification: Using online tools to verify the SPF record is important to ensure it's set up correctly.

Key considerations

  • Monitor: Regularly monitor your SPF setup to address potential issues and changes in sending sources.
  • DMARC: Consider implementing DMARC alongside SPF and DKIM for enhanced email security and deliverability.
  • Sending Domain: Identify and include all authorized sending sources in your SPF record to avoid deliverability issues.
  • Authentication Headers: Understanding headers when looking at SPF, DKIM and DMARC is vital to ensure proper email deliverability.
Marketer view

Email marketer from Postmark App responds that to align SPF authentication with your sending domain in Google Postmaster Tools, you need to configure your domain's DNS records properly. This involves creating or updating an SPF record that includes all the authorized mail servers or services that send emails on behalf of your domain, ensuring SPF alignment for better deliverability.

May 2023 - Postmark App
Marketer view

Email marketer from Mailjet explains that SPF alignment is important because it helps to ensure that your emails are not marked as spam. When SPF is aligned, it means that the domain used to send the email matches the domain listed in the SPF record. This helps to prove that the email is legitimate and not a phishing attempt.

June 2021 - Mailjet
Marketer view

Email marketer from Stackoverflow shares that steps for SPF alignment include: Ensure your sending domain has an SPF record, add all authorized sending sources to your SPF record, and verify your SPF record using online tools.

January 2024 - Stackoverflow
Marketer view

Email marketer from DNS Records responds that checking your SPF record is vital to making sure it is set up properly. They suggest you can use a DNS lookup tool to check your SPF records quickly and easily.

March 2021 - DNS Records
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks shares that When you're looking at headers for authentication, the three ueful things to extract are: 1. The 5321.From domain. This is often represented as the return-path, envelope-from or bounce address. 2. The DKIM signing domain(s). For each DKIM-Signature header, look at the "d=xxxx" - that's the signing domain. 3. The 5322.From domain. This is the visible or user friendly From that you see in the email client. SPF works on the 5321.From, unless DMARC is enabled, then (because of alignment) it works on the 5322.From.

January 2024 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks explains that the 5321.From domain is track.stocksearning.com, which is what the SPF works on. The SPF is passing but not aligned.

November 2024 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from Sendgrid explains that SPF records are extremely important to help prevent spammers from sending messages with forged addresses from your domain. An SPF record lists all the machines authorized to send mail from your domain.

February 2022 - Sendgrid
Marketer view

Email marketer from EmailonAcid defines SPF alignment as ensuring that the domain listed in the 'Return-Path' (or 'Mail From') of your email matches the domain specified in your SPF record. This confirms that the email is sent from a source authorized to send on behalf of that domain.

July 2021 - EmailonAcid
Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit explains that one of the most basic methods to show Google that you are who you say you are is to configure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. DMARC alignment is when the domain used to send an email aligns with domain on which the policy is set. The closer your domains are to each other, the more likely DMARC is to function well.

February 2023 - Reddit
Marketer view

Email marketer from SparkPost explains that to achieve SPF alignment for DMARC compliance, the domain used to send the email (5321.MailFrom) must match the domain that the user sees (5322.From).

December 2021 - SparkPost
Marketer view

Email marketer from Validity responds that SPF records are important in email authentication as they are critical to ensuring your messages reach the inbox. When an SPF record is configured correctly, it helps prevent malicious actors from spoofing your domain, which has implications for deliverability.

March 2022 - Validity

What the experts say
4Expert opinions

To align SPF authentication with your sending domain in Google Postmaster Tools, it is important to ensure the domain used in the 'Mail From' address aligns with the authorized domain in the SPF record for proper authentication. If there's no authentication connection, request the email service provider (e.g., Socketlabs) to sign emails with the correct domain, register that domain with Google Postmaster Tools, and publish necessary DNS records. Using DMARC along with SPF enhances email deliverability and stream authentication. While SPF provides email authorization, DKIM and DMARC offer stronger authentication methods, so configuring all three is vital for secure mailstreams.

Key opinions

  • Alignment Importance: Proper SPF alignment is vital for improving email deliverability and building a positive sender reputation.
  • Authentication Connection: Ensuring a clear authentication connection between the sending domain and email headers is critical.
  • DMARC Enhancement: DMARC complements SPF by providing an additional layer of verification and authentication for mail streams.
  • DKIM and DMARC Strength: DKIM and DMARC offer stronger forms of email authorization compared to SPF.
  • Domain Registration: Registering your sending domain with Google Postmaster Tools is an important step to align SPF and other authentication mechanisms.

Key considerations

  • Domain Signing: Ensure your email service provider signs emails with the correct domain ('d=' tag) to establish authentication.
  • DNS Records: Publish necessary DNS records, including SPF and DKIM records, to properly configure email authentication.
  • SPF Policy: Implement a strong SPF policy, and consider adding DMARC to enhance email deliverability through improved verification.
  • Complete Authorization: Configure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC for comprehensive email authorization and secure mailstreams.
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks explains there's no authentication connection between stockearnings-newsletter.com and the headers posted. To fix this, ask Socketlabs to sign with the d= of stocksearnings.com (or a subdomain) and register stocksearnings.com with Google Postmaster Tools, publishing DNS records for the DKIM public key and domain verification.

September 2021 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise explains that SPF (Sender Policy Framework) is a form of email authorization, but that DKIM and DMARC are the strongest forms of email authorization. It is important to configure all of these to ensure safe and accurate mailstreams.

September 2023 - Word to the Wise
Expert view

Expert from SpamResource explains that SPF alignment is essential for improving email deliverability and building a positive sender reputation. By aligning the domain used in the 'Mail From' address with the domain authorized in the SPF record, you ensure that your emails are properly authenticated and less likely to be flagged as spam.

June 2021 - SpamResource
Expert view

Expert from SpamResource recommends using DMARC with an SPF policy, in addition to SPF itself, in order to best help improve your email deliverability by verifying and authenticating mail streams.

March 2024 - SpamResource

What the documentation says
4Technical articles

To align SPF authentication with your sending domain in Google Postmaster Tools, you need to publish an SPF record in your domain's DNS settings. This record lists authorized mail servers and domains that can send emails on your domain's behalf. Google Postmaster Tools uses this record to verify the legitimacy of emails. SPF alignment has strict and relaxed modes; strict mode requires an exact match between the 5321.MailFrom domain and the organizational domain, while relaxed mode only requires the 5321.MailFrom domain to be a subdomain. The goal of SPF is to prevent email spoofing by validating the sender's IP address. Steps to take include gathering authorized sending domains, creating the SPF record, adding it to your domain's DNS, and testing the record.

Key findings

  • SPF Record Publishing: Publishing an SPF record is essential for authenticating emails.
  • Authorized Mail Servers: The SPF record specifies authorized mail servers and domains.
  • Google Postmaster Tools Verification: Google Postmaster Tools uses SPF to verify email legitimacy.
  • SPF Alignment Modes: SPF alignment has strict and relaxed modes.
  • Preventing Spoofing: SPF helps prevent email spoofing by validating the sender's IP address.

Key considerations

  • Record Creation: Gather authorized sending domains and create an accurate SPF record.
  • DNS Addition: Add the SPF record to your domain's DNS settings.
  • Record Testing: Test the SPF record to ensure it is functioning correctly.
  • Alignment Mode Choice: Choose between strict and relaxed alignment modes based on your domain structure.
Technical article

Documentation from RFC shares that SPF (Sender Policy Framework) allows a domain to authorize mail servers to send email on its behalf. An SPF record is published in the DNS and specifies which IP addresses or domains are permitted to send emails using that domain name.

September 2023 - RFC 4408
Technical article

Documentation from EasyDMARC shares that SPF alignment has two modes: strict and relaxed. In strict mode, the 5321.MailFrom domain must exactly match the organizational domain. In relaxed mode, the 5321.MailFrom domain only needs to be a subdomain of the organizational domain.

May 2022 - EasyDMARC
Technical article

Documentation from Google Workspace Admin Help explains that to authenticate email with SPF, you need to publish an SPF record for your domain. This record specifies the mail servers and domains that are authorized to send email on behalf of your domain. Google Postmaster Tools uses this information to verify that emails are legitimately sent from your domain.

July 2022 - Google Workspace Admin Help
Technical article

Documentation from Microsoft responds that SPF records can help prevent spoofing by validating the sender’s IP address against the apparent owner of the sending domain. Microsoft lists the steps you should take including: Gathering a list of authorized sending domains for email, create the SPF record, add the SPF record to your domain, and test your SPF record.

September 2022 - Microsoft