How does bad SPF alignment affect email deliverability if DMARC authentication passes?

Email marketer from Stack Overflow responds that if DMARC passes (due to DKIM alignment), SPF alignment is less critical. However, having aligned SPF is still a best practice as it improves overall deliverability and sender reputation.

Email marketer from Sender Score explains that DMARC relies on SPF and DKIM for authentication. Aligned SPF is preferred as some servers may still use SPF as a signal, even with passing DMARC. Inconsistent SPF behavior could also affect your sender reputation.

Email marketer from GlockApps shares that while DMARC can validate emails with either SPF or DKIM alignment, it's a best practice to have both aligned. Misalignment can lead to deliverability issues for forwarded emails and in scenarios where DKIM might fail.

Email marketer from Email on Acid mentions that while DMARC can authenticate emails with either SPF or DKIM alignment, having both aligned is a strong signal to ISPs that the sender is legitimate, improving deliverability rates and reducing the risk of emails landing in the spam folder.

Email marketer from Email Deliverability Forum responds that even if DMARC passes, some email providers may still use SPF alignment as a factor in their spam filtering algorithms. Consistently failing SPF alignment could lead to emails being marked as spam or having lower engagement rates.

Email marketer from Mailjet emphasizes that SPF alignment is not just about passing DMARC but also about building trust with mailbox providers. Aligned SPF contributes to a positive sender reputation, which can significantly impact inbox placement rates.

Email marketer from SuperOffice shares that even with passing DMARC, failing SPF alignment increases the risk of deliverability issues. Some mail servers check SPF alignment, and non-aligned messages are more likely to be treated as spam.

Email marketer from Email Geeks explicitly mentions that SPF might pass, but it doesn't align for DMARC to pass. So if DKIM fails, DMARC will fail as well.

Email marketer from emailquestions.com forum expresses that consistent SPF misalignment can affect email deliverability, even when DMARC passes through DKIM. Some ISPs monitor SPF pass/fail rates, and high failure rates can negatively impact inbox placement over time.

Email marketer from Reddit shares that even if DMARC is currently passing due to DKIM, consistent SPF misalignment can negatively impact sender reputation over time. ISPs may start filtering emails more aggressively if they consistently see SPF failures, even with passing DMARC.

Expert from Word to the Wise (Laura Atkins) responds that while a DMARC pass can still happen with SPF misalignment if DKIM is aligned, it is more secure and improves deliverability rates when SPF is also aligned. Consistent SPF failures still hurt sender reputation.

Expert from Spam Resource (Mikel Lindsaar) explains that while DMARC allows for either SPF or DKIM to authenticate, SPF alignment issues may impact deliverability as some receiving systems might not strictly adhere to DMARC specifications and could still factor in SPF results. Also, you reduce risk by ensuring more techniques work

Expert from Email Geeks shares that emails are usually not rejected unless specifically requested. Microsoft tends to place DMARC failures in the spam folder rather than rejecting them outright.

Expert from Email Geeks explains that SPF alignment isn't crucial for general email delivery, but it's good practice for DMARC compliance. DMARC passes if either SPF or DKIM aligns with the 5322.from address.

Expert from Email Geeks explains that even if SPF and DKIM pass, DMARC can still fail if neither aligns. In a p=reject or quarantine situation, unaligned emails may be rejected, like when forwarding from Microsoft.

Documentation from Microsoft details that while DMARC allows for authentication via either SPF or DKIM, best practice dictates aligning both. This comprehensive approach minimizes the risk of phishing and spoofing, enhancing overall email security and deliverability within the Microsoft ecosystem.

Documentation from Google Workspace Admin Help explains that it's ideal to have both SPF and DKIM aligned for optimal deliverability. While DMARC allows either to pass, aligning both reduces the likelihood of emails being flagged as spam or rejected.

Documentation from RFC Standard explains that DMARC uses the underlying authentication results from SPF and DKIM to determine the legitimacy of an email. While DMARC allows either to pass for authentication, alignment provides a stronger signal and improves overall trust.

Documentation from dmarc.org explains that while DMARC can pass with DKIM alignment even if SPF fails alignment, consistent SPF alignment provides an extra layer of authentication and helps in scenarios where DKIM might have issues. They say that its important to ensure you do everything to reduce the chances of your emails being marked as spam

Documentation from AuthSMTP emphasises that while DMARC allows for DKIM to compensate for SPF, having aligned SPF and DKIM builds a stronger reputation with mail servers. Mailservers may use different techniques when dealing with spam, and it is recommended to cover everything