How to resolve SPF SOFTFAIL errors when moving to a dedicated IP address?

Email marketer from Reddit shares ensuring sufficient time for DNS propagation after updating the SPF record is critical. Sometimes, the SOFTFAIL is temporary, and waiting 24-48 hours can resolve the issue as DNS records update across the internet.

Email marketer from EmailOnAcid answers that a complex SPF record with multiple includes can make troubleshooting difficult. Consider simplifying the record by using `ip4` and `ip6` mechanisms directly where possible to reduce DNS lookups.

Email marketer from EasyDMARC shares that the SPF record has character limits which can impact the effectiveness of the SPF record when moving to a dedicated IP address. Keeping the SPF record small is necessary and limiting the number of includes is a good idea. Also the documentation shares that SPF has issues with forwarding and you may need to use SRS to mitigate this.

Email marketer from SparkPost answers that you should use online SPF record testing tools to validate the SPF record after updating it. These tools can help identify syntax errors, DNS lookup issues, or other problems that could lead to a SOFTFAIL.

Email marketer from AuthSMTP shares that if you use multiple domains to send email you need to have each one setup with SPF and any services that are required to send email on behalf of the domain. This can include third party services and also any changes that go along with the dedicated IP.

Email marketer from StackOverflow shares when moving to a dedicated IP, ensure that the old shared IP is no longer included in your SPF record. Conflicting or outdated entries can cause confusion and lead to a SOFTFAIL.

Email marketer from Mailjet shares that a SOFTFAIL usually occurs when the sending server isn't strictly authorized by the SPF record, but the receiving server is configured to be lenient. Verify that the new dedicated IP is correctly included in the SPF record and that the syntax is correct. Also they suggest checking DNS propagation.

Email marketer from MXToolbox shares that you can use MXToolbox to lookup and test SPF records from the command line. This is useful for quickly testing SPF records. You can also use the command line to test that the changes you made propagated out correctly.

Expert from Email Geeks suggests Tiffani is using ONDMARC and might need to make DNS changes through them and Al Iverson recommends asking Red Sift about ONDMARC configuration, but that fixing the SPF won't hurt anything.

Expert from Word to the Wise responds that maintaining your SPF records and ensuring they include all legitimate sending sources for your domain is essential. A SOFTFAIL is a sign that at least one of your authorized sending sources may not be correctly authenticated and should be investigated.

Expert from SpamResource explains that when moving to a dedicated IP, it's crucial to ensure the SPF record accurately reflects the new IP address authorized to send emails on behalf of the domain. A SOFTFAIL often indicates a mismatch or misconfiguration in this authorization.

Expert from Email Geeks identifies the root cause is multiple SPF TXT records, rendering the SPF invalid, with Al Iverson agreeing that is the issue and that they need to be combined into one.

Expert from Email Geeks identifies that SOFTFAIL indicates an SPF issue.

Expert from Email Geeks explains that AWS might not be listed because they could be using their own return-path domain, thus not requiring SPF alignment. He also mentions only needing alignment to pass DMARC, not both SPF and DKIM.

Expert from Email Geeks advises to combine multiple SPF records into one. Al Iverson suggests deleting the duplicate records and replacing them with a single combined record, with Steve also giving a similar suggestion for the single record.

Expert from Email Geeks explains that the dedicated IP is in the mailgun SPF record after verification through Kitterman check.

Documentation from DMARC Analyzer explains when using `include` mechanisms in SPF records, make sure each included domain has a valid SPF record. A non-existent or misconfigured SPF record in an included domain can lead to unexpected results, including SOFTFAIL.

Documentation from Microsoft details the SPF record syntax is critical. One common mistake is exceeding the 10 DNS lookup limit, which can cause SPF checks to return a SOFTFAIL. Flattening the SPF record or using mechanisms like `ip4` and `ip6` can resolve this.

Documentation from DNS Records answers that DNS propagation of new records takes time, typically 24-48 hours. During this window, some servers may check the SPF record on the old server and others may check the SPF record on the new server. You can use command line tools like dig and nslookup to make sure DNS resolves to the correct location.

Documentation from Google Workspace Admin Help explains that a SOFTFAIL means the SPF record has authorized the server to send mail, but the receiving server has some reservations. This could be due to various reasons, including DNS propagation delays or incorrect SPF syntax.

Documentation from RFC-Editor answers that the tilde (~) all qualifier indicates a soft fail result if the message does not match any of the mechanisms in the SPF record. Receiving MTAs will accept the message but may subject it to closer scrutiny. The message should be accepted.