How to troubleshoot undelivered email messages from GoDaddy?

Summary

Troubleshooting undelivered email messages from GoDaddy involves a multi-faceted approach, starting with understanding the nature of the delivery problem (rejection vs. deferral) and verifying basic settings. Ensure correct server settings, username, password, and check your blocked sender list. Investigate DNS records (MX and PTR), email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), and blacklist status. Also, review email forwarding configurations. Monitor bounceback messages for detailed error codes and check GoDaddy's system status for outages. Confirm your email account hasn't exceeded its storage quota and examine email content for spam triggers. Be mindful of DNS propagation delays and consider GoDaddy support for assistance with diagnostic tools, especially concerning potential throttling issues. Regularly checking and validating authentication records is crucial.

Key findings

  • Basic Configuration: Verify server settings, username, and password.
  • DNS Records: Correctly configure MX and PTR records to point to GoDaddy servers.
  • Email Authentication: Properly set up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records for authentication.
  • Blacklist Status: Check and delist IP address if blacklisted due to spam activity.
  • Bounceback Analysis: Analyze bounceback messages for specific error codes.
  • Blocked Senders: Check and remove legitimate addresses from the blocked sender list.
  • Forwarding Settings: Verify correct email forwarding configurations.
  • System Status: Check GoDaddy's system status for outages or maintenance.
  • Storage Quota: Ensure email account hasn't exceeded storage quota.
  • Content Spam Filters: Email content might trigger spam filters.
  • Rejection vs. Deferral: Distinguish between email rejection and deferral for targeted troubleshooting.

Key considerations

  • Early Troubleshooting: Check why messages are failing before contacting support.
  • GoDaddy Support: Contact GoDaddy support for direct assistance.
  • DNS Propagation: Allow time for DNS changes to propagate before further troubleshooting.
  • Third-Party Tools: Utilize tools like MXToolbox and DNSQueries for diagnostics.
  • Authentication Validation: Regularly validate authentication records.
  • Throttling Monitoring: Monitor deferral messages, especially for throttling indicators.

What email marketers say
11Marketer opinions

Troubleshooting undelivered email messages from GoDaddy involves checking various potential issues. These include basic configurations like server settings, username, and password, as well as more technical aspects such as DNS records (MX and PTR), email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), and blacklisting. Monitoring bounceback messages and GoDaddy's system status is recommended. Contacting GoDaddy support directly is also a viable option. Moreover, ensure you are not hitting quota limits or spam filters with your email content. DNS propagation delays are also worth considering.

Key opinions

  • Configuration: Verify server settings, username, and password are correct in your email client.
  • DNS Records: Ensure MX and PTR records are correctly configured and propagated to point to GoDaddy's servers.
  • Email Authentication: Check that SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records are properly set up to authenticate your emails.
  • Bounceback Messages: Analyze bounceback messages for error codes to identify the reason for delivery failure.
  • Blacklist Status: Check if your IP address or domain is blacklisted and, if so, take steps to get delisted.
  • System Status: Check the GoDaddy system status page for any reported outages.
  • Storage Quota: Ensure that your email account hasn't exceeded its storage quota.
  • Content: Email content might trigger spam filters.

Key considerations

  • DNS Propagation: DNS changes take time to propagate; allow sufficient time before troubleshooting further.
  • GoDaddy Support: Contact GoDaddy support for direct assistance as they have more tools to diagnose the issue.
  • Tool Utilisation: Use tools like MXToolbox for diagnosing email problems and DNSQueries for DNS propagation checks.
Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit suggests checking your DNS records, specifically the MX records, to make sure they are correctly pointing to GoDaddy's mail servers. He also recommends clearing your browser's cache and cookies, as this can sometimes resolve temporary issues.

February 2025 - Reddit
Marketer view

Email marketer from GoDaddy Help Center explains that if you're having trouble sending or receiving emails through GoDaddy, check the server name and port settings, confirm that you're using the correct incoming and outgoing mail server, and ensure that your username and password are correct.

April 2023 - GoDaddy Help Center
Marketer view

Email marketer from DNSQueries, suggests that any updates to DNS records may take time to propagate, leading to temporary delivery issues. Use online DNS lookup tools to verify if the changes have been implemented globally.

January 2022 - DNSQueries
Marketer view

Email marketer from DigitalOcean shares that a missing or misconfigured Reverse DNS (PTR) record can cause delivery issues. PTR records map IP addresses to domain names, and many mail servers use them to verify the legitimacy of sending servers.

March 2024 - DigitalOcean
Marketer view

Email marketer from Gmass answers explains that Email content that triggers spam filters could cause the email to not be delivered. Try testing different email content and different formats of email. Ensure that you have included an unsubscribe link.

May 2023 - Gmass
Marketer view

Email marketer from GoDaddy Community advises contacting GoDaddy support directly via phone or chat for immediate assistance. They often have access to more detailed diagnostic tools to identify the cause of the issue.

October 2022 - GoDaddy Community
Marketer view

Email marketer from MXToolbox recommends utilizing MXToolbox's free tools to diagnose common email problems. You can check your domain's MX records, DNS records, and blacklist status.

March 2023 - MXToolbox
Marketer view

Email marketer from Web Hosting Talk Forum suggests checking GoDaddy's system status page for any reported outages or maintenance affecting their email servers. If there's an outage, it might explain the undelivered messages.

August 2021 - Web Hosting Talk
Marketer view

Email marketer from StackOverflow explains that a bounceback message contains valuable information regarding the reason for email delivery failure, and you should parse the error code (usually a 5xx code) to identify the issue. Common issues are invalid recipient address or domain issues.

November 2024 - StackOverflow
Marketer view

Email marketer from EmailDeliveryTips.com explains to make sure that your email account hasn't exceeded its storage quota. When your quota is full, you won't be able to receive new messages.

March 2022 - EmailDeliveryTips.com
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Geeks suggests to check why the messages are failing delivery before reaching out to GoDaddy.

January 2022 - Email Geeks

What the experts say
3Expert opinions

Troubleshooting undelivered emails from GoDaddy involves understanding the nature of the delivery problem (rejection vs. deferral), ensuring proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), and investigating potential throttling issues due to sender reputation or high volume.

Key opinions

  • Message Rejection vs. Deferral: Determine if the email is being rejected outright or simply delayed/deferred.
  • Email Authentication: Proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is crucial for deliverability.
  • Throttling: GoDaddy might be throttling your sending due to reputation issues or high volume.

Key considerations

  • Examine Rejection Messages: If rejected, analyze the rejection message for specific error codes indicating the cause.
  • Authentication Verification: Regularly check and validate SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records to ensure they are correctly configured.
  • Monitor Deferrals: If deferred, monitor deferral messages and address any underlying issues related to sender reputation or sending volume.
Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise shares that if messages aren't immediately rejected but are delayed or deferred, GoDaddy might be throttling your sending due to perceived issues with your mail stream. This can be due to reputation issues, high sending volume, or other factors. They suggest monitoring deferral messages and addressing any underlying issues.

May 2024 - Word to the Wise
Expert view

Expert from Spam Resource emphasizes that proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is crucial when using GoDaddy's email services. Incomplete or incorrect authentication records can lead to delivery issues, especially with stricter recipient mail servers. They also advise regularly checking these records to ensure they are valid and correctly configured.

May 2022 - Spam Resource
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks explains that “undelivered” is meaningless and asks if the mail is being rejected and, if so, with what message.

October 2022 - Email Geeks

What the documentation says
4Technical articles

Troubleshooting undelivered email messages from GoDaddy involves verifying correct server settings, checking blocked sender lists, reviewing email forwarding configurations, and ensuring your IP address is not blacklisted.

Key findings

  • Server Settings: GoDaddy's mail server settings are: Incoming Server: imap.secureserver.net (Port 993 with SSL) or pop.secureserver.net (Port 995 with SSL), Outgoing Server: smtp.secureserver.net (Port 465 with SSL).
  • Blocked Sender List: Check your blocked sender list in your email client or webmail interface.
  • Forwarding Settings: Verify email forwarding settings within the GoDaddy email account to ensure correct configuration.
  • Blacklist Status: Check if your IP address is blacklisted due to spam activity.

Key considerations

  • Verify Settings: Double-check all server settings, including ports and SSL settings, against GoDaddy's official documentation.
  • Review Blocked List Regularly: Periodically review your blocked sender list to ensure legitimate senders haven't been accidentally added.
  • Examine Forwarding Rules: Carefully examine all email forwarding rules and disable any incorrect or unnecessary forwarding.
  • Delisting Process: If your IP is blacklisted, follow the delisting procedures of the specific blacklist.
Technical article

Documentation from Spamhaus explains that your IP address might be blacklisted due to spam activity. Check your IP against major blacklists (like Spamhaus) and follow their delisting procedures if necessary.

April 2022 - Spamhaus
Technical article

Documentation from GoDaddy Help Center states that GoDaddy's mail server settings are: Incoming Server: imap.secureserver.net (Port 993 with SSL) or pop.secureserver.net (Port 995 with SSL), Outgoing Server: smtp.secureserver.net (Port 465 with SSL).

August 2023 - GoDaddy Help Center
Technical article

Documentation from Microsoft Support explains that if you're not receiving emails, check your blocked sender list in your email client or webmail interface. Sometimes, addresses get accidentally added to this list.

February 2025 - Microsoft Support
Technical article

Documentation from Google Workspace Admin Help details checking email forwarding settings within the GoDaddy email account. Incorrect forwarding rules might lead to undelivered messages. They also outline how to disable forwarding, if needed.

February 2025 - Google Workspace Admin Help