What does SPF neutral mean and how do I fix a broken SPF record?

Email marketer from StackExchange explains that SPF Neutral means that the receiving server did not find a definitive pass or fail result in the SPF record and often shows up with a '?all' at the end of the record. They recommend checking that you have configured all sending sources within the record and that the syntax is correct.

Email marketer from Mailjet explains that SPF Neutral means the receiving server can't determine if the email originated from an authorized server. This can happen because there is no SPF record or because the SPF record is misconfigured. They suggest ensuring an SPF record exists, contains the correct information for all sending sources (including third-party senders), and doesn't exceed the lookup limit.

Email marketer from Reddit shares that common mistakes include exceeding the 10 DNS lookup limit and not including all sending sources. The user says they often use a 3rd party tool to check the record. They also explain there should only be 1 spf record for the domain.

Email marketer from Email Marketing Forum shares that they resolved an SPF Neutral issue by ensuring that their email service provider was correctly included in the SPF record. They highlight the importance of collaborating with your email provider to ensure accurate configuration.

Email marketer from EasyDMARC shares that fixing a broken SPF record involves checking for common errors like syntax mistakes, exceeding the 10 DNS lookup limit, using multiple SPF records (there should only be one), and not including all authorized sending sources. Ensure you validate your SPF record after making changes.

Email marketer from Email Marketing Blog recommends using online SPF record checking tools to validate the syntax and configuration of your SPF record. These tools can help identify errors and ensure that your record is properly formatted.

Expert from Spam Resource recommends using tools like MXToolbox or DNSstuff to check SPF records. They emphasize the importance of ensuring the SPF record is correctly published in DNS and that it doesn't contain any syntax errors.

Expert from Word to the Wise explains that issues with SPF are usually caused by syntax errors and missing includes. She emphasizes carefully checking the SPF record and ensuring that the includes and syntax are all correct.

Expert from Email Geeks explains that SPF neutral means the SPF checker couldn't come to any conclusion about SPF, typically because there's a ?all in the record. It's semantically the same as SPF none, but with the diagnostic that an SPF record was found.

Expert from Email Geeks asks if the correct domain is being authenticated and notes that SPF authenticates the bounce domain. Also mentions Google has 3 lookups in their SPF record, so adding that to the SPF record could throw you over the SPF lookup limit.

Expert from Email Geeks mentions that the SPF record is very broken.

Documentation from dmarcian explains that "neutral" means that the domain owner isn't asserting whether the IP address is authorized to send email. They suggest checking the SPF record for syntax errors and ensuring that all authorized sending sources are included.

Documentation from Microsoft explains that the most common cause of problems with SPF is incorrect TXT record syntax and they advise that you check your syntax carefully.

Documentation from Google explains that SPF Neutral (spf=neutral) means the domain owner asserts that they might not be willing to assert that the message came from who it appears to be. This can occur for various reasons, including a lack of an SPF record or a misconfigured record.

Documentation from RFC Editor explains that SPF records must adhere to a specific syntax, and deviations can lead to SPF failures or neutral results. Common syntax errors include incorrect use of mechanisms (e.g., 'include', 'a', 'mx', 'ip4', 'ip6'), modifiers (e.g., 'redirect', 'exp'), and terminators (e.g., 'all'). Ensuring proper syntax is crucial for SPF to function correctly.