Why did changing DMARC policy to quarantine send emails to spam, and how to fix it?

Email marketer from Mailjet shares that setting DMARC to quarantine instructs receiving mail servers to place non-compliant emails in the spam folder. This happens because the policy signals that the sender is serious about email security. To fix this, one must ensure that SPF and DKIM records are properly configured and aligned with the sending domain to pass DMARC authentication.

Email marketer from ReturnPath shares that DMARC helps protect your domain from spoofing and phishing attacks. However, a quarantine policy can negatively impact deliverability if not implemented correctly. They recommend a phased approach, starting with monitoring, then quarantining, and finally rejecting, after ensuring all legitimate email sources are properly authenticated.

Email marketer from Email Marketing Forum advises that transitioning to a quarantine DMARC policy should be done carefully. Before changing the policy, thoroughly verify that all email sources are authenticating correctly. Use DMARC reporting tools to identify any unauthorized sending sources and ensure alignment before enforcing the quarantine policy.

Email marketer from Postmark recommends a gradual DMARC implementation starting with 'p=none' to monitor email streams, then moving to 'p=quarantine' to test deliverability, and finally to 'p=reject' for maximum protection. The quarantine policy can cause deliverability issues if SPF and DKIM aren't correctly configured, so thorough testing is crucial before implementing a stricter policy.

Email marketer from Reddit shares that common causes of DMARC quarantine issues include incorrect SPF syntax, missing DKIM signatures, or mismatches between the 'From' domain and the SPF/DKIM domains. They suggest using online DMARC record checkers and email authentication testing tools to diagnose and fix these problems.

Email marketer from Sendinblue stresses that DKIM alignment is crucial for DMARC compliance. If the DKIM signature doesn't match the domain in the 'From' address, emails may fail DMARC checks and be quarantined. Ensuring correct DKIM setup and alignment can improve email deliverability when DMARC is set to quarantine.

Email marketer from Quora explains that DMARC quarantine will send emails to spam if SPF or DKIM fail to authenticate the sending source. The solution is to update your SPF and DKIM records to include all legitimate sources sending email on behalf of your domain. Make sure all third-party services are properly configured and authenticated.

Email marketer from SparkPost explains that if your emails suddenly start going to spam after changing the DMARC policy to quarantine, it's likely because some of your email streams are failing DMARC authentication. You need to identify these failing streams using DMARC reports and then update your SPF and DKIM records to ensure they align with your sending domain.

Marketer from Email Geeks explains that by default, alignment is relaxed in DMARC unless specified otherwise in the DMARC record.

Email marketer from EasyDMARC explains that when DMARC is set to quarantine, emails failing authentication checks are sent to the spam folder. This often happens when SPF or DKIM records are misconfigured, or when there's a domain mismatch between the 'From' address and the authentication domains. To resolve this, it's essential to audit SPF and DKIM records for accuracy and ensure proper alignment.

Expert from Word to the Wise explains that moving to a DMARC quarantine policy will cause email deliverability issues when not implemented correctly. If a company has not inventoried their email streams and doesn't know what services are sending email on their behalf, they will have deliverability issues. The fix is to audit all sending sources, ensure SPF and DKIM alignment, and then gradually move to a quarantine policy.

Expert from Email Geeks explains the emails are likely failing DMARC because they are not aligned. It is not enough for DKIM and SPF to pass; they must be in the same domain space as the visible From: address.

Expert from Email Geeks explains that DMARC reports will show all the other mail that doesn’t pass alignment and will go to spam/bulk if quarantine is turned on. They are using relaxed alignment by default. Also recommends looking at reports to identify every mail stream that’s failing and then fix the SPF / DKIM for each one of those, meaning every 3rd party service they’re using. Then says the company should not be publishing DMARC as they don’t know what they’re doing and they’re going to break things.

Expert from Word to the Wise explains that publishing a DMARC record without understanding its implications can lead to deliverability problems. If senders aren't aware of all their mail streams and haven't properly configured SPF and DKIM, a quarantine or reject policy can inadvertently block legitimate emails. It's crucial to understand the impact of each policy setting before deploying DMARC.

Expert from Email Geeks explains that the SPF and DKIM domain MUST be the domain in the visible from, they cannot use DMARC until they fix that. Also says that adding another include with that domain on to the SPF will not work. The domain in the SPF record MUST be the same domain (or a subdomain of the same domain) as their visible from address.

Documentation from RFC Editor, defining DMARC, states that the 'quarantine' policy advises mail receivers to treat messages that fail DMARC checks as suspicious. This typically results in the messages being placed in the recipient's junk mail folder, though the exact implementation is up to the receiver. To resolve issues, administrators should analyze DMARC aggregate reports to identify authentication failures and correct underlying SPF/DKIM configurations.

Documentation from AuthSMTP details that a DMARC failure leading to quarantine often stems from SPF or DKIM misconfigurations. They recommend checking DNS records for accuracy, verifying that the sending domain is authorized to send emails on behalf of the 'From' address, and ensuring alignment between SPF/DKIM domains and the 'From' domain.

Documentation from Google explains that when a DMARC policy is set to 'quarantine', emails that fail DMARC checks are directed to the recipient's spam folder. This is a deliberate action taken by mail servers to protect users from potentially malicious emails. The documentation further suggests that administrators monitor DMARC reports to identify and address the reasons for DMARC failures, such as misconfigured SPF or DKIM records.

Documentation from Microsoft highlights the importance of properly configured SPF records for DMARC compliance. Incorrect SPF records, especially those with syntax errors or exceeding the lookup limit, can cause authentication failures, leading to emails being quarantined when DMARC is enforced. It advises using SPF validation tools to check for errors.