Interactive DNS Wizard • RFC 7208

SPF Record Generator & Builder.

Generate syntax-perfect SPF records with 1-click email provider presets, IP authorization, and real-time DNS lookup counter validation.

1. Domain Server Mechanisms

Authorize MX servers (mx) – Allows inbound mail servers to send outbound mail.Authorize Web Host IP (a) – Allows website server IP to send mail.

2. Email Providers & ESPs

1 Lookup per Include

3. Dedicated IP Addresses (Zero Lookup Cost)

0 Lookups Used

4. Custom Includes

5. Security Enforcement Qualifier

~all (SoftFail – Recommended)

Unapproved emails are accepted but flagged. Recommended by Google & Yahoo to avoid false-positive bounces.

-all (Strict Fail)

Unapproved emails are rejected immediately. Use only if all corporate sending sources are 100% accounted for.

Diagnostic SpecimenRFC 7208 Builder

What this SPF generator builds:

SPF (Sender Policy Framework) prevents domain spoofing by declaring which mail servers are authorized to send from your domain. Configure your sending setup and click "Build & Generate SPF Record" to inspect:

✓10-Lookup Safety Counter: Ensures your record never exceeds the strict RFC 7208 10-DNS lookup limit, preventing PermError delivery failures.

✓1-Click Mail Provider Presets: Accurate include tags for Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, SendGrid, Amazon SES, Postmark, and more.

✓Enforcement Qualifiers: Choose between SoftFail (~all) or Strict Fail (-all) with zero syntax errors.

How to Publish an SPF TXT Record to Your DNS Provider

To activate SPF, log in to your DNS management console (Cloudflare, GoDaddy, Namecheap, Route 53) and add a new TXT record with the following values:

Record Type

TXT

Name / Host

@ (or root domain)

TTL (Time to Live)

Auto or 3600 (1 Hour)

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Knowledge & Standards

SPF Record Generator FAQs.

Everything you need to know about generating, formatting, and publishing SPF records under RFC 7208 standards.

Why should I use ~all (SoftFail) instead of -all (Fail)?

Both Google and Yahoo officially recommend ~all (SoftFail) for business domains. A strict -all (Fail) can lead to unintended message rejection when sending through automated services, calendar invites, or forwarding gateways.

What is the 10-lookup limit in SPF?

RFC 7208 strictly limits recursive DNS lookups to 10 queries (from include:, a, mx, redirect=, and ptr). If your record exceeds 10 lookups, major receivers will return a PermError and discard your email. Direct IP mechanisms (ip4: and ip6:) do not consume lookups.

Can I have multiple SPF TXT records on one domain?

No. Having more than one SPF TXT record triggers a catastrophic RFC 7208 PermError. You must merge all authorized sending services into a single v=spf1 ... record.

How long does it take for my new SPF record to take effect?

DNS propagation typically takes between 15 minutes to 2 hours, depending on your DNS host's TTL setting. Once published, you can test it live with our free SPF Record Validator.

Clean your entire email list with zero bounces.

Sortwell checks addresses the way a mail server would — live SMTP handshake, syntax, MX verification, and spamtrap detection.

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