--- title: "How to update an SPF record for added senders? | AutoSPF" description: "Creating an SPF record is a one-time job, but you have to keep updating it with new senders." image: "https://autospf.com/og/blog/how-to-update-an-spf-record-for-added-senders.png" canonical: "https://autospf.com/blog/how-to-update-an-spf-record-for-added-senders/" --- Quick Answer Creating an SPF record is a one-time job, but you have to keep updating it with new senders. In an SPF record, the term ‘sender’ refers to the IP addresses, domains, or mail servers you recognize and officially allow to be used for sending emails on behalf of your business. Share [ ](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fautospf.com%2Fblog%2Fhow-to-update-an-spf-record-for-added-senders%2F "Share on LinkedIn") [ ](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=How%20to%20update%20an%20SPF%20record%20for%20added%20senders%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fautospf.com%2Fblog%2Fhow-to-update-an-spf-record-for-added-senders%2F "Share on X/Twitter") [ ](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fautospf.com%2Fblog%2Fhow-to-update-an-spf-record-for-added-senders%2F "Share on Facebook") [ ](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fautospf.com%2Fblog%2Fhow-to-update-an-spf-record-for-added-senders%2F&title=How%20to%20update%20an%20SPF%20record%20for%20added%20senders%3F "Share on Reddit") [ ](mailto:?subject=How%20to%20update%20an%20SPF%20record%20for%20added%20senders%3F&body=Check out this article: https%3A%2F%2Fautospf.com%2Fblog%2Fhow-to-update-an-spf-record-for-added-senders%2F "Share via Email") ![update an SPF record](https://media.mailhop.org/autospf/images/2024/11/spf-record-generator-7941.jpg) Creating an SPF record is a one-time job, but you have to keep updating it with new senders. In an SPF record, the term ‘sender’ refers to the IP addresses, domains, or [mail servers](https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/mail-server-mail-transfer-transport-agent-MTA-mail-router-Internet-mailer) you recognize and officially allow to be used for sending emails on behalf of your business. _Per [RFC 7208](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc7208), SPF evaluation is capped at 10 DNS mechanism lookups and 2 void lookups per check - exceeding either limit produces a `PermError` that fails authentication for every message from the domain._ These senders include direct IPs if your business is involved in hosting its [email server](https://www.one.com/en/email/what-is-an-email-server) on-site. Static IP from a cloud server or specific IPs should also be listed in your SPF record for services that provide dedicated IP addresses for sending emails. If you have delegated the responsibility of sending emails to a [third party](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/t/third-party.asp) (like [Google Workspace](https://workspace.google.com/), Microsoft 365, or [email marketing platforms](https://www.campaignmonitor.com/resources/knowledge-base/what-are-the-top-email-marketing-platforms/) like Mailchimp or SendGrid), then their sending sources should also be mentioned in your SPF record; otherwise, [legitimate emails](https://www.trendmicro.com/vinfo/us/security/definition/legitimate-bulk-emails) sent by them will fail SPF authentication checks. _Whenever you have a new sender, you’ll need to add them to your SPF record. This blog explains the process in simple steps_. ![email marketing platforms](https://media.mailhop.org/autospf/images/2024/11/sender-policy-framework-office-365-4615.jpg) ## 1\. Identify new sender IPs or domains Before you add any new senders, confirm whether they provide dedicated IPs or shared [IP pools](https://help.mailgun.com/hc/en-us/articles/360052184214-IP-Pools). This is because some email service providers or marketing platforms give you a range of IP addresses to add to your SPF record rather than a single string. _You also need to know if these new senders’ IPs are static or dynamic. If they are dynamic, then use the ‘include’ statement because these IPs change frequently_. ## 2\. Access your DNS management console Log into your domain registrar or hosting provider and go to your DNS records panel. Look for a tab where you can view and edit TXT records, A records, [MX records](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MX%5Frecord), etc. Each [DNS provider](https://auq.io/knowledge-base/what-is-a-dns-provider/) may label SPF records differently. While SPF was once a unique record type, it’s now specified as a TXT record containing [SPF syntax](/spf-validator/spf-syntax/), so look for any existing [TXT records](https://www.digicert.com/faq/dns/what-is-a-txt-record) to avoid duplicates. ## 3\. Locate the existing SPF record SPF records begin with v=spf1, indicating the [SPF](/blog/what-is-spf-email-a-guide-to-sender-validation-technology/) version (currently, only SPF version 1 is in use). Typical elements of an SPF record: - ip4:: Specifies an IPv4 address allowed to send email using your domain. - ip6:: Specifies an IPv6 address allowed to send email using your domain. - include:: Instructs that any IP addresses allowed by the included domain’s [SPF record](/spf-record-checker/create-spf-record/) are also allowed to send on behalf of your domain. - all: Specifies what to do with emails that don’t match any listed IPs or domains. Options include: - \-all: Hard fail, Reject unauthorized emails. - \~all: Soft fail, Mark unauthorized emails as potentially suspicious. - ?all: Neutral, No strict enforcement; often used during SPF testing. Example of an SPF record for ‘example.com’ domain- _v=spf1 ip4:192.168.1.1 include:example.com -all_ ## 4\. Update the SPF record with new sender information If the new sender has provided an IP address, add it to your SPF record using the ip4 or [ip6 mechanism](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/whitepapers/latest/ipv6-on-aws/ipv6-adoption-strategies-and-mechanisms.html), depending on the type of IP address. If the sender provides a domain to include, use the include: directive. _While you update the SPF record with new senders, ensure it ends with ‘\~all’ or_ _\-all.’ ‘\~all’ indicates a Soft Fail, which means you instruct the receiving server to mark unauthorized emails from your domain as spam_. Meanwhile, ‘-all’ indicates a Hard Fail, instructing the receiving server to reject the entry of unauthorized emails. ![Updates on SPF](https://media.mailhop.org/autospf/images/2024/11/Essential-Updates-On-SPF-Statistics-416x1024.jpg) ## 5\. Save the updated record _Once you have made the changes, save the SPF record. Wait for 24 to 48 hours for the changes to propagate globally._ These changes are usually updated within minutes to a couple of hours. ## 6\. Test and validate the changes After making the necessary changes and saving the updated record, it’s important that you run it through an [SPF lookup tool](/blog/spf-record-lookup-a-much-needed-diagnosis/) like MxToolbox [SPF Checker](/spf-record-checker/), Google G Suite Toolbox, Kitterman SPF Validator, etc. This practice helps you know if any configurational or syntactical errors exist in your SPF record. These tools verify the included domains and report on lookup counts. ## What Are Best Practices for the best protection? Take care of the technical considerations so your SPF record stays accurate and free from common pitfalls. A healthy SPF record leads to good [email deliverability](/blog/how-does-spf-help-marketers-in-improving-email-deliverability/) and domain reputation. [DNS records](https://www.cloudflare.com/learning/dns/dns-records/) should ideally have a maximum of 255 characters per line. If your SPF record is getting longer, use subdomains for separate devices and consolidate IP addresses into [CIDR ranges](https://michelburnett27.medium.com/understanding-cidr-notation-and-ip-address-range-3ad28194bc8d). ![email deliverability and domain reputation](https://media.mailhop.org/autospf/images/2024/11/spf-lookup-2.jpg) Another element you must be cautious of is staying within the DNS lookup limit of 10\. Each ‘include,’ ‘a,’ ‘mx,’ and some other mechanisms count as a [DNS lookup](https://www.techopedia.com/definition/29029/dns-lookup). If your SPF record exceeds this limit, remove unnecessary includes or work with an [email service provider](https://www.activecampaign.com/glossary/email-service-provider) to consolidate IP ranges. Overloading the SPF record can lead to [SPF PermError](/spf-too-many-dns-lookups/permerror-spf-permanent-error-too-many-dns-lookups/), causing authentication failures. You can also use [our SPF flattening tool](/) to fix this problem. ## Topics [ SPF ](/tags/spf/)[ SPF Flattening ](/tags/spf-flattening/)[ SPF Flattening tool ](/tags/spf-flattening-tool/)[ SPF Permerror ](/tags/spf-permerror/)[ SPF record ](/tags/spf-record/) ![Vasile Diaconu](https://media.mailhop.org/autospf/images/authors/vasile-diaconu.jpg) [ Vasile Diaconu ](/authors/vasile-diaconu/) Operations Lead Operations Lead at DuoCircle. Runs project management, developer coordination, and technical support execution for AutoSPF. [LinkedIn Profile →](https://www.linkedin.com/in/vasile-diaconu/) ## Ready to get started? Try AutoSPF free — no credit card required. [ Book a Demo ](/book-a-demo/) ## Related Articles [ Intermediate 5m Multiple SPF records open avenues for phishing Mar 25, 2025 ](/blog/multiple-spf-records-open-avenues-for-phishing/)[ Intermediate 3m 3 points to consider before setting your SPF record to -all (HardFail) May 22, 2025 ](/blog/3-points-to-consider-before-setting-your-spf-record-hardfail/)[ Intermediate 6m 6 Best practices for maintaining an SPF record Jun 5, 2025 ](/blog/6-best-practices-for-maintaining-an-spf-record/)[ Intermediate 6m Your SPF record is broken- What does it mean and how do you fix it? 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