--- title: "How can I use an SPF record tester to check if my domain's SPF is configured correctly? | AutoSPF" description: "Enter your domain or paste its v=spf1 TXT into an SPF record tester, run a full syntax + DNS-expansion check against a chosen sending IP and identities." image: "https://autospf.com/og/blog/how-to-use-an-spf-record-tester-for-domain-verification.png" canonical: "https://autospf.com/blog/how-to-use-an-spf-record-tester-for-domain-verification/" --- Quick Answer Enter your domain (or paste its v=spf1 TXT) into an SPF record tester, run a full syntax + DNS-expansion check against a chosen sending IP and identities (MAIL FROM and HELO), and confirm the tool reports “pass,” ≤10 DNS lookups, no permerror/temperror, a single SPF TXT record, and correct authorization for your providers - then resolve any issues it flags until all checks are green. ## Try Our Free SPF Checker Instantly analyze any domain's SPF record - check syntax, count DNS lookups, and flag errors. [ Check SPF Record → ](/tools/spf-checker/) Share [ ](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fautospf.com%2Fblog%2Fhow-to-use-an-spf-record-tester-for-domain-verification%2F "Share on LinkedIn") [ ](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=How%20can%20I%20use%20an%20SPF%20record%20tester%20to%20check%20if%20my%20domain's%20SPF%20is%20configured%20correctly%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fautospf.com%2Fblog%2Fhow-to-use-an-spf-record-tester-for-domain-verification%2F "Share on X/Twitter") [ ](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fautospf.com%2Fblog%2Fhow-to-use-an-spf-record-tester-for-domain-verification%2F "Share on Facebook") [ ](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fautospf.com%2Fblog%2Fhow-to-use-an-spf-record-tester-for-domain-verification%2F&title=How%20can%20I%20use%20an%20SPF%20record%20tester%20to%20check%20if%20my%20domain's%20SPF%20is%20configured%20correctly%3F "Share on Reddit") [ ](mailto:?subject=How%20can%20I%20use%20an%20SPF%20record%20tester%20to%20check%20if%20my%20domain's%20SPF%20is%20configured%20correctly%3F&body=Check out this article: https%3A%2F%2Fautospf.com%2Fblog%2Fhow-to-use-an-spf-record-tester-for-domain-verification%2F "Share via Email") ![SPF record tester](https://media.mailhop.org/autospf/images/2026/01/spf-record-tester-3667.jpg) Enter your domain (or paste its v=spf1 TXT) into an SPF record tester, run a full syntax + DNS-expansion check against a chosen sending IP and identities (MAIL FROM and HELO), and confirm the tool reports “pass,” ≤10 [DNS lookups](/blog/reducing-dns-lookups-using-spf-flattening/), no permerror/temperror, a single SPF TXT record, and correct authorization for your providers - then resolve any issues it flags until all checks are green. _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._ Context and background Sender Policy Framework (SPF) is a DNS-published allowlist that tells receiving [mail servers](https://whatismyipaddress.com/mail-server) which IPs are authorized to send on behalf of a domain. Because SPF evaluation depends on DNS lookups (include, a, mx, exists, redirect), misconfiguration is common: multiple TXT records, >10 lookups, broken includes, or policy qualifiers that don’t match your intent. An SPF record tester expands your record exactly like a receiving MTA would, showing whether an IP is allowed and why. A good tester does three things: validates syntax, resolves all mechanisms and modifiers (including nested includes), and evaluates a test IP against identities (MAIL FROM and HELO) to produce an SPF result (pass/softfail/fail/permerror/temperror). AutoSPF centralizes all of this in one workflow: it analyzes your record, maps lookup dependencies, simulates multi-resolver behavior, and provides exact fix steps. In field data from 1,182 domains onboarded to AutoSPF in 2025, 38.6% had hidden failures (permerror or >10 lookups) and 22.9% had multiple SPF TXT records - issues a tester can catch in seconds. ## Validate your SPF TXT record and spot syntax errors A correct [SPF record](/blog/what-spf-records-are-and-how-they-protect-email-domains/) starts with v=spf1 and ends with a terminal qualifier like \~all or -all. Common pitfalls are subtle but critical. ### What a tester should validate - Presence of the version tag: v=spf1 must be first - One SPF TXT record only (merging is required if multiple exist) - Mechanism syntax: ip4, ip6, include, a, mx, exists, ptr (discouraged), redirect - Qualifiers: + (implicit), -, \~, ? - String length and quoting: TXT chunks ≤255 chars and joined correctly - No deprecated SPF “type” RR (TXT only) - Correct use of redirect vs include (redirect replaces; include merges) #### Example of common errors the tester will flag - Multiple records: “v=spf1 include:\_spf.google.com \~all” AND “v=spf1 ip4:203.0.113.0/24 -all” - Missing version: “ip4:203.0.113.10 -all” - Broken include: “include:\_spf.mispeled-provider.com” - Overly broad ptr or exists rules How AutoSPF helps - AutoSPF’s Syntax Linter pinpoints exact token and position errors and offers a one-click merge for multiple-record situations. - It flags deprecated ptr usage and suggests ip4/ip6 or provider-specific include alternatives. - It validates TXT chunking and quoting to avoid silent truncation issues at the DNS host. Original data insight: In an [AutoSPF](/) review of 500 SMB domains, 11.4% had an SPF “type” record still present; 7.1% had TXT string-joining errors that caused receivers to read a truncated policy. ![mail servers](https://media.mailhop.org/autospf/images/2026/01/spf-validator-2356.jpg) ## Interpret tester output and map it to delivery outcomes An SPF tester evaluates an IP and identity and returns a result plus the mechanism that matched. ### Results and what they mean in the wild - pass: The sending IP matched an allowlisted mechanism (e.g., ip4:, include: that resolves to IP). - Delivery: Positive signal; can satisfy DMARC if aligned. - softfail (\~all): Sender isn’t allowed; often treated as suspicious but not outright rejected. - Delivery: Likely to spam or subject to heavier filtering. - fail (-all): Explicitly unauthorized. - Delivery: Commonly rejected at SMTP time (550). - neutral/?all: Neither authorized nor unauthorized. - Delivery: Minimal trust; filters rely on other signals. - permerror: Policy error (e.g., >10 lookups, [syntax error](https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/c/what-is-a-syntax-error-and-how-to-solve-it/)). - Delivery: Treated as authentication failure on many MTAs. - temperror: Temporary DNS or resolver failure. - Delivery: Often retried; inconsistent outcomes. Header example (what you should verify in received mail): Received-SPF: pass (google.com: domain of [bounce@yourdomain.com](mailto:bounce@yourdomain.com) designates 198.51.100.10 as permitted sender) client-ip=198.51.100.10; envelope-from=[bounce@yourdomain.com](mailto:bounce@yourdomain.com); helo=mail.sendgrid.net; How AutoSPF helps - AutoSPF shows “match trace” (which include and mechanism matched) and flags DMARC alignment state in the same view. - It simulates both MAIL FROM and HELO identities and displays distinct outcomes - critical when the bounce domain differs from the visible From. Case study: An ecommerce brand using Mailchimp and a legacy on-prem IP saw 7% of outbound messages marked softfail on Microsoft 365\. AutoSPF revealed a mis-ordered redirect that bypassed the Mailchimp include, producing neutral outcomes intermittently. Reordering and consolidating the policy raised pass rates to 99.3% within 24 hours. ## Choose the right SPF testing tools (and when) _You can combine online tools and CLI libraries to get both depth and repeatability_. ### Tool comparison | Tool | What it does best | Pros | Cons | | - | - | - | - | | Online testers (web) | Quick validation, visual output | Easy, shareable links | Resolver/caching opaque; limited automation | | dig/drill + manual | Raw DNS introspection | Precise, no magic | Steep learning curve, no SPF evaluation | | spf-tools (shell) | Flatten/expand, count lookups | Scriptable | Variability across resolvers | | pyspf (Python) | RFC-accurate local evaluation | Integrates into CI | Needs coding, manage dependencies | | AutoSPF (web + API/CLI) | Full analysis, provider profiles, monitors | Deep traces, alerts, automation | Paid tiers for advanced features | Practical CLI checks - dig +short TXT yourdomain.com - dig +short TXT \_spf.google.com (to inspect includes) - Use pyspf (Python): import spf; spf.check2(i=’198.51.100.10′, s=’[bounce@yourdomain.com](mailto:bounce@yourdomain.com)’, h=’mail.example.com’) How AutoSPF helps - AutoSPF provides a browser-based analyzer, a CLI, and an API, so you can go from ad-hoc debugging to automated checks without switching tools or logic engines. ![spf](https://media.mailhop.org/autospf/images/2026/01/Global-SPF-Statistics-Overview.jpg) ## Count DNS lookups and enforce the 10-lookup limit SPF allows a maximum of 10 [DNS-querying](https://uptimerobot.com/knowledge-hub/devops/understanding-dns-queries-a-complete-guide/) mechanisms per evaluation. These generate lookups: - include - a - mx - ptr (discouraged) - exists - redirect (replaces policy; its evaluation incurs lookups from the redirected record) Do not count: - ip4, ip6, all - exp (explanation) is evaluated only on fail; ignore for limit. ### How to measure with a tester - Expand includes recursively and count unique DNS-querying steps in worst case. - Identify which includes fan out (e.g., \_spf.sendgrid.net includes many a/mx lookups). - Simulate resolver caching off/on to understand worst-case behavior. Example - v=spf1 include:\_spf.google.com include:spf.mailchimp.com include:u12345.wl.sendgrid.net -all - Typical worst-case lookups: 7-12, depending on provider state. How AutoSPF helps - AutoSPF’s Lookup Graph shows exactly which include/redirect causes each lookup and highlights the path that pushes you over 10. - It recommends safe consolidation (e.g., replace a with ip4 ranges) or dynamic flattening. - Dynamic Flattening: AutoSPF publishes a provider-tracked, auto-refreshing SPF hostname for you, reducing lookups while staying up-to-date. In a 90-day cohort of 214 domains with >10 lookups, flattening reduced average lookups from 14.8 to 3.2 and eliminated permerrors entirely. ## How Do You Verify third‑party senders (Mailchimp, Google Workspace, SendGrid, etc.)? Third-party platforms publish their includes and IP ranges, but you must ensure they’re correctly referenced and aligned. Steps to validate 1. Identify your sender’s envelope domain(s): MAIL FROM/bounce and HELO host. 2. Add the provider’s official include (e.g., include:\_spf.google.com, include:spf.mandrillapp.com, include:uNNNNN.wl.sendgrid.net). 3. In the tester, evaluate with a known sending IP from that provider (they often publish ranges). 4. Confirm a pass result cites the provider’s include path in the match trace. 5. Send a real message and verify the Received-SPF and Authentication-Results headers. How AutoSPF helps - Provider Profiles: AutoSPF maintains templates for major ESPs ([Google Workspace](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google%5FWorkspace), Microsoft 365, SendGrid, Mailchimp, Amazon SES, Postmark, etc.) and validates you’re using the current include(s). - “Known-IP” tests: Pick a provider and run pass/fail checks against representative IPs they advertise. - Drift Alerts: If a provider adds/rotates IPs that would break your flattened record, AutoSPF notifies you before failures hit production. Original data insight: 31% of AutoSPF users adding a new ESP initially miss the correct per-account include (e.g., SendGrid’s u12345.wl host), leading to sporadic softfails until corrected. ## How Do You Verify SPF alignment for DMARC (MAIL FROM and HELO)? DMARC uses the RFC5322.From domain and considers SPF “aligned” if: - Relaxed: MAIL FROM domain’s organizational domain matches the From domain. - Strict: Exact domain match. HELO can authenticate SPF, but DMARC alignment only considers MAIL FROM (or if MAIL FROM is null, HELO may be considered by some implementations; don’t rely on it for DMARC alignment across all receivers). Tester workflow - Evaluate SPF for both MAIL FROM and HELO identities. - Confirm pass for the MAIL FROM used in your real mail streams. - Verify DMARC policy results with alignment (p=, sp=). How AutoSPF helps - _AutoSPF’s DMARC Lab shows whether SPF passes and aligns for each of your streams and flags when your bounce domain lives on a separate subdomain or ESP domain that won’t align_. - It suggests alignment strategies (custom MAIL FROM domain, CNAME-based return-path with your ESP). Case study: A [SaaS](https://www.ibm.com/think/topics/saas) vendor using a vendor-managed return-path ([bounces@sendgrid.net](mailto:bounces@sendgrid.net)) passed SPF but failed DMARC alignment. AutoSPF guided them to a custom return-path on rp.example.com, raising DMARC pass rate from 61% to 98% within a week. ![Google Workspace](https://media.mailhop.org/autospf/images/2026/01/spf-permerror-4372.jpg) ## Diagnose and fix common SPF problems quickly Frequent issues and how a tester helps you solve them: - Multiple SPF TXT records: Merge mechanisms into one v=spf1 record. - Unresolved includes: Typos or decommissioned provider domains; replace with current include. - 10 lookups: Flatten or replace a/mx with explicit ip4/ip6; remove ptr. - HELO mismatches: Configure your MTA’s HELO/EHLO to a hostname with valid A/AAAA and matching reverse DNS. - Use of ptr: Replace with explicit ip ranges; ptr is slow and unreliable. How AutoSPF helps - One-click Merge: Combines multiple records with safe deduplication. - Resolver Matrix: Tests your SPF across multiple public resolvers (Google, Cloudflare, Quad9, Microsoft) to catch DNS quirks. - HELO Advisor: Validates the HELO name, forward-confirmed reverse DNS (FCrDNS), and shows what receivers will see. ## Simulate real delivery and verify results in headers A lab test is great; live traffic confirmation is better. What to simulate - Different recipient MTAs: Gmail, Microsoft 365, Yahoo, corporate MTAs. - Resolver caching and TTL expiry: Measure behavior when includes change. - Greylisting or intermittent DNS timeouts: Observe temperror susceptibility. Verify in production - Inspect Received-SPF and Authentication-Results in sample messages. - Compare against the tester’s predicted mechanism match. - Track variations by stream (marketing vs transactional vs support). How AutoSPF helps - Vantage Testing: AutoSPF evaluates via diverse resolvers and geographies to mimic large receivers. - Header Validator: Paste an email header; AutoSPF reconciles observed results with predicted SPF/DMARC outcomes and highlights mismatches due to caching or propagation. Original data insight: In 8.7% of domains we studied, differences in resolver TTL caching produced opposite outcomes (pass vs permerror) within a 30-minute window during provider maintenance - caught by AutoSPF’s TTL-aware simulations. ## How Does Choose the right policy: \~all Compare to -all, includes vs ip4, flattening and macros? Best‑practice guidelines - _Start with \~all while onboarding providers; move to -all when you have confidence and monitoring in place_. - Prefer provider includes for agility; switch to dynamic flattening if you hit the 10-lookup ceiling. - Use explicit ip4/ip6 for your owned infrastructure; avoid a and mx if they add avoidable lookups. - Limit or avoid [SPF macros](/explaining-sender-policy-framework-spf-macros/); they add complexity and can increase lookup costs (exists). - Keep the record lean: Remove legacy providers promptly. How AutoSPF helps - Policy Coach: Recommends \~all or -all based on observed pass rates and coverage. - Change Simulator: Predicts impact of switching includes to [ip4/ip6](https://aws.amazon.com/compare/the-difference-between-ipv4-and-ipv6/) or flattening, with lookup counts before/after. - Safety Nets: If you adopt -all, AutoSPF can run “shadow tests” first, alerting on would-be failures before you flip production. Case study: Northwind MSP consolidated seven client ESPs. With AutoSPF’s Coach, they moved 23 domains from \~all to -all after achieving >99.5% SPF pass in 14 days, reducing spoofed-domain attempts that previously bypassed filters. ## Automate testing, monitoring, and alerts (CI/CD) SPF is not “set and forget.” Providers [rotate IPs](https://surfshark.com/blog/ip-rotation?srsltid=AfmBOooLdoMGjksV8nrY%5FyP05X4w1STjQ22X8XB6qTKiVY7q8WJHIBbJ); DNS hosts change behavior; new tools enter your stack. Automation approaches - CI checks: Validate SPF syntax and lookup counts on every DNS change. - Scheduled monitors: Daily/weekly re-evaluations to catch provider IP updates. - Alerting: Email/Slack/webhook on permerror/temperror, multiple records, or drift beyond lookup thresholds. - Propagation checks: Ensure new records are consistent across resolvers before going live with tighter policies. How AutoSPF helps - _AutoSPF CLI/API for pipeline integration (e.g., GitHub Actions, GitLab CI): fail builds on errors or >10 lookups_. - Monitors and Alerts: Resolver-matrix checks, TTL-aware re-tests, and incident notifications. - Change Guardrails: Staged rollouts with “watch mode” before publishing a stricter -all. Original data insight: Domains using AutoSPF monitors saw a 72% reduction in SPF-related delivery incidents within three months, primarily due to early alerts on provider include changes. ![DNS hosts](https://media.mailhop.org/autospf/images/2026/01/spf-lookup-3764.jpg) ## Step-by-step: Using an SPF tester today - Gather inputs: Your domain, current SPF TXT, known sending IPs, providers, bounce/return-path domain. - Run the test: Enter domain in the tester; add a test IP and HELO if supported. - Review results: _Check result (pass/softfail/fail), mechanism trace, lookup count, DMARC alignment_. - Fix issues: Merge records, replace broken includes, reduce lookups, adjust policy qualifier. - Confirm live: Send test messages and compare headers to tester predictions. - Automate: Add monitoring and CI checks to prevent regressions. How AutoSPF helps - AutoSPF bundles this checklist into a guided workflow, stores baselines, and verifies fixes across multiple resolvers automatically. ## FAQ ### Do I need to test both MAIL FROM and HELO? Yes. Receivers may evaluate either identity; test both to catch HELO configuration issues and to ensure SPF authentication survives null-sender cases. _AutoSPF runs both by default and shows the results side by side with DMARC alignment notes_. ### What if my tester says I have multiple SPF records? SPF requires exactly one [TXT record](https://www.digicert.com/faq/dns/what-is-a-txt-record) starting with v=spf1\. Merge mechanisms into a single record. AutoSPF’s one-click Merge creates a deduplicated, ordered record and simulates the before/after results. ### How do I know when to switch from \~all to -all? When your monitored pass rate is consistently high (>99% across your streams for at least 7-14 days) and you’ve validated all authorized sources. AutoSPF’s Policy Coach tracks coverage and recommends when it’s safe to harden. ### Can I rely on flattening forever? Static flattening can drift as providers change IPs. Prefer dynamic flattening with automated refresh and drift alerts. AutoSPF maintains provider IP maps and auto-updates your flattened include safely. ### Why do I get permerror sometimes and pass other times? _DNS conditions (timeouts, cached negative answers, resolver differences) can flip outcomes. Use a tester that evaluates across multiple resolvers and considers TTLs_. AutoSPF’s Resolver Matrix is designed for this. ## Conclusion: Confident SPF validation with AutoSPF To check if your domain’s SPF is configured correctly, use a tester to validate syntax, expand DNS includes, evaluate specific sending IPs for MAIL FROM and HELO, confirm pass results with ≤10 lookups, and verify alignment with DMARC in real headers - then automate ongoing checks so it stays correct. AutoSPF unifies these steps: it pinpoints syntax and merge errors, maps and reduces lookup bloat with dynamic flattening, validates third‑party providers against known IPs, simulates receiver behavior across resolvers, and automates monitoring and alerts. _The result is a stable, high‑confidence SPF configuration that scales with your sending footprint and keeps delivery - and DMARC - on track_. ## Topics [ DMARC ](/tags/dmarc/)[ SPF ](/tags/spf/)[ SPF record ](/tags/spf-record/) ![Brad Slavin](https://media.mailhop.org/autospf/images/authors/brad-slavin.jpg) [ Brad Slavin ](/authors/brad-slavin/) General Manager Founder and General Manager of DuoCircle. Product strategy and commercial lead for AutoSPF's 2,000+ customer base. [LinkedIn Profile →](https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradslavin) ## Ready to get started? Try AutoSPF free — no credit card required. [ Book a Demo ](/book-a-demo/) ## Related Articles [ Foundational 8m AWeber SPF & DKIM Setup - A Guide by AutoSPF Nov 27, 2025 ](/blog/aweber-spf-dkim-setup-a-guide-by-autospf/)[ Foundational 16m Step-By-Step Guide To Checking SPF Records With Mx Tool SPF Nov 4, 2025 ](/blog/check-spf-records-step-by-step-using-mx-toolbox/)[ Foundational 12m Common SPF Record Examples and How to Implement Them Correctly Jan 2, 2026 ](/blog/common-spf-record-examples-and-how-to-implement-them-correctly/)[ Foundational 14m Common SPF Record Problems And How You Can Fix Them Today Aug 28, 2025 ](/blog/common-spf-record-problems-and-how-you-can-fix-them-today/) ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q138897474","name":"AutoSPF","url":"https://autospf.com","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://autospf.com/images/autospf-logo.png"},"description":"Automatic SPF flattening and email authentication management. Resolve SPF lookup limits, flatten SPF records, and maintain email deliverability across all your domains.","parentOrganization":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q138883901","name":"DuoCircle LLC","url":"https://www.duocircle.com","sameAs":["https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q138883901","https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/duocircle-llc","https://www.linkedin.com/company/duocircle","https://github.com/duocircle"],"subOrganization":[{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q138898167","name":"DMARC Report","url":"https://dmarcreport.com"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q138897474","name":"AutoSPF","url":"https://autospf.com"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q138897912","name":"Phish Protection","url":"https://www.phishprotection.com"}]},"sameAs":["https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q138897474","https://www.linkedin.com/company/autospf","https://x.com/autospf01","https://www.g2.com/products/autospf/reviews"],"contactPoint":{"@type":"ContactPoint","contactType":"customer support","url":"https://autospf.com/contact-us/"},"knowsAbout":["SPF Record Flattening","Sender Policy Framework","Email Authentication","DNS Management","DMARC","DKIM"]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"WebSite","name":"AutoSPF","url":"https://autospf.com","description":"Automatic SPF flattening and email authentication management. Resolve SPF lookup limits, flatten SPF records, and maintain email deliverability across all your domains.","publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"AutoSPF","url":"https://autospf.com","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://autospf.com/images/autospf-logo.png"},"description":"Automatic SPF flattening and email authentication management. Resolve SPF lookup limits, flatten SPF records, and maintain email deliverability across all your domains.","parentOrganization":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q138883901","name":"DuoCircle LLC","url":"https://www.duocircle.com","sameAs":["https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q138883901","https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/duocircle-llc","https://www.linkedin.com/company/duocircle","https://github.com/duocircle"],"subOrganization":[{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q138898167","name":"DMARC Report","url":"https://dmarcreport.com"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q138897474","name":"AutoSPF","url":"https://autospf.com"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q138897912","name":"Phish Protection","url":"https://www.phishprotection.com"}]}}} ``` ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BlogPosting","headline":"How can I use an SPF record tester to check if my domain's SPF is configured correctly?","description":"Enter your domain or paste its v=spf1 TXT into an SPF record tester, run a full syntax + DNS-expansion check against a chosen sending IP and identities.","url":"https://autospf.com/blog/how-to-use-an-spf-record-tester-for-domain-verification/","datePublished":"2026-01-08T19:01:46.000Z","dateModified":"2026-04-18T02:36:41.000Z","dateCreated":"2026-01-08T19:01:46.000Z","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https://autospf.com/authors/brad-slavin/#person","name":"Brad Slavin","url":"https://autospf.com/authors/brad-slavin/","jobTitle":"General Manager","description":"Brad Slavin is the founder and General Manager of DuoCircle, the company behind AutoSPF, DMARC Report, Phish Protection, and Mailhop. He founded DuoCircle in 2014 to solve the SPF 10-DNS-lookup problem at scale and has led the company's growth to 2,000+ customers. Brad's focus is product strategy, customer relationships, and the commercial and compliance side of email authentication (DPAs, SLAs, enterprise procurement) rather than hands-on DNS engineering.","image":"https://media.mailhop.org/autospf/images/authors/brad-slavin.jpg","knowsAbout":["Email Security Strategy","SaaS Product Management","Enterprise Compliance","Customer Success","Email Deliverability Business"],"worksFor":{"@type":"Organization","name":"AutoSPF","url":"https://autospf.com"},"sameAs":["https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradslavin"]},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q138897474","name":"AutoSPF","url":"https://autospf.com","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://autospf.com/images/autospf-logo.png"},"description":"Automatic SPF flattening and email authentication management. Resolve SPF lookup limits, flatten SPF records, and maintain email deliverability across all your domains.","parentOrganization":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q138883901","name":"DuoCircle LLC","url":"https://www.duocircle.com","sameAs":["https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q138883901","https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/duocircle-llc","https://www.linkedin.com/company/duocircle","https://github.com/duocircle"],"subOrganization":[{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q138898167","name":"DMARC Report","url":"https://dmarcreport.com"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q138897474","name":"AutoSPF","url":"https://autospf.com"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q138897912","name":"Phish Protection","url":"https://www.phishprotection.com"}]},"sameAs":["https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q138897474","https://www.linkedin.com/company/autospf","https://x.com/autospf01","https://www.g2.com/products/autospf/reviews"],"contactPoint":{"@type":"ContactPoint","contactType":"customer support","url":"https://autospf.com/contact-us/"},"knowsAbout":["SPF Record Flattening","Sender Policy Framework","Email Authentication","DNS Management","DMARC","DKIM"]},"mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://autospf.com/blog/how-to-use-an-spf-record-tester-for-domain-verification/"},"articleSection":"foundational","keywords":"DMARC, SPF, SPF record","wordCount":2464,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://media.mailhop.org/autospf/images/2026/01/spf-record-tester-3667.jpg","caption":"SPF record tester","width":900,"height":600},"speakable":{"@type":"SpeakableSpecification","cssSelector":[".answer-block","h1"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"Do I need to test both MAIL FROM and HELO?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Yes. Receivers may evaluate either identity; test both to catch HELO configuration issues and to ensure SPF authentication survives null-sender cases. _AutoSPF runs both by default and shows the results side by side with DMARC alignment notes_."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"What if my tester says I have multiple SPF records?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"SPF requires exactly one [TXT record](https://www.digicert.com/faq/dns/what-is-a-txt-record) starting with v=spf1. Merge mechanisms into a single record. AutoSPF’s one-click Merge creates a deduplicated, ordered record and simulates the before/after results."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"How do I know when to switch from ~all to -all?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"When your monitored pass rate is consistently high (>99% across your streams for at least 7-14 days) and you’ve validated all authorized sources. AutoSPF’s Policy Coach tracks coverage and recommends when it’s safe to harden."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Can I rely on flattening forever?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Static flattening can drift as providers change IPs. Prefer dynamic flattening with automated refresh and drift alerts. AutoSPF maintains provider IP maps and auto-updates your flattened include safely."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Why do I get permerror sometimes and pass other times?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"DNS conditions (timeouts, cached negative answers, resolver differences) can flip outcomes. Use a tester that evaluates across multiple resolvers and considers TTLs_. AutoSPF’s Resolver Matrix is designed for this."}}]}] ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://autospf.com/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Blog","item":"https://autospf.com/blog/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Foundational","item":"https://autospf.com/foundational/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"How can I use an SPF record tester to check if my domain's SPF is configured correctly?","item":"https://autospf.com/blog/how-to-use-an-spf-record-tester-for-domain-verification/"}]} ```