When you send email from your systems — whether it’s transactional notifications, marketing campaigns, or account alerts — the goal isn’t just delivery: it’s trust. Internet Service Providers (ISPs), mailbox providers, and modern spam filters are ruthlessly strict. Without the right authentication protocols in place, even legitimate mail can end up in the spam folder or get blocked entirely.
That’s where SPF (Sender Policy Framework) and DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) come in. Both are pillars of email authentication and the foundation of DMARC compliance. In this comprehensive guide, AutoSPF walks you through configuring SPF and DKIM for Postmark, ensuring your domain is trusted, secure, and optimized for delivery.
We’ll cover:
- What SPF and DKIM really are
- How Postmark handles each protocol
- Step-by-step setup instructions
- Verifying your configuration
- Advanced tips for DMARC, alignment, and deliverability
Let’s get started.
What SPF & DKIM Actually Do
Before we jump into steps, it’s important to understand the why behind SPF and DKIM — not just the what.
SPF — Verifying the Sender
SPF lets domain owners publish a list of mail servers that are authorized to send mail on their behalf. When a receiving server gets a message, it checks the SPF record to determine if the sending IP is valid for the domain in the envelope sender.
Without SPF, anyone could forge your domain and send malicious mail that appears to come from you.
Key point: Most modern receivers use the Return-Path domain (envelope sender) — not the visible “From” header — to perform SPF checks.
✔ DKIM — Cryptographic Signing
DKIM puts a digital signature on outgoing messages. That signature is created with a private key and published as a public key in DNS. When mail is received, the recipient can verify the signature matches what your DNS has published.
This ensures the message wasn’t tampered with — and confirms it truly came from your systems.
How Postmark Handles SPF & DKIM
Postmark is a popular transactional email provider designed for reliable, high-deliverability message delivery. But it also offloads many email authentication headaches for you — especially SPF.
SPF with Postmark
Unlike older setups where you manually include Postmark in your own SPF record, Postmark’s SPF is now automatically handled:
- Postmark already includes authorized sending IPs in its SPF configuration.
- Because the email’s Return-Path automatically uses Postmark’s infrastructure, SPF usually passes without any action on your part.
That said:
- DMARC alignment depends on the Return-Path and the From domain matching (or being in relaxed alignment).
- For strict alignment, you may choose to create a custom Return-Path with Postmark so your own domain appears in that Return-Path.
DKIM with Postmark
Postmark does not automatically DKIM-sign your mail unless you publish the DNS record. So you must add the DKIM TXT record from Postmark to your domain’s DNS.
Once added and verified, all outgoing mail will be signed with DKIM — which is essential for DMARC success.
Step-by-Step: Setting Up SPF & DKIM in Postmark
Now the hands-on part.
1. Log Into Postmark and Find Your Domain
- Open your Postmark dashboard.
- Navigate to Sender Signatures or Domains — depending on your Postmark interface.
- Choose the sending domain you want to authenticate.
Almost every domain you send from should be authenticated — especially if you care about deliverability across Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook, etc.
2. Review DNS Settings — Locate Your Records
Within that domain:
- You’ll see a section labeled DNS Settings or Authentication.
- Postmark will display two records:
- A DKIM TXT record
- (Optional) A CNAME for a custom Return-Path
Important note: Postmark’s interface is going to provide the exact Host / Name, Type, and Value you need to publish in DNS.
3. Publish DKIM in Your DNS
- Log into your DNS provider (Cloudflare, GoDaddy, Route53, etc.).
- Create a new TXT record.
- Copy the Host and Value exactly as shown by Postmark.
- Save the record.
Example (not actual values — yours will come from Postmark):
Type: TXT
Name: pm._domainkey.example.com
Value: v=DKIM1; k=rsa; p=MIIBIjANBgkqh...🔹 Tip: DNS caching can take time. DNS propagation can take up to 48 hours, although Postmark often verifies sooner.
4. (Optional) Configure a Custom Return-Path
If you care about strict SPF alignment for DMARC, you can create a custom Return-Path so that the envelope sender uses your domain instead of Postmark’s default.
- In Postmark, locate the custom CNAME for the Return-Path.
- Add a CNAME record to your DNS:
- Host / Name: e.g., pm-bounces.example.com
- Value: Points to the Postmark hostname (e.g., pm.mtasv.net)
- Save the record in DNS.
This CNAME tells mail receivers that bounce and Return-Path activity for your domain is handled by Postmark — and is critical for SPF alignment.
5. Verify in Postmark
Return to your Postmark dashboard and hit the Verify button next to the records you just added.
Postmark will perform a DNS lookup to check:
- That your DKIM TEXT record exists and can be retrieved
- That your custom Return-Path CNAME is correct (if provided)
When verification is complete, Postmark will show the domain as authenticated.
Confirming & Monitoring Your Configuration
It’s not enough to publish and verify — you need ongoing visibility.
Test Yourself
Use Postmark’s built-in verification tools first. From your DNS provider, you can also use public tools like:
- DNS lookup tools
- DKIM checkers
- SPF record validators
All will tell you whether the records are present and syntactically correct.
DMARC Reports
DMARC goes beyond SPF and DKIM — it gives you visibility into who is sending mail on behalf of your domain.
Once you set up a DMARC record (separate from SPF/DKIM), you’ll start receiving reports showing:
- Which IPs sent mail claiming to be your domain
- Whether SPF passed
- Whether DKIM passed
- Whether those passed aligned checks
You’ll be able to see that Postmark’s mail is authenticated — and catch abuse or impersonation attempts quickly. To get these reports, your DMARC DNS record needs rua or ruf tags pointing to an email address or analytics service.
How SPF & DKIM Feed Into DMARC
Here’s the part where configuration meets policy.
DMARC Alignment Rules — Simplified
- DMARC evaluates alignment — whether the authenticated identity matches the domain in the visible From address.
- For SPF alignment:
- The Return-Path domain must match the From domain.
- For DKIM alignment:
- The DKIM “d=” domain must match the From domain.
- The DKIM “d=” domain must match the From domain.
If either SPF or DKIM passes and aligns, DMARC is considered passed. However:
- DKIM alignment typically gives better results because it uses your domain’s own DNS, not Postmark’s.
- Custom Return-Path gives you SPF alignment, which is useful if some receivers put more weight on SPF.
Common Issues and How to Fix Them
Even with the right records, authentication can fail — but most problems have simple root causes.
1. DNS Records Didn’t Replicate Yet
DNS changes can take time — sometimes up to 48 hours.
Fix: Wait and use DNS lookup tools to confirm the record is visible worldwide before expecting verification.
2. Wrong Hostnames or Missing Quotes
Copy-paste errors are the most common cause of failure.
Fix: Double-check the TTL, host/value, and record type.
3. DMARC Fails Even When SPF/DKIM Pass
This usually means alignment is not correct.
Fix: Ensure your DKIM “d=” domain matches the domain in your From header. Use custom Return-Path for SPF alignment.
Best Practices for Email Authentication
Here are a few important rules of thumb:
Always use DKIM — It’s the Backbone of Trust
Even if SPF passes automatically, DKIM gives you control over your domain’s reputation.
Publish a DMARC Record
DMARC doesn’t just enforce security — it gives you reporting so you understand how your domain is used across the internet.
Monitor Reports Continuously
Spam and impersonation attacks evolve, so your visibility should be continuous, not one-time.
