LIVE DNS

SPF checker for Google Workspace

Enter the domain your Workspace inboxes actually send from. We pull its live SPF record, read it the way a receiving server does, and check the one line that matters most: the Google include.

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What this tool is

The SPF Checker for Google Workspace pulls the live SPF record for a domain and reads it with Google Workspace in mind. A healthy Workspace sending domain publishes exactly one SPF record, and that record includes include:_spf.google.com, which authorizes Google servers to send for the domain. This checker shows the record exactly as published, confirms whether the Google include is there, and flags the mistakes that quietly break sending.

How to use

  1. Type the domain your Google Workspace inboxes actually send from. For cold email that is usually a secondary sending domain, not your main company domain.
  2. Click Check SPF and wait for the live DNS lookup to finish.
  3. Read the record and the verdict rows under it. If something is flagged, fix the DNS record first, then recheck.

How to read your results

  • SPF present, Google included: the record authorizes Google sending servers. That is the healthy state for a Workspace domain.
  • SPF present, no Google include: a record exists, but Google is not on it. If Workspace inboxes send from this domain, their mail can fail SPF. Add the Google include to that same record instead of publishing a second one.
  • Two or more SPF records: receiving servers treat this as a broken setup, and SPF can fail for every sender. Merge all senders into a single record.
  • No SPF record: the domain publishes no sender authorization at all. Publish one record that lists every service that sends for the domain, Google included if Workspace sends from it.

Common problems

  • Checking the wrong domain. Authentication lives on the exact sending domain. Your main company domain passing says nothing about the secondary domain your outreach sends from, so always check the sending domain itself.
  • One record per tool. Workspace, your sending platform, your CRM: every sender belongs in the same single SPF record. Two v=spf1 records is worse than one incomplete record.
  • SPF treated as the whole job. SPF alone is not enough. DKIM signing has to be on and a DMARC policy has to exist. Check all three together with the Email Authentication Checker, and build the DMARC side with the DMARC Generator and Checker.

FAQ

What SPF record should a Google Workspace domain have?

One single record that includes include:_spf.google.com. If other tools send for the same domain, their includes go into the same record. A common shape is v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all, with any extra senders added before the ending mechanism.

Does Google Workspace set up SPF automatically?

No. Google supplies the include value, but the record is published in your own DNS. Nothing is authorized until the TXT record exists at the root of the sending domain.

Why does my Workspace mail still land in spam when SPF passes?

SPF is one of three checks. DKIM has to be turned on in the Google Admin console with its key published, and DMARC has to exist at the _dmarc name. The SPF Checker on this site reads any record in a general way, while this page reads it for Workspace specifically.

Can I publish a separate SPF record just for my sending tool?

No. A domain may only carry one SPF record. Receivers that find two treat the domain as having no valid SPF at all. Merge the sender into the existing record instead.

What does the ending of the record mean?

The final mechanism tells receivers how strict to be about

Can I have two SPF records on one domain?

No. A domain can carry only one SPF record. Two records cause a permanent error and every SPF check fails. Merge all the includes into one line and publish that single record.

What happens if my SPF record has more than 10 DNS lookups?

The check returns a permanent error and SPF fails outright. Cut the count by removing dead includes for tools you no longer use. Flatten a nested include only where it is safe and recheck the count after each change.

How long does an SPF change take to show up?

Usually minutes to a few hours. The delay depends on the TTL of the old record and on resolver caches. Check with a lookup tool instead of resending test emails.

Do I need SPF on subdomains I send from?

Yes. Every sending subdomain needs its own SPF record. Subdomains do not inherit the root domain record, so a subdomain with no record has no SPF at all.

Why does SPF pass but my mail still fails DMARC?

DMARC needs alignment, not just a pass. The domain that SPF checks must match the visible From domain. If they differ, DMARC fails even when SPF passes on its own.

What does the tilde versus the dash mean at the end?

The tilde in ~all means softfail. The dash in -all means hard fail. Start with softfail while you test, then move to hard fail once every real sender is included.

Should I include my website host in SPF?

Only if that server actually sends mail as your domain. Contact form notifications are a common example. If the host never sends as your domain, leave it out, because it just adds lookups.

The 6 most common Google Workspace SPF records

  • Workspace only: v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all
  • Workspace plus Microsoft 365: v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com include:spf.protection.outlook.com ~all
  • Workspace plus SendGrid: v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com include:sendgrid.net ~all
  • Workspace plus Amazon SES: v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com include:amazonses.com ~all
  • Sending subdomain, published at the subdomain name: v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com -all
  • Over the limit warning: v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com include:spf.protection.outlook.com include:sendgrid.net include:amazonses.com include:servers.mcsv.net include:zoho.com include:mail.zendesk.com mx a ~all stacks includes until the lookup count passes 10 and the check fails.

Common errors and what they cost

  • Two records on one domain: every check fails as a permanent error. Fix: merge all includes into one record and delete the extra one.
  • A missing include after adding a new tool: mail from that tool fails SPF. Fix: add the tool include to the existing record.
  • A typo in an include: that sender is not authorized and the bad value can waste lookups. Fix: copy the include value exactly as the provider gives it.
  • No record on a new sending subdomain: mail from that subdomain has no SPF and can fail DMARC. Fix: publish a record on the subdomain itself.unlisted senders. ~all marks them as a soft fail, usually treated as suspicious. -all marks them as a hard fail. Most domains run ~all while authentication is being aligned, then tighten it later.
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