Free Email Deliverability Checker: SPF, DKIM & DMARC Test

Check whether your domain’s SPF, DKIM and DMARC records are set up correctly. Enter a domain or an email address, and the checker looks up its mail records and tells you exactly what to fix. It is especially useful when your WordPress contact form emails land in spam or never arrive.

SPF is a DNS record that lists the servers allowed to send email for your domain. A domain should have exactly one SPF record, and it can use at most 10 DNS lookups.

DKIM adds a cryptographic signature to each message so receivers can confirm it came from your domain and was not changed on the way. The public key lives at a DNS name built from a selector, like selector1._domainkey.yourdomain.com.

DMARC tells receiving servers what to do when SPF and DKIM checks fail (nothing, quarantine or reject) and where to send reports. Most domains start with p=none to monitor, then move to a stricter policy.

MX records show which mail servers receive email for your domain. They are not an authentication check, but they help confirm your provider.

By default, WordPress sends form emails through PHP from your web server. Those messages often fail SPF and DKIM checks, so Gmail, Outlook and others reject them or file them as spam. Gmail and Yahoo now expect bulk senders to authenticate with SPF, DKIM and DMARC, and failing these checks hurts delivery for everyone else too.

The usual fix has three parts:

• Install an SMTP plugin (WP Mail SMTP, FluentSMTP or similar) and send through your real mail provider instead of the web server.
• Use a From address on your own domain, not a free Gmail or Yahoo address.
• Run your domain through the checker above and fix every SPF, DKIM and DMARC problem it reports.

What is a DKIM selector?

A selector is a label that tells receivers where to find your public DKIM key, at selector._domainkey.yourdomain.com. You can find yours in your email provider’s DKIM settings. Common ones are default, google and selector1.

How long do DNS changes take to show up?

Often a few minutes, but it can take up to 48 hours depending on the record’s TTL. This tool uses Google Public DNS, so a result can be briefly out of date right after you make a change.

Does TechMendly store the domains I check?

No. The lookups run in your browser through Google Public DNS, and the domain you enter is not sent to or stored by this site.

My domain passes everything but email still goes to spam. Why?

Authentication is only one factor. Sender reputation, a new sending domain, spammy content and a sudden jump in volume all affect inbox placement. Make sure you are not sending from a shared server with a poor reputation.