Overview
Email domain authentication is critical to keeping your domain safe and ensuring high email deliverability rates. When you don't properly configure DNS records like SPF, DMARC, and DKIM, your emails are at risk of being labeled as spam.
If you're having trouble authenticating email domain records, a few troubleshooting steps can get you back on track.
Need to set up your SPF, DMARC, or DKIM records? Review Set Up Email Domain Authentication to get started.
To check the status of your DNS records on Apollo, navigate to Settings > Mailboxes, then click ... beside your mailbox. Click Check mailbox health > Domain authentication.
Check out the following sections to troubleshoot SPF, DKIM, or DMARC authentication.
Error Glossary
After you link your mailbox to Apollo, you may experience SPF, DKIM, or DMARC error messages. Use the following tables to find an error message, understand what it means, and explore tips to resolve it.
SPF Errors
SPF, or sender policy framework, are records that specify which mail servers are allowed to send email on your behalf. Think of SPF like trusted mailmen who are tasked to deliver your messages. SPF records are used to help prevent email spoofing, where someone pretends to be from your organization.
| Error | Description | Solution |
|---|---|---|
Your SPF record doesn’t include your sending IP address. Update the record to include your email service provider. |
This error typically occurs when the IP address attempting to send messages on your behalf isn't listed in your SPF record. | Check your SPF record using a tool like Mail Tester or MX Toolbox and verify that your email provider is included. |
Apollo has not yet received the automated email required to check your SPF record. This process may take up to 24 hours. |
Apollo sends an email on your behalf to a verification account to test email domain authentication. It can take up to 24 hours for Apollo to send the test email. | Wait 24 hours. If the issue persists, launch Apollo and click Sequences > Run diagnostics. Then click ⟳ beside your mailbox to refresh the email domain authentication check. |
Apollo was unable to send an email to verify your SPF record due to your email sending limits. Check your limits and either raise them temporarily or try again later. |
Apollo sends an email on your behalf to verify your email domain authentication records. If you have already exhausted your email sending limits, it prevents Apollo from sending the test email. | Allow your sending limits to reset. Consider deactivating active sequences and refrain from sending emails with this mailbox until Apollo can verify your email domain. Alternatively, temporarily increase your daily email sending limit, then lower it again once your email domain is authenticated. |
There’s an issue with your SPF record. Visit Troubleshoot Email Domain Authentication to diagnose the problem. |
Apollo has detected an issue with your SPF record. This could include a missing or expired SPF record, invalid SPF syntax, too many DNS lookups, or incorrect IP addresses or domains. | Check your SPF record using a tool like Mail Tester or MxToolbox to verify your SPF record is valid. SPF records are limited to 10 DNS lookups. Your record should include email provider's domain. Review Set Up Email Domain Authentication to learn more. |
We couldn't detect any active SPF record for your domain. Please visit https://dmarcguide.globalcyberalliance.org to fix this. |
Your SPF record is missing. | Check out Set Up Email Domain Authentication for help setting up your SPF record. |
DMARC Errors
DMARC, or domain-based message authentication, reporting, and conformance, are records that specify what email providers should do if DKIM or SPF checks fail. Think of DMARC like a rule enforcer who determines how inboxes should handle your messages.
| Error | Description | Solution |
|---|---|---|
Your DMARC record is not set up. Check out Set Up Email Domain Authentication to get started. |
Your DMARC record is missing. | Check out Set Up Email Domain Authentication for help setting up your DMARC record. |
Your DMARC record is incorrectly formatted and missing semicolons. |
Your DMARC record isn't properly formatted. | You must use semicolons to separate each part of a valid DMARC record. Fix the formatting in your DMARC record to resolve this error. Check out Set Up Email Domain Authentication for help setting up your DMARC record properly. |
Your DMARC record is incorrectly formatted. It should begin with v=DMARC1, using the specific capitalization. |
Your DMARC record isn't properly formatted. | Your DMARC record should begin with v=DMARC1 exactly. Check your DMARC record using a tool like Mail Tester or MxToolbox and update the formatting to resolve this error. |
DKIM Errors
DKIM, or domain keys identified mail, are records that verify that you or someone sending on your behalf has permission to do so. Think of DKIM like an invisible signature on your messages that only mailbox providers can check. If someone tries to forge a message from you, DKIM helps mailbox providers identify that it's a fake.
| Error | Description | Solution |
|---|---|---|
Apollo was unable to send an email to verify your DKIM record due to your email sending limits. Check your limits and either raise them temporarily or try again later. |
Apollo sends an email on your behalf to verify your email domain authentication records. If you have already exhausted your email sending limits, it prevents Apollo from sending the test email. | Allow your sending limits to reset. Consider deactivating active sequences and refrain from sending emails with this mailbox until Apollo can verify your email domain. Alternatively, temporarily increase your daily email sending limit, then lower it again once your email domain is authenticated. |
Apollo has not yet received the automated email required to check your DKIM record. This process may take up to 24 hours. |
Apollo sends an email on your behalf to a verification account to test email domain authentication. It can take up to 24 hours for Apollo to send the test email. | Wait for 24 hours. If the issue persists, launch Apollo and click Sequences > Run diagnostics. Then click ⟳ beside your mailbox to refresh the email domain authentication check. |
Your DKIM record is not set up. Check out Set Up Email Domain Authentication to get started. |
Your DKIM record is missing. | Check out Set Up Email Domain Authentication for help setting up your DKIM record. |
Your email is signed with a valid DKIM key, but the key doesn't match your sending domain. Visit Troubleshoot Email Domain Authentication to diagnose the problem. |
Your DKIM key doesn't match your email domain. If you use a third-party email service like Mailchimp or Sendgrid, they may be signing your emails with a DKIM key that doesn't match your email domain. Alternatively, you may be using a DKIM key that matches another domain owned by your organization. | Ensure your DKIM key aligns with your email domain. Use a service like Mail Tester or MxToolbox to review your DKIM record and align it with your email domain. Check out Set Up Email Domain Authentication for help setting up a valid DKIM record. |
Your email is signed with a DKIM key, but the signature is not valid. Visit Troubleshoot Email Domain Authentication to diagnose the problem. |
The email domain has a DKIM key, but the DKIM signature can't be validated. This can happen when public DKIM records in your DNS don't match the DKIM key on the email. If you recently updated your DKIM or switched email providers, the changes may not have fully propagated across DNS servers. | Ensure your DKIM public key matches the private key used to sign emails. Use a service like Mail Tester or MX Toolbox to review your DKIM record and align it with your email domain. If you recently switched providers, reach out to the provider to check the time it may take for changes to propagate across DNS servers. For additional help, check out Set Up Email Domain Authentication. |
Looking for more email deliverability tips? Join Apollo's Email Deliverability 101 webinar to learn from seasoned sales pros about the ABCs of linking your mailbox, how to set up domains for maximum deliverability, and how to monitor the health of your email performance.
For more tips, check out Apollo's Avoid Spam Filters and Email Deliverability Checklist. To dig deeper, read the email deliverability chapter of Apollo's book Outbound Sales.