How to Set Up SPF in Cloudflare

Stop your emails from going to spam with a properly configured SPF record.

Check if your SPF is configured correctly

What is SPF and Why Do You Need It?

SPF (Sender Policy Framework) is a DNS record that tells email servers which IP addresses are allowed to send email on behalf of your domain.

✓Prevents spoofing — tells servers which IPs can send email for your domain
✓Improves deliverability — without SPF, your emails may go to spam or be rejected
✓Required for authentication — part of the SPF + DKIM + DMARC trio
✓Easy to set up — just one TXT record in Cloudflare

Before You Start

Checklist before adding SPF:

☐Your domain is using Cloudflare DNS (orange cloud or DNS only)
☐You know which services send email for your domain
☐You have access to your Cloudflare account

Step-by-Step: Adding SPF in Cloudflare

1Log in to Cloudflare

Go to dash.cloudflare.com
Select your domain from the list

2Go to DNS Settings

Click "DNS" in the left sidebar
Click "Add record"

3Create the TXT Record

Type: TXT
Name: @ (or leave blank for root domain)
Content: Your SPF record (see examples below)
TTL: Auto

4Save

Click "Save"
Changes typically propagate within 5 minutes

SPF Record Examples

Google Workspace Only

v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all

Microsoft 365 Only

v=spf1 include:spf.protection.outlook.com ~all

Google Workspace + Mailchimp

v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com include:servers.mcsv.net ~all

Multiple Services (Common Setup)

v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com include:sendgrid.net include:spf.hubspot.com ~all

Common Cloudflare SPF Mistakes

1. Multiple SPF records

You can only have ONE SPF record per domain. If you need multiple services, combine them in a single record.

2. Missing v=spf1

Every SPF record must start with v=spf1. Without it, the record is invalid.

3. Using +all instead of ~all

Never use +all — it allows anyone to send email as your domain. Use ~all (soft fail) or -all (hard fail).

4. Forgetting a service

Make sure all your email senders are included. Forgot Mailchimp? Your campaigns will fail SPF checks.

5. Too many lookups

SPF has a 10 DNS lookup limit. If you exceed it, your SPF fails completely.Learn how to fix this →

How to Verify Your SPF Record

After adding the record, verify it's working:

→Use our free scanner to check your SPF configuration
→Or use terminal: dig TXT yourdomain.com
→Look for a record starting with v=spf1

SPF Syntax Quick Reference

Mechanism	Purpose	Example
`include:`	Add another domain's SPF	`include:_spf.google.com`
`ip4:`	Allow specific IPv4	`ip4:192.168.1.1`
`ip6:`	Allow specific IPv6	`ip6:2001:db8::1`
`a:`	Allow domain's A record	`a:mail.example.com`
`mx`	Allow domain's MX servers	`mx`
`~all`	Soft fail (spam folder)	`~all`
`-all`	Hard fail (reject)	`-all`

Related Guides

SPF Too Many Lookups

Fix the 10 DNS lookup limit error

GoDaddy DMARC Setup

Step-by-step DMARC guide for GoDaddy

SPF Record Explained

Deep dive into SPF syntax and best practices

Why Emails Go to Spam

Complete email deliverability guide

Is Your SPF Record Working?

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