{"id":34947,"date":"2026-07-13T09:03:58","date_gmt":"2026-07-13T09:03:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/1grid.co.za\/knowledge\/?post_type=ht_kb&#038;p=34947"},"modified":"2026-07-15T08:39:57","modified_gmt":"2026-07-15T08:39:57","slug":"how-spf-and-dkim-improve-email-delivery-with-1-grid","status":"publish","type":"ht_kb","link":"https:\/\/1grid.co.za\/knowledge\/how-spf-and-dkim-improve-email-delivery-with-1-grid\/","title":{"rendered":"How SPF and DKIM Improve Email Delivery with 1-grid\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Although SPF and DKIM work behind the scenes, they play a vital role in helping your emails reach your recipients&#8217; inboxes instead of being marked as spam.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This guide will help you understand how SPF (Sender Policy Framework) and DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) work together to improve email delivery and protect your domain from email spoofing.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By the end of this guide,&nbsp;you&#8217;ll&nbsp;understand why these email authentication methods are important, how they affect your domain&#8217;s reputation, and what to check to ensure&nbsp;they&#8217;re&nbsp;configured correctly.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/1grid.co.za\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1-grid-Images-for-KB-Articles-1000-x-600-px-59.png\" alt=\"How SPF and DKIM Improve Email Delivery with 1-grid\" class=\"wp-image-34981\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-ht-block-toc is-style-rounded htoc htoc--position-wide toc-list-style-plain\" data-htoc-state=\"expanded\"><span class=\"htoc__title\"><span class=\"ht_toc_title\">Quick Links<\/span><span class=\"htoc__toggle\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\"><g fill=\"#444\"><path d=\"M15 7H1c-.6 0-1 .4-1 1s.4 1 1 1h14c.6 0 1-.4 1-1s-.4-1-1-1z\"><\/path><path d=\"M15 1H1c-.6 0-1 .4-1 1s.4 1 1 1h14c.6 0 1-.4 1-1s-.4-1-1-1zM15 13H1c-.6 0-1 .4-1 1s.4 1 1 1h14c.6 0 1-.4 1-1s-.4-1-1-1z\"><\/path><\/g><\/svg><\/span><\/span><div class=\"htoc__itemswrap\"><ul class=\"ht_toc_list\"><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#htoc-what-this-means\">What This Means&nbsp;<\/a><ul class=\"ht_toc_child_list\"><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#htoc-spf-sender-policy-framework\">SPF (Sender Policy Framework)&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#htoc-dkim-domainkeys-identified-mail\">DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail)&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#htoc-steps-to-confirm-update-your-spf-and-dkim-records\">Steps to Confirm\/Update Your SPF and DKIM Records<\/a><ul class=\"ht_toc_child_list\"><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#htoc-step-1-confirm-where-your-email-is-hosted\">Step 1: Confirm Where Your Email Is Hosted&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#htoc-step-2-verify-your-spf-record\">Step 2: Verify Your SPF Record&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#htoc-step-3-verify-your-dkim-configuration\">Step 3: Verify Your DKIM Configuration&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#htoc-step-4-allow-dns-changes-to-propagate\">Step 4: Allow DNS Changes to Propagate&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#htoc-step-5-test-your-email-authentication\">Step 5: Test Your Email Authentication&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"htoc-what-this-means\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What This Means<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Every time you send an email, the receiving mail server checks whether it can trust the message.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/1grid.co.za\/knowledge\/what-is-an-spf-record-and-why-it-matters-in-dns-for-email\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">SPF<\/a> <\/strong>and DKIM are industry-standard email authentication technologies that help verify that emails sent from your domain are legitimate.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"htoc-spf-sender-policy-framework\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>SPF (Sender Policy Framework)<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is a<strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/1grid.co.za\/knowledge\/understanding-dns-records-and-how-to-check-these\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">DNS record<\/a> <\/strong>that specifies which mail servers are authorised to send email on behalf of your domain.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If an email is sent from a server that&nbsp;isn&#8217;t&nbsp;authorised, receiving mail providers may reject it or mark it as spam.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"htoc-dkim-domainkeys-identified-mail\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail)<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">DKIM adds a secure digital signature to outgoing emails.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Receiving mail servers verify this signature to confirm that:&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li id=\"htoc-the-email-genuinely-came-from-your-domain\">The email genuinely came from your domain.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li id=\"htoc-the-message-has-not-been-altered-during-delivery\">The message has not been altered during delivery.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Together, <a href=\"https:\/\/1grid.co.za\/knowledge\/how-to-enable-dkim-and-spf-on-your-mail-domain\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>SPF and DKIM help improve email deliverability<\/strong><\/a> while protecting your domain from spoofing and phishing attempts.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"htoc-steps-to-confirm-update-your-spf-and-dkim-records\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Steps to Confirm\/Update Your SPF and DKIM Records<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h6 id=\"htoc-step-1-confirm-where-your-email-is-hosted\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Step 1: Confirm Where Your Email Is Hosted<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Before reviewing your authentication records,&nbsp;identify&nbsp;which service sends email for your domain.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>This may be:&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li id=\"htoc-1-grid-email-hosting\">1-grid Email Hosting&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li id=\"htoc-microsoft-365\">Microsoft 365&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li id=\"htoc-google-workspace\">Google Workspace&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li id=\"htoc-your-own-mail-server\">Your own mail server&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li id=\"htoc-a-third-party-email-marketing-platform\">A third-party email marketing platform&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Different email providers&nbsp;require&nbsp;different SPF and DKIM configurations.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 id=\"htoc-step-2-verify-your-spf-record\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Step 2: Verify Your SPF Record<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Your domain should have a valid SPF TXT record in its DNS zone.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>A correctly configured SPF record:&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li id=\"htoc-lists-the-servers-authorised-to-send-email\">Lists the servers authorised to send email.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li id=\"htoc-helps-receiving-servers-verify-legitimate-mail\">Helps receiving servers verify legitimate mail.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li id=\"htoc-improves-email-delivery\">Improves email delivery.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Important:<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A domain should only have&nbsp;<strong>one<\/strong>&nbsp;SPF record.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Having multiple SPF records can cause authentication failures.&nbsp;Explore our <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/1grid.co.za\/knowledge\/?s=SPF&amp;ht-kb-search=1&amp;lang=\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">guides<\/a> <\/strong>on how to set up or make changes to an SPF record for more guidance on completing this step. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 id=\"htoc-step-3-verify-your-dkim-configuration\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Step 3: Verify Your DKIM Configuration<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If your email service supports DKIM, ensure it has been enabled.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Your email provider will typically:&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li id=\"htoc-generate-dkim-keys\">Generate DKIM keys.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li id=\"htoc-provide-a-dns-txt-record\">Provide a DNS TXT record.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li id=\"htoc-sign-outgoing-emails-automatically\">Sign outgoing emails automatically.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once configured, receiving mail servers can&nbsp;validate&nbsp;the digital signature attached to your emails.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 id=\"htoc-step-4-allow-dns-changes-to-propagate\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Step 4: Allow DNS Changes to Propagate<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If&nbsp;you&#8217;ve&nbsp;recently updated your DNS records, the changes may not appear&nbsp;immediately.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/1grid.co.za\/knowledge\/what-is-dns-propagation-and-why-does-it-take-so-long\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">DNS propagation<\/a> <\/strong>can take up to 24 hours.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>During this period:&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li id=\"htoc-some-recipients-may-still-see-the-previous-configuration\">Some recipients may still see the&nbsp;previous&nbsp;configuration.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li id=\"htoc-email-authentication-results-may-vary-until-propagation-completes\">Email authentication results may vary until propagation completes.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h6 id=\"htoc-step-5-test-your-email-authentication\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Step 5: Test Your Email Authentication<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>After updating your records:&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li id=\"htoc-send-a-test-email-to-another-email-account\">Send a test email to another email account.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li id=\"htoc-review-the-email-headers-using-your-email-provider-or-an-online-header-analysis-tool\">Review the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/1grid.co.za\/knowledge\/understanding-email-headers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">email headers<\/a> <\/strong>using your email provider or an <a href=\"https:\/\/1grid.co.za\/knowledge\/how-to-get-email-headers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>online header analysis tool<\/strong><\/a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li id=\"htoc-confirm-that-both-spf-and-dkim-pass-authentication\">Confirm that both SPF and DKIM pass authentication.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If authentication fails, review your DNS records and email service configuration.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"htoc-important-things-to-know\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Important Things to Know<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li id=\"htoc-spf-authorises-mail-servers-to-send-email-on-behalf-of-your-domain\">SPF authorises mail servers to send email on behalf of your domain.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li id=\"htoc-dkim-verifies-that-your-email-hasn-t-been-modified-after-being-sent\">DKIM verifies that your email&nbsp;hasn&#8217;t&nbsp;been&nbsp;modified&nbsp;after being sent.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li id=\"htoc-both-technologies-work-together-to-improve-email-deliverability\">Both technologies work together to improve email deliverability.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li id=\"htoc-spf-and-dkim-do-not-encrypt-your-emails\">SPF and DKIM do not encrypt your emails.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li id=\"htoc-dns-changes-may-take-up-to-24-hours-to-propagate\">DNS changes may take up to 24 hours to propagate.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li id=\"htoc-your-spf-and-dkim-records-must-match-the-service-sending-your-email\">Your SPF and DKIM records must match the service sending your email.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li id=\"htoc-if-you-change-email-providers-you-may-also-need-to-update-your-authentication-records\">If you change email providers, you may also need to update your authentication records.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"htoc-before-you-move-on\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Before You Move On<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Before assuming everything is working correctly:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li id=\"htoc-confirm-your-spf-record-exists\">Confirm your SPF record exists.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li id=\"htoc-verify-dkim-is-enabled\">Verify DKIM is enabled.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li id=\"htoc-ensure-only-one-spf-record-exists\">Ensure only one SPF record exists.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li id=\"htoc-check-that-your-email-service-matches-your-dns-records\">Check that your email service matches your DNS records.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li id=\"htoc-allow-sufficient-time-for-dns-propagation\">Allow sufficient time for DNS propagation.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li id=\"htoc-send-a-few-test-emails-to-verify-successful-delivery\">Send a few test emails to verify successful delivery.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"htoc-common-mistakes-to-avoid\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Common Mistakes to Avoid<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li id=\"htoc-creating-multiple-spf-records-for-the-same-domain\">Creating multiple SPF records for the same domain.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li id=\"htoc-forgetting-to-update-spf-when-changing-email-providers\">Forgetting to update SPF when changing email providers.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li id=\"htoc-assuming-dkim-is-enabled-automatically-for-every-email-service\">Assuming DKIM is enabled automatically for every email service.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li id=\"htoc-testing-email-delivery-immediately-after-updating-dns-records\">Testing email delivery&nbsp;immediately&nbsp;after updating DNS records.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li id=\"htoc-ignoring-authentication-failures-because-email-still-appears-to-send-successfully\">Ignoring authentication failures because email still appears to send successfully.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"htoc-if-this-didn-t-work\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>If This Didn&#8217;t Work<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If your emails continue to fail authentication or are delivered to spam folders, gather the following before contacting support:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li id=\"htoc-your-domain-name\">Your domain name.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li id=\"htoc-the-email-address-you-re-sending-from\">The email address&nbsp;you&#8217;re&nbsp;sending from.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li id=\"htoc-the-recipient-email-address-used-for-testing\">The recipient email address used for testing.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li id=\"htoc-the-full-email-headers-if-available\">The full email headers (if available).&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li id=\"htoc-screenshots-of-your-dns-records\">Screenshots of your DNS records.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li id=\"htoc-any-error-or-bounce-back-messages-received\">Any error or bounce-back messages received.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This information helps our support team diagnose authentication or DNS issues more efficiently.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"htoc-related-articles\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Related Articles<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li id=\"htoc-how-to-configure-email-dns-records\"><a href=\"https:\/\/1grid.co.za\/knowledge\/understanding-dns-records-and-how-to-check-these\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Understanding DNS Records&nbsp;and How To Check These<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li id=\"htoc-understanding-dmarc-for-email-authentication\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/1grid.co.za\/knowledge\/cpanel-how-to-add-dmarc-record\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Adding a DMARC Record in cPanel<\/a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li id=\"htoc-how-to-troubleshoot-email-delivery-issues\"><a href=\"https:\/\/1grid.co.za\/knowledge\/unable-to-send-emails-receiving-is-fine-how-to-fix\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>How to Troubleshoot Email Delivery Issues&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li id=\"htoc-how-to-update-dns-records-for-your-domain\"><a href=\"https:\/\/1grid.co.za\/knowledge\/?s=DNS+Zone+Editor&amp;ht-kb-search=1&amp;lang=\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>How to Update DNS Records for Your Domain&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li id=\"htoc-email-authentication-best-practices\"><a href=\"https:\/\/1grid.co.za\/knowledge\/smtp-error-535-authentication-failed-how-to-fix-it\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>SMTP Error 535: Authentication Failed (How to Fix It)<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"htoc-faqs\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>FAQs<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary><strong>What is SPF?\u00a0<\/strong><\/summary>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" id=\"htoc-what-is-spf\">SPF is a DNS record that tells receiving mail servers which servers are authorised to send email for your domain.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary><strong>What is DKIM?\u00a0<\/strong><\/summary>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" id=\"htoc-what-is-dkim\">DKIM adds a digital signature to outgoing emails so recipients can verify that the message is authentic and\u00a0hasn&#8217;t\u00a0been\u00a0modified.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary><strong>Do I need both SPF and DKIM?\u00a0<\/strong><\/summary>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" id=\"htoc-do-i-need-both-spf-and-dkim\">Yes. Using both provides stronger email authentication and significantly improves email deliverability.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary><strong>Can I have more than one SPF record?\u00a0<\/strong><\/summary>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" id=\"htoc-can-i-have-more-than-one-spf-record\">No. A domain should only have one SPF record. If multiple records exist, email authentication may fail.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary><strong>Why are my emails still going to spam after enabling SPF and DKIM?\u00a0<\/strong><\/summary>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" id=\"htoc-why-are-my-emails-still-going-to-spam-after-enabling-spf-and-dkim\">Spam filtering considers many factors, including your domain reputation, email content, sending behaviour, and whether other authentication methods, such as DMARC, are configured correctly.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary><strong>How long do DNS changes take?\u00a0<\/strong><\/summary>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" id=\"htoc-how-long-do-dns-changes-take\">DNS updates can take up to 24 hours to propagate across the internet.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"htoc-empowering-insight\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Empowering Insight<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/1grid.co.za\/knowledge\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1-grid-Images-for-KB-Articles-1000-x-600-px-1600-x-300-px.png\" alt=\"Empowering Insight\" class=\"wp-image-34464\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Email authentication is one of the most effective ways to improve email deliverability. Ensuring your SPF and DKIM records are correctly configured helps protect your domain&#8217;s reputation and increases the likelihood that your emails will reach your recipients&#8217; inboxes.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"htoc-need-additional-support\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Need Additional Support?<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If&nbsp;you&#8217;ve&nbsp;reviewed the steps above and your emails are still failing authentication or being marked as spam, consult the related articles first and explore our other<strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/1grid.co.za\/knowledge\/?s=email&amp;ht-kb-search=1&amp;lang\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">email-related articles<\/a><\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you still need&nbsp;assistance, <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/1grid.co.za\/contact-us\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">contact us<\/a> <\/strong>with your domain name, DNS records, and any error messages so our Support Team can investigate further.&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Although SPF and DKIM work behind the scenes, they play a vital role in helping your emails reach your recipients&#8217; inboxes instead of being marked as spam.&nbsp; This guide will help you understand how SPF (Sender Policy Framework) and DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) work together to improve email delivery and&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":21,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"ht-kb-category":[1173,1193,1194],"ht-kb-tag":[305,307,1863,1861,1494,1862,1695,344,942],"class_list":["post-34947","ht_kb","type-ht_kb","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","ht_kb_category-email","ht_kb_category-email-setup-config","ht_kb_category-email-troubleshooting","ht_kb_tag-dkim","ht_kb_tag-dns","ht_kb_tag-domain-security","ht_kb_tag-email-authentication","ht_kb_tag-email-configuration","ht_kb_tag-email-deliverability","ht_kb_tag-email-delivery","ht_kb_tag-email-hosting","ht_kb_tag-spf"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v22.0 - 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