Manage your domain name SPF record

SPF (Sender Policy Framework) is an email authentication system that uses DNS to check if a mail server is authorized to send emails from your domain name.

Please note that domain names connected to your hosting control panel and pointed to our network via the Skystra nameservers and using our MX records will automatically have an SPF record enabled. You do not need to perform the steps below.

⚠️ If you are using email through Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, the default SPF would require modification as well, however, is completed for you through an automatic process. Please visit the Google Workspace email or Microsoft 365 email guides respectively to view details.

SPF Authentication for domain names using external nameservers with Skystra-hosted email

If you are using external nameservers, however, and have your email service connected to the Skystra hosting platform via MX records, you will have to add the default SPF record from your hosting control panel to your DNS provider’s panel, by following the steps below.

1. Log in to your hosting control panel

2. Click the down arrow next to your 🌐 domain name and choose the domain you want to manage

3. Click on the DNS Zones button

4. Under the Value column, locate the DNS entry that starts with v=spf1 – this is your SPF entry, keep your browser window open here

5. Open a new browser window, and log in to your external DNS customer portal account (for example, Cloudflare, etc.)

6. Go to manage the DNS zones for your domain name and select to add a new TXT record OR edit the existing SPF record if it already exists (Note: SPF records are considered ‘TXT records’ in DNS zones)

7. Enter the name of the SPF record, which will always be your domain name, for example

skystrahelp.com

8. Enter the entire content of the SPF record which is indicated under the Value column and starts with v=spf1. For example, from the screenshot above, the entire SPF value would be:

v=spf1 a mx ip4:198.50.126.87 include:relay.mailchannels.net ~all

⚠️ Important: You will see your SPF record within quotations ” ” on your hosting control panel – do NOT put these quotations in when inputting the content of your SPF record at your DNS provider.

9. Save your TXT record to enable SPF on your domain name at your DNS provider

SPF Authentication for domain names using internal nameservers and an external email service provider

If you are using our nameservers, however, have your email services connected to an external email service via external MX records, you will have to edit the default SPF record on your hosting control panel, by following the steps below.

1. Contact your email service provider and ask them for the SPF record for your domain name

2. Once you have the SPF record for your domain name, log in to your Skystra hosting control panel

3. From the top menu, next to the Domain: field and select the domain name you want to manage

4. Click on the DNS Zones button

5. Under the Value column, locate the DNS entry that starts with v=spf1 – this is your default SPF entry that needs to be changed to the SPF record your email provider gave you. Next to this entry, click the pencil icon ✏️ to enable editing.

6. On the Edit Record popup, click to check the box next to Edit Manually

7. Delete the existing SPF record and paste the SPF record your email provider has given you into the value field in its place

8. Once the SPF record value is updated, click the Save button to apply changes