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iGears Editorial Team

Company email missing or rejected by Gmail? An SPF, DKIM and DMARC checklist

Keep the bounce and actual message headers, then check SPF, DKIM and DMARC alignment for the service that actually sent the message. DNS records alone are not enough; p=none does not stop Gmail filtering or rejection.

Illustration of website email passing through a sending service and authentication checks to an inbox

How to check it yourself

  1. List every sender for example.org.hk, including staff mailboxes, website forms and sending platforms.
  2. SPF lists the servers allowed to send for a domain; a sender not listed fails. DKIM is signed by each sending service; a service that does not sign has no DKIM. DMARC needs SPF or DKIM to pass and align with the From domain. p=none does not stop Gmail filtering or rejection.
  3. Compare Authentication-Results, From, Return-Path and DKIM d= in actual headers; confirm a pass and alignment, and keep Gmail’s rejection reason.
  4. Gmail’s sender requirements apply to everyone sending to Gmail: SPF or DKIM for all senders; SPF, DKIM, DMARC and one-click unsubscribe for bulk senders.

Record examples

Illustrative only: do not copy into production settings. Use the values supplied for your organisation.

From: forms@example.org.hk
Reply-To: visitor@example.net
_dmarc.example.org.hk TXT "v=DMARC1; p=none"

Common causes

A web server sending directly is usually outside the email provider’s SPF and unsigned. Other causes include a new sending platform without authentication, or From not aligning with the authenticated domain.

When to get help

Send website mail through the organisation’s email service or a transactional email service with its own DKIM. Use a fixed From address on the organisation’s domain; put the visitor’s address in Reply-To, never From. Do not add a shared web server to SPF.

Want someone to help review it? Apply for a free IT platform check.

Monthly capacity is limited. Applications are handled in order of receipt.

Free IT platform check

Frequently asked questions

Does p=none ensure Gmail accepts mail?

No. p=none does not prevent Gmail filtering or rejection. Check authentication and alignment on actual messages.

Does an SPF pass mean DMARC passes?

Not necessarily. SPF or DKIM must pass and align with the From domain.

Does every sending service need DKIM setup?

Each sending service signs its own DKIM. An unsigned service has no DKIM and cannot borrow another service’s signature.

Are bulk-sender requirements different?

Gmail’s sender requirements apply to everyone sending to Gmail: SPF or DKIM for all senders; SPF, DKIM, DMARC and one-click unsubscribe for bulk senders.

References