GoDaddy: How to Add an SPF Record in Minutes

Why Adding an SPF Record in GoDaddy Matters

Sender Policy Framework (SPF) specifies which servers are permitted to send email on behalf of your domain. Without an SPF record, your emails may not pass authentication checks or could be delivered to spam folders. Implementing a correct SPF record is also essential to protect your brand from email spoofing and impersonation.

This tutorial is especially beneficial for founders, sales teams, IT administrators, and anyone managing cold outreach or transactional emails. No deep DNS expertise is required, just follow the steps carefully to add or update your SPF record in minutes.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to publish a valid SPF policy in GoDaddy, test your changes, and avoid common pitfalls like duplicate records or exceeding DNS lookup limits.

Step 1 – Map Every Sender Using Your Domain

Completeness is key. Compile a list of every legitimate source that sends email on your domain’s behalf, or SPF will fail for messages sent by overlooked systems.

Review your technology stack. Identify your primary mailbox provider, any marketing/CRM tools, support or billing platforms, and SMTP relays. Examine recent message headers from each platform and look for entries like Received or spf=pass to verify which hosts are in use.

Consult each vendor’s official SPF documentation for their recommended include: mechanism, such as include:_spf.google.com or include:sendgrid.net. If you run your own mail server, note its public IPv4 or IPv6 addresses. Avoid guessing, use information from official documentation or your active server settings.

Tip: Do not publish IP addresses you don’t control. If a provider supplies an include: statement, use it rather than copying IP ranges from outdated resources or online forums.

Step 2 – Build a Clean, Maintainable SPF Policy

Now you’ll write a single, correct SPF string for your domain. Keep it concise, remaining below DNS lookup thresholds.

Start with the required version tag, then add mechanisms in a logical sequence. A typical format might look like:
v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com include:sendgrid.net -all

Key rules to follow:

• Only publish one SPF record per domain. Multiple TXT records starting with v=spf1 will cause validation failures.
• Stay within 10 DNS lookups, each include:, a, mx, or ptr can count toward this limit. Direct ip4: and ip6: entries don’t add to the count.
• Select the appropriate all qualifier. Use ~all (soft fail) while confirming your setup, then switch to -all (hard fail) once you’re certain everything’s in place. Avoid ?all unless you’re testing.

If you need to handle multiple providers or manage several brands, read our comprehensive guide on the SPF syntax and multi-domain strategies.

Step 3 – Sign in to GoDaddy and Access Your DNS Zone

Next, navigate to the part of GoDaddy where you’ll make your changes.

Log in to GoDaddy. Select My Products, find your domain, and choose DNS or Manage DNS. You should now see your DNS zone file with the list of current records. If your DNS is hosted elsewhere, stop here and make changes with your DNS provider.

Ensure you’re working on the correct domain. Double-check the nameservers and review current records to avoid mistakes that could cause delays.

Step 4 – Add or Update the SPF TXT Record in GoDaddy

Now, you'll publish a single, accurate TXT record reflecting your SPF policy.

If no SPF record is present, click Add and select TXT as the type. Use Name set to @ for the root domain (or use a subdomain as needed). Paste your SPF policy into the Value field, for example:
v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com include:sendgrid.net ~all

Do not enclose the value in quotes in the GoDaddy dashboard. Choose a reasonable TTL, such as one hour, and save. If an SPF record already exists, update it by merging new mechanisms into the existing string, don't create a second v=spf1 TXT record for the same host.

Common mistakes to avoid:

• Publishing two SPF TXT records for the same domain or subdomain. Merge them into one.
• Adding extra punctuation or unnecessary quotes in the value field.
• Using the ptr mechanism, modern mail systems often ignore or reject it.

Step 5 – Configure SPF for Subdomains if Needed

If you use addresses such as noreply@mail.example.com or manage brands on subdomains, you’ll need to publish SPF records at those subdomains too.

Create a new TXT record at the subdomain (for example, use mail as the host). The value must match the systems sending emails from that subdomain. For instance:
v=spf1 include:mailgun.org -all

You can centralize maintenance using the redirect= mechanism. Publish the full SPF policy at spf.example.com, then refer other subdomains to it with:
v=spf1 redirect=spf.example.com
This method helps to reduce duplication, but make sure your main SPF record is always accurate and up to date.

Step 6 – Verify Propagation and Test with Real Emails

Now, confirm that your SPF record is visible to mail receivers and that your messages pass SPF checks.

Use command-line tools or an online SPF checker. For example, with dig:dig +short TXT example.com
Look for a line starting with v=spf1 and verify it matches your intended policy.

Remember, DNS can take time to propagate. This depends on two factors: TTL (Time to Live, which defines how long a DNS record is cached in servers) and the individual DNS caches maintained by ISPs.

Send a test email to a provider like Gmail or Outlook. Open the message’s details or headers and review the SPF result. You’re looking for spf=pass with your sending IP or provider included. If you are preparing a new mailbox, always ensure SPF authentication is working before starting any mailbox warm-up activities. Correct authentication improves your email deliverability and reputation.

Troubleshooting and Alternatives

Seeing spf=neutral or spf=softfail? You may have missed a sender or used the wrong host in your setup. Review whether the message used the main domain or a subdomain in the envelope-from address. Add the appropriate include: or ip4: as needed and retry.

If SPF shows permerror, you might have duplicate SPF records, merge them into a single one. Also check your DNS lookup count. Too many nested include: statements can easily exceed the limit. Whenever possible, replace an include: with direct ip4: addresses for servers you directly control.

If you can’t see your record, make sure you’re editing records at the correct DNS provider. Your domain may use external nameservers. Check your domain’s nameserver delegation. If changes are slow to propagate, consider lowering the TTL, wait for changes to take effect, and test again.

Do you have questions about alignment? Keep in mind, SPF checks are based on the envelope-from (return-path) domain. DMARC policies then check if this domain aligns with the visible From address. If your provider uses a different return-path, consult their documentation on setting a custom return-path or verify that DKIM passes. If achieving SPF alignment is tricky, DKIM can still allow you to satisfy DMARC validation.

If you notice a drop in deliverability after changes, check recent bounce messages and review your latest SPF policy edits. Our guide to resolving email delivery issues can help you quickly identify and address authentication-related bounces.

Conclusion

You've successfully listed your email senders, written a clear SPF policy, published it in GoDaddy, verified its existence, and tested real-world results. This solid foundation helps safeguard your brand and enhances inbox placement. For the best results, pair SPF with DKIM and DMARC before you increase your sending volume or kick off structured mailbox warm-up.

If you prefer guided help, consider speaking with deliverability specialists. They handle different aspects of email deliverability including setting up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records on a daily basis. You can book a quick review with mailadept’s email deliverability experts to validate your setup and discuss next steps.

FAQ