📧 Email Deliverability Checklist 2026
Every check you need to ensure your emails reach the inbox — not spam
Email deliverability is not optional. Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo reject or spam-filter millions of emails daily. If your domain has gaps, your business emails, newsletters, and transactional messages are silently failing. Here's the complete checklist.
1. MX Records — Your Email's Front Door
Check: Does your domain have valid MX records pointing to your email provider?
Why it matters: Without MX records, no one can send you email. With wrong MX records, email bounces or is delayed.
How to check: Run our free email checker → — enter your domain and see MX status instantly.
Fix: Add MX records in your DNS with the correct priorities from your email provider.
2. SPF — Who Can Send From Your Domain
Check: Do you have a valid SPF TXT record?
Why it matters: SPF tells receiving servers which IPs are allowed to send email from your domain. Without it, spammers can spoof your domain and ruin your reputation.
Fix: Add a TXT record like v=spf1 mx include:_spf.google.com ~all
Detailed guide: SPF setup guide →
3. DKIM — Cryptographic Proof You're Legit
Check: Is DKIM signing enabled for your outgoing email?
Why it matters: DKIM signs every email with a cryptographic signature. Receiving servers verify this to confirm the email hasn't been tampered with and truly came from you.
Fix: Your email provider generates DKIM keys. Add the public key as a DNS TXT record.
Detailed guide: DKIM setup guide →
4. DMARC — Your Reputation Shield
Check: Do you have a DMARC policy published?
Why it matters: DMARC tells receiving servers what to do when SPF or DKIM fail. It also gives you reports showing who's sending from your domain — including unauthorized senders.
Fix: Add TXT record v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:dmarc@yourdomain.com
Tools: Generate your DMARC record → | Parse DMARC reports →
Detailed guide: DMARC setup guide →
5. Blacklist Check — Are You Already Blocked?
Check: Are your sending IPs on any DNS blacklists?
Why it matters: If your domain or IP is blacklisted, major providers will reject or spam-filter your email. You need to know immediately.
How to check: Our email checker scans 5 blacklists → including Spamhaus, SpamCop, Barracuda, SORBS, and PSBL.
Fix: If blacklisted, fix the root cause (spam complaints, compromised account), then request delisting from each blacklist.
6. DNS Propagation — Are Your Changes Live?
Check: After making DNS changes, have they propagated globally?
Tool: DNS propagation checker → — check from 22 global locations.
7. Reverse DNS (PTR) — Your Server's Identity Card
Check: Does your sending server's IP have a matching PTR record?
Why it matters: Many providers reject email from IPs without matching reverse DNS. It's a basic anti-spam check.
Tool: Reverse DNS lookup →
Run Your Full Check Now
Our free email checker tests MX, SPF, DKIM, DMARC, and blacklists in one click.
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