Email deliverability amazon ses spf record is one of the most important aspects of modern communication, especially for businesses that rely on transactional and marketing emails. When using Amazon Simple Email Service (SES) to send emails, properly configuring an SPF record is critical to ensure messages reach recipients' inboxes instead of being marked as spam.<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />This article provides a comprehensive guide to understanding, creating, and configuring an Amazon SES SPF record, along with best practices and troubleshooting tips.<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />What Is Amazon SES?<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Amazon Simple Email Service (SES) is a cloud-based email sending platform used by developers and businesses to send transactional emails, marketing messages, and notifications at scale. It is widely used due to its scalability, affordability, and integration capabilities.<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />However, sending email successfully is not just about pushing messages out. Receiving mail servers check authentication records before accepting email. One of the most important authentication methods is SPF.<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />What Is an SPF Record?<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />SPF stands for Sender Policy Framework. It is a DNS record that specifies which mail servers are authorized to send emails on behalf of your domain.<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />When an email is received, the receiving server checks:<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />The sending server's IP address.<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />The domain's SPF record.<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Whether the sending server is allowed to send mail.<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />If the server is not authorized, the email may be rejected or marked as spam.<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Why SPF Is Important for Amazon SES<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />When sending emails via Amazon SES, emails originate from Amazon's sending infrastructure. Without an SPF record authorizing SES servers, email providers may treat your emails as suspicious.<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Benefits of correct SPF configuration include:<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Improved inbox delivery rates<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Reduced spam filtering<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Protection against domain spoofing<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Better sender reputation<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Compliance with modern email security requirements<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />How SPF Works with Amazon SES<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />When Amazon SES sends email on your behalf, recipient servers verify whether SES servers are allowed to send emails for your domain.<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />This happens through your domain&rsquo;s DNS SPF record, which must include Amazon SES sending servers.<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />In simple terms:<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Your domain ? SPF record ? allows Amazon SES ? email accepted.<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Structure of an SPF Record<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />A typical SPF record looks like this:<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />v=spf1 include:amazonses.com -all<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Let's break this down:<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />v=spf1 indicates SPF version.<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />include:amazonses.com authorizes Amazon SES servers.<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />-all tells servers to reject unauthorized senders.<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Steps to Configure Amazon SES SPF Record<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Step 1: Verify Your Domain in SES<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Before sending emails, your domain must be verified in SES. Verification ensures you own the domain and can send emails from it.<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />During domain verification, SES may automatically recommend SPF configuration.<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Step 2: Access Your DNS Provider<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Log into the DNS hosting provider where your domain records are managed. This could be your domain registrar or hosting company.<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Step 3: Create or Update TXT Record<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />SPF records are added as TXT records.<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />If no SPF record exists:<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Create a new TXT record.<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />If an SPF record already exists:<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Update it instead of creating another one.<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Multiple SPF records cause failures.<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Step 4: Add Amazon SES Include Statement<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Your SPF record should include SES servers.<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Example record:<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />v=spf1 include:amazonses.com -all<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />If you already use another email provider, combine them:<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />v=spf1 include:amazonses.com include:_spf.google.com -all<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Step 5: Save and Wait for Propagation<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />DNS updates may take several minutes to 48 hours to propagate worldwide.<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />After propagation, SES emails should authenticate correctly.<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Common SPF Configuration Mistakes<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Multiple SPF Records<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Only one SPF record should exist per domain. Multiple records cause SPF failure.<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Forgetting Existing Mail Services<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />If you use email hosting providers alongside SES, include all senders in one SPF record.<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Using Wrong Mechanisms<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Incorrect mechanisms or syntax errors cause authentication failure.<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />DNS Lookup Limit Exceeded<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />SPF allows a maximum of 10 DNS lookups. Excess includes may cause failure.<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />How to Check SPF Record<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />You can verify your SPF record using:<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />DNS lookup tools<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Email header analysis<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Email testing platforms<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />SES console verification tools<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />When checking headers, look for:<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />spf=pass<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />This confirms proper configuration.<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />SPF vs DKIM vs DMARC<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />SPF alone is not enough for modern email security. It works best alongside DKIM and DMARC.<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />SPF<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Verifies sending server authorization.<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />DKIM<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Adds a digital signature proving email integrity.<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />DMARC<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Defines policies for failed authentication handling.<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Amazon SES supports DKIM configuration and DMARC should also be configured for full protection.<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Best Practices for Amazon SES SPF Setup<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Use Domain Verification<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Always verify domains rather than individual email addresses.<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Enable DKIM<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Combine SPF with DKIM for stronger authentication.<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Monitor Reputation<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Keep bounce and complaint rates low.<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Regularly Audit DNS Records<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Remove unused includes or outdated services.<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Use Subdomains for Sending<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Separating sending domains protects primary domain reputation.<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Troubleshooting SPF Issues with SES<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Emails Going to Spam<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Check SPF, DKIM, and DMARC alignment.<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />SPF Softfail or Fail<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Ensure SES include statement exists and syntax is correct.<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Lookup Limit Errors<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Reduce include statements or flatten SPF records.<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />DNS Not Updating<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Wait for propagation or clear DNS cache.<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Example SPF Scenarios<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />SES Only Sending Emails<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />v=spf1 include:amazonses.com -all<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />SES + Google Workspace<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />v=spf1 include:amazonses.com include:_spf.google.com -all<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />SES + Microsoft 365<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />v=spf1 include:amazonses.com include:spf.protection.outlook.com -all<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />How SPF Affects Email Deliverability<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Email providers heavily rely on authentication checks. Poor SPF configuration leads to:<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Spam folder placement<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Email rejection<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Damaged sender reputation<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Reduced campaign performance<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Proper SPF setup ensures smoother delivery and trustworthiness.<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Future of Email Authentication<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Email security standards continue evolving. Authentication methods are becoming mandatory rather than optional.<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Modern inbox providers increasingly reject unauthenticated emails, making SPF configuration essential when using services like SES.<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Final Thoughts<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />Configuring an Amazon SES SPF record is a foundational step for successful email delivery. Without proper SPF authorization, even legitimate emails risk being blocked or filtered as spam.<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />By understanding SPF records, combining them with DKIM and DMARC, and maintaining clean DNS configurations, businesses can maximize inbox placement and build trusted email communication channels.<br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="color: #505050; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px;" />A correctly configured SPF record ensures that emails sent via Amazon SES are recognized as legitimate, improving deliverability and protecting domain reputation.