(cPanel >> Home >> Email >> Email Deliverability)
Overview
Use this interface to identify problems with your mail-related DNS records for one or more of your domains. The system uses these records to verify that other servers can trust it as a sender.
Notes:
- Both DKIM and SPF authentication require that you use a DNS server for the domain name. For more information about your DNS servers, contact your hosting provider.
- The system modifies DKIM and SPF records if it is authoritative for a domain's DNS records.
Email Deliverability table
This table displays your cPanel account's domains and allows you to address any existing problems with your mail-related DNS records.
- Use the navigation controls at the top of the table to search for a domain or navigate through the pages of results.
Click the gear icon (
) to select the number of entries you want to display per page or refresh the table results.
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Domain | Click Domain to sort the list alphabetically by domain name. Click an individual domain to view its public-facing website. Note: The Main Domain label ( |
| Email Deliverability Status | Whether a problem exists with the domain's mail-related DNS records. |
| Actions | For each domain, you can perform the following actions:
Notes:
|
In This Document
Related Documentation
For Hosting Providers
Manage the Domain
The Manage the Domain interface allows you to manually configure a domain's mail-related DNS records. Use this interface to resolve any outstanding issues with a domain's records.
The top of this interface displays the following information:
- Domain — The domain name.
Mail HELO — The domain's HELO configuration.
Note:
This information appears if the HELO configuration and domain do not match.
DKIM
This section allows you to manage a domain's Domain Keys Identified Mail (DKIM) record. DKIM verifies the sender and the integrity of a message. In addition, it allows an email system to prove that spammers did not alter an incoming message while in transit. DKIM also verifies that the messages your domains receive come from the specified domain.
If any problems exist with the current record, this section displays the properly-configured DKIM record values in the Suggested "DKIM" (TXT) Record section. It also allows you to perform the following actions:
Generate Local DKIM Key — Generate a DKIM record, if one does not exist.
Copy — Copy the Name and Value records that the system provides in the Suggested "DKIM" (TXT) Record section. If you do not possess the authority to edit your record, you can provide this information to the person responsible for the listed nameservers to fix it.
Note:
The View option allows you to modify the record displayed in the Value field:
- Full — The record displays in its entirety. This option is for providers who automatically split their records.
- Split — The record, divided into 255-character parts. This option is for providers who do not automatically split their records.
View — Modify the Value field's displayed record:
- Full — The record displays in its entirety. This option is for providers who automatically split their records.
- Split — The record, divided into 255-character parts. This option is for providers who do not automatically split their records.
Download the Private Key — Retrieve the suggested private key. The system directs you to the Download the Private DKIM Key interface.
Important:
Exposing your private DKIM key is a security risk. If others obtain your private DKIM key, they could sign emails and impersonate you as a sender. Make certain that you only provide your private DKIM key to a trusted user.
Note:
If your hosting provider installs the DSO PHP handler without ModRuid2 or MPM ITK, and you enable DKIM, emails that you send will display nobody as the sender. The system will not display any information in the Return-Path, Reply-To, or From fields in the email header.
To add these fields to the email headers, contact your hosting provider and request that they add the missing fields via the following PHP script:
<?php
$to = 'nobody@example.com';
$subject = 'the subject';
$message = 'hello';
$headers = 'From: webmaster@example.com' . "\r\n" .
'Return-Path: webmaster@example.com' . "\r\n" .
'Reply-To: webmaster@example.com' . "\r\n" .
mail($to, $subject, $message, $headers);
?>
Warning:
cPanel, L.L.C. does not recommend this configuration.
SPF
This section allows you to manage a domain's Sender Policy Framework (SPF) record. SPF verifies that the messages your domains send originated from a listed server. In addition, it provides a list of servers approved to send mail from your domains.
If any problems exist with the current record, a correct SPF record configuration will appear in the Suggested "SPF" (TXT) Record section. This section also allows you to perform the following actions:
Copy — Copy the Name and Value records that the system provides in the Suggested "SPF" (TXT) Record section. If you do not possess the authority to edit your record, you can provide this information to the person responsible for the listed nameservers to fix it.
View — Modify the Value field's displayed record:
- Full — The record displays in its entirety. This option is for providers who automatically split their records.
Split — The record is divided into 255-character parts. This option is for providers who do not automatically split their records.
- Customize — Modify the the suggested SPF record. This directs you to the Customize an SPF Record interface.
Customize an SPF Record
Use this interface to customize the system's recommended SPF record for a domain. The interface displays the domain's current SPF name and value in the Current "SPF" (TXT) Record section, if one exists, and the system's recommendations in the Suggested "SPF" (TXT) Record section.
You can configure the following settings:
Domain Settings
This section allows you to define the hosts or MX servers allowed to send mail from your domain.
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Additional Hosts | Additional hosts that the system allows to send mail from your domains. The system automatically includes the primary mail exchanger and other servers for which you created an MX record.
|
| Additional MX Servers | The MX entries allowed to send mail from your domains.
|
IP Address Settings
This section allows you to add additional IP Address blocks to the domain's SPF record. The system automatically includes your server's main IPv4 or IPv6 addresses in these lists.
Note:
You can use CIDR notation (for example, 10.0.0.0/8 for IPv4, or 2001:db8:1a34:56cf::/64 for IPv6).
Additional Settings
This section allows you to modify additional SPF record settings.
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Include List (INCLUDE) | Additional domains to include in your SPF settings. Use this setting, for example, when you send email through another service, such as Mailchimp®.
|
| Exclude All Other Hosts ("-all" Entry) | Exclude any hosts that the other SPF mechanisms do not allow. Notes:
|
Preview of the Updated Record
This section displays what the updated SPF record will look like, based on its current modifications. Click Install a Customized SPF Record to install the new record.
Note:
If you do not possess the authority to update this record, the system disables the Install a Customized SPF Record option. Use the Copy option to copy the record to your computer's clipboard. Email this information to the person responsible for the nameservers and request that they update the SPF record on the authoritative nameserver.
Reverse DNS (PTR)
This section allows you to manage a domain's current pointer record (PTR). A PTR record is a DNS record that resolves an IP address to a domain or host name. The system uses this record to perform a reverse DNS (rDNS) lookup to retrieve the associated domain or host name. A PTR record requires an associated A record.
When a problem exists with this record, the interface provides information about the problem. It also provides instructions for how to fix your PTR record.
Notes:
- If you do not possess permission to update a domain's PTR record, you must contact the person responsible for the nameservers to resolve this issue. Follow the instructions provided by the interface to resolve any issues with your PTR records.
- If smarthosting exists on the server, it will not display this section.