DNS guides

SPFBreaks authentication

SPF include can't be found or didn't answer

A domain your SPF record includes has no SPF record or didn't respond. Fix the typo or remove the include.

What it means

An include tells receivers to check another domain's SPF record. If that domain has no SPF record, or its DNS doesn't answer, the include can't be evaluated.

A missing include target is a permanent error; a DNS server that doesn't respond is a temporary one. Either way receivers can't finish your SPF check.

Why it matters for cold email

Like other SPF errors, this can make SPF fail for every message you send, not only the ones from that service.

How to fix it

  1. Look at each include in the record and check its spelling against the provider's documentation.
  2. Remove includes for services you've stopped using; old ones are a common cause after a provider retires a domain.
  3. If the domain is right and still doesn't answer, wait and re-check: it may be a temporary DNS outage on their side.

A typo in Google's include

Before

v=spf1 include:_spf.gogle.com ~all

After

v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all

Questions

Does a failed include count towards the 10-lookup limit?

Yes, the query still counts. Removing dead includes also gives you room under the limit.

Related problems

Last checked 2026-10-21 against RFC 7208 (SPF), RFC 6376 (DKIM) and RFC 7489 (DMARC). Full setup guide

Sending cold email? Outsquid re-checks these records for every sending domain every hour, so a broken one doesn't go unnoticed. How deliverability works