Why EmailElement Says a DNS Record Failed
Use this page to find out which records EmailElement checks, what each validation status means, and what to do about a failure. For the commands that look a record up and the quirks of each registrar, read Looking Up and Fixing DNS Records at Your Registrar.
Required DNS Records
| Record |
Type |
Name |
Purpose |
| SPF |
TXT |
yourdomain.com |
Authorizes which servers can send email for your domain |
| DKIM |
TXT |
selector._domainkey.yourdomain.com |
Cryptographically signs emails to prove authenticity |
| DMARC |
TXT |
_dmarc.yourdomain.com |
Tells receivers how to handle emails that fail SPF/DKIM |
| Tracking Domain |
A |
tracking.yourdomain.com |
Routes tracking links (opens, clicks) through your domain |
| Webhook Domain |
A |
webhook.yourdomain.com |
(Optional) Routes webhook callbacks through your domain |
| MX |
MX |
yourdomain.com |
(Optional) Processes unsubscribes from ReplyTo emails |
Validation Statuses
| Status |
Meaning |
Action |
| Success |
Record is correctly configured and verified |
No action needed |
| Failed |
Record is missing, incorrect, or not matching |
Check DNS and fix |
| Pending |
Validation has been queued |
Wait for processing |
| InProgress |
Validation is currently running |
Wait for completion |
| Undefined |
Not yet checked |
Click Verify to start |
SPF Troubleshooting
| Issue |
Fix |
| Multiple SPF records |
DNS allows only one SPF TXT record per domain. Merge all include: directives into a single record. |
| Too many DNS lookups |
SPF has a 10-lookup limit. Use ip4: or ip6: for direct IPs instead of include: where possible. |
| Record not found |
Add the SPF TXT record to your domain's DNS zone. Use the exact value from EmailElement. |
| "softfail" or "fail" results |
Ensure the sending IP/domain is included in your SPF record. |
DKIM Troubleshooting
| Issue |
Fix |
| Selector mismatch |
The DKIM selector in DNS must match the selector configured in EmailElement (Sender Domains > DKIM Selector field). |
| Public key not showing |
Save the Sender Domain first — the DKIM public key is generated on save. |
| Key too long for single TXT record |
Some DNS providers require splitting long TXT values into multiple strings. Check with your DNS provider. |
| External ESP DKIM |
If using an external ESP, the ESP may use its own DKIM selector. Configure the ESP's DKIM records in addition to EmailElement's. |
DMARC Troubleshooting
| Issue |
Fix |
| No DMARC record |
Add a TXT record at _dmarc.yourdomain.com. Start with v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:dmarc@yourdomain.com |
| DMARC alignment failure |
DMARC requires the domain in the From: header to align with SPF or DKIM. Fix SPF and DKIM first. |
| Policy too strict too soon |
Start with p=none (monitoring only), review reports, then move to p=quarantine, then p=reject. |
Tracking Domain Troubleshooting
| Issue |
Fix |
| Tracking SSL Failed |
The A record must point to the correct IP shown in EmailElement. SSL provisioning happens automatically after the A record is verified. |
| Links not tracking |
Verify the tracking domain A record is correct and SSL status shows Success. |
Verification Steps
- Make DNS changes at your domain registrar or DNS provider
- Wait for propagation (can take up to 48 hours, usually 15-60 minutes)
- Navigate to Sender Domains > click the domain
- Click Verify to re-run validation
- All statuses should show Success (green)
