This guide explains how to add an SPF record for WPCloud’s MailChannels transactional email service. You only need to do this if your domain’s DNS is managed by an external provider (such as Cloudflare, GoDaddy, Namecheap, etc.).

If you use WPCloud’s managed DNS service, the SPF record is already configured automatically. No action is needed on your part.

Do I Need to Do This?

• Using WPCloud DNS: No. Everything is configured automatically.
• Using an external DNS provider: Yes. Follow the steps below.
• Not sure who manages your DNS: Contact WPCloud support and we can check for you.

Required DNS Record

Add the following TXT record to your domain’s DNS settings:

• Type: TXT
• Host: @ (or leave blank, depending on your provider)
• Value: v=spf1 include:relay.mailchannels.net ~all

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Log in to your DNS provider’s control panel.
2. Locate the DNS management section for your domain.
3. Create a new TXT record.
4. Set the host/name field to @ (this represents your root domain).
5. Enter the value exactly as shown above: v=spf1 include:relay.mailchannels.net ~all
6. Save the record.
7. Allow up to 24-48 hours for DNS propagation, though it often takes effect much sooner.

If You Already Have an SPF Record

Do not add a second SPF record. Having two separate SPF records on the same domain causes both to fail.

Instead, merge the MailChannels include into your existing SPF record. For example, if you use Google Workspace for business email, your existing record might look like:

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

The merged record combining both services would be:

v=spf1 include:relay.mailchannels.net include:_spf.google.com ~all

The same approach applies for Microsoft 365 or any other service. Add the include:relay.mailchannels.net to your existing record rather than creating a second one.

Verification

To confirm your SPF record is set up correctly, use an SPF lookup tool such as MXToolbox (mxtoolbox.com) or dig from the command line. Look for a single TXT record containing relay.mailchannels.net in the results.

DKIM Configuration

No action required. DKIM signatures are handled automatically by MailChannels for all transactional emails sent from your site, regardless of which DNS provider you use.

Need Help?

If you run into issues with your SPF configuration, open a ticket at support.wpcloud.ca and include your domain name. Our team can verify the record and help troubleshoot.