How to Add an SPF Record in Hostinger
Add or edit an SPF record in Hostinger: the exact TXT record, where to click, the ten-lookup limit and the one-record rule.
October 3, 20264 min readHostinger · SPF · DNS
The short answer. Add one TXT record in Hostinger with the host
@and a value that starts withv=spf1and lists every service that sends mail for you, for examplev=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all. A domain may have only one.
What an SPF Record Does
SPF is a list of the servers allowed to send mail for your domain. Receivers check the sending server against it, and mail from anywhere else can be marked as spam or rejected. It is a TXT record at the root of the domain.
Check Where Your DNS Is Managed
A record only works at the company that answers DNS for the domain, which is not always the one you bought it from. Open DNS / Nameservers for the domain. If the nameservers listed are not Hostinger’s, records added on the DNS records tab are ignored.
The SPF Record to Add
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Type | TXT |
| Name | @ |
| TXT value | v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all |
| TTL | Leave TTL at the default. |
v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all
The include part depends on who sends your mail. Use the value your mail provider gives you. Two common ones:
| Mail sent by | Include |
|---|---|
| Google Workspace | include:_spf.google.com |
| Microsoft 365 | include:spf.protection.outlook.com |
A domain that sends no mail at all should say so: v=spf1 -all. Several senders go in one record, each with its own include, before the ending:
v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com include:spf.protection.outlook.com ~all
The ending ~all marks other senders as suspicious. -all rejects them. Start with ~all and move to -all when you are sure the list is complete.
Step by Step in Hostinger
Step 1. Open your domain
Sign in to hPanel, open Domains and click Manage next to the domain.
Step 2. Open DNS / Nameservers
Choose DNS / Nameservers in the left menu and stay on the DNS records tab.
Step 3. Add a record
Under Manage DNS records use the form at the top: choose the Type first, then the other fields appear.
Step 4. Enter the SPF record
Choose TXT as the type and fill in the fields:
- Name:
@ - TXT value:
v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all - TTL: Leave TTL at the default.
The value to copy:
v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all
Step 5. Save
Click Add Record. Hostinger lists it straight away.
Change an Existing SPF Record
Look for an existing TXT record at @ that starts with v=spf1 before you add anything. If there is one, edit it instead of adding another. Find the record in the list and use the pencil icon to edit it or the trash icon to delete it, then click Update.
Keep everything that is already allowed and add the new include before the ending. To allow a new service, change:
v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all
to:
v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com include:newservice.example ~all
Common Mistakes
- Creating a second SPF record. Two records make SPF fail with a permanent error. Merge them into one.
- Replacing the old record instead of adding to it, which drops a sender that was working.
- Going past ten DNS lookups. Every
includecounts, and so do the ones inside it. Past ten, SPF fails for everyone. - Ending with
+all, which allows the whole internet to send as you. - Leaving out
v=spf1at the start. Without it the record is not SPF. - Adding a record on a domain whose nameservers belong to a hosting plan or another company. Check Nameservers first; the records tab only works for the nameservers in use.
- Leaving an old, conflicting record from a previous mail setup in place. Remove it when you add the new one.
Check That It Worked
A TXT lookup for the domain itself should list one value that starts with v=spf1. Send a test email to a Gmail address and check the original message headers for spf=pass. Changes show up as caches expire, usually within minutes for a record and up to two days for nameservers, see how long DNS propagation takes.
More Hostinger DNS Guides
- How to Add a DMARC Record in Hostinger
- How to Add a TXT Record in Hostinger
- How to Change Nameservers in Hostinger
- How to Add MX Records in Hostinger
The same task elsewhere: Namecheap, GoDaddy, Cloudflare, Squarespace.
Menu names last checked October 2026. Providers rename things now and then; if a label differs, look for the closest match.
Catch SPF problems before mail bounces.
The Domain Hub checks the SPF record of every domain you own and flags a missing, doubled or open one, with the record to fix it.
Open the Domain Hub