How to Add an SPF Record in Namecheap

The short answer. Add one TXT record in Namecheap with the host @ and a value that starts with v=spf1 and lists every service that sends mail for you, for example v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all. A domain may have only one.

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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 the Domain tab and look at Nameservers. If it says Namecheap BasicDNS or Namecheap PremiumDNS, the records go in Namecheap. If it says Custom DNS, your DNS is managed somewhere else and records added here have no effect.

The SPF Record to Add#

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:

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 Namecheap#

Step 1. Open your domain

Sign in to Namecheap, choose Domain List in the left menu and click Manage next to the domain.

Step 2. Open Advanced DNS

Click the Advanced DNS tab. The records for the domain are listed under Host Records.

Step 3. Add a new record

Click Add New Record. A new row appears at the top of the list.

Step 4. Enter the SPF record

Choose TXT as the type and fill in the fields:

• Host: @
• Value: v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all
• TTL: Leave TTL on Automatic.

The value to copy:

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

Step 5. Save

Click the green check at the end of the row to save. Namecheap shows a confirmation and the record appears in the list.

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. In Host Records, hover over the row and click the pencil icon to edit it, or the trash icon to delete it. Click the green check to save the row.

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 include counts, 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=spf1 at the start. Without it the record is not SPF.
• Adding the record while the domain uses Custom DNS. The record saves, but nothing queries Namecheap for it. Add it at the DNS host instead.
• Forgetting the green check. The row looks filled in but is not saved until you click it.

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 Namecheap DNS Guides#

• How to Add a DMARC Record in Namecheap
• How to Add a TXT Record in Namecheap
• How to Change Nameservers in Namecheap
• How to Add MX Records in Namecheap

The same task elsewhere: GoDaddy, Cloudflare, Hostinger, Squarespace.

Menu names last checked October 2026. Providers rename things now and then; if a label differs, look for the closest match.