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GoDaddy email going to spam? Here's the fix

If email from your GoDaddy domain keeps landing in customers' spam folders, the cause is almost always a missing DNS record, and you can fix it from your GoDaddy account.

First, find out which GoDaddy email you have

"GoDaddy email" can mean two different products, and the fix is different for each:

• Professional Email: GoDaddy's own mailboxes, managed in the Email & Office Dashboard. Its SPF record uses secureserver.net.
• Microsoft 365 from GoDaddy: Outlook mailboxes run by Microsoft and sold by GoDaddy. Its SPF record uses spf.protection.outlook.com, and DKIM is set up in Microsoft's Defender portal.

Not sure? Run your domain through the free check. It shows your mail records, and the MX record tells you which one you're on. Mail hosted by Microsoft has an MX ending in mail.protection.outlook.com.

Why it goes to spam

Gmail, Yahoo and Outlook check three DNS records to decide whether a message really comes from your business: SPF, DKIM and DMARC. GoDaddy adds the SPF record for you when your domain and email are in the same account, so many owners assume they're covered. But DKIM and DMARC often aren't there, and since 2024 the big mailbox providers have been much stricter about mail without them.

Fix for GoDaddy Professional Email

GoDaddy's help says you should end up with four records. If your DNS is at GoDaddy, add them in your domain's DNS settings. If it's somewhere else, such as Cloudflare, add them there.

1. SPF. One TXT record, name @, value v=spf1 include:secureserver.net -all. If it's already there, leave it. If another tool also sends as your domain, add it to the same record. Never create a second SPF record.
2. DKIM. In the Email & Office Dashboard, open Users, choose Manage next to your user, then Set mail destination or Help me fix this. You'll see two DKIM targets. Add them as CNAME records named secureserver1._domainkey and secureserver2._domainkey.
3. DMARC. Add a TXT record named _dmarc. GoDaddy's dashboard shows a value; a safe start is v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:dmarc@yourcompany.com.

Add SPF and DKIM before DMARC, as GoDaddy recommends.

Fix for Microsoft 365 from GoDaddy

1. SPF. One TXT record on @: v=spf1 include:spf.protection.outlook.com -all. Remove secureserver.net if you no longer use GoDaddy's own mailboxes.
2. DKIM. Sign in to the Microsoft Defender portal with your Microsoft 365 email and password, not your GoDaddy login. Create DKIM keys for your domain, add the two CNAME records it shows (selector1._domainkey and selector2._domainkey) in GoDaddy's DNS, then switch on Sign messages for this domain with DKIM signatures. You need admin rights for this. If you use GoDaddy's Advanced Email Security, the steps are different and GoDaddy asks you to contact them.
3. DMARC. Add a TXT record named _dmarc with v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:dmarc@yourcompany.com.

Our Microsoft 365 guide covers the Defender steps in more detail.

Test it

GoDaddy says DNS changes usually work within an hour but can take up to 48 hours. Then send an email to a Gmail address and choose ⋮ → Show original. SPF, DKIM and DMARC should all say PASS, and DKIM should show your own domain.

Still landing in spam?

Look at everything else that sends as your domain: your website's contact form, an invoicing tool, a newsletter service, a booking system. Each needs to be in your SPF record and have its own DKIM set up. One badly set up sender can drag down the whole domain. Once the records are right, it can take a few days of normal sending for Gmail and Outlook to trust you again.

Questions

Why is my GoDaddy email going to spam?

Usually because DKIM or DMARC isn't set up for your domain. GoDaddy adds an SPF record automatically when your domain and email are in the same account, but DKIM and DMARC often need adding by hand. Without them, Gmail, Yahoo and Outlook can't fully confirm your mail comes from you.

What SPF record does GoDaddy email need?

For GoDaddy Professional Email, GoDaddy's help gives v=spf1 include:secureserver.net -all as a TXT record on @. For Microsoft 365 from GoDaddy, use Microsoft's include:spf.protection.outlook.com instead. Either way, your domain must have only one SPF record, listing every service that sends as you.

Does GoDaddy email support DKIM?

Yes. For Professional Email, the Email & Office Dashboard shows two DKIM CNAME records, named secureserver1._domainkey and secureserver2._domainkey. For Microsoft 365 from GoDaddy, you create DKIM keys in the Microsoft Defender portal, add the two CNAME records, then switch DKIM signing on.

How long do GoDaddy DNS changes take?

GoDaddy says most DNS changes take effect within an hour, but can take up to 48 hours to update everywhere.

Related: DMARC policy not enabled · Microsoft 365 emails going to spam · contact form emails going to spam.