Multiple SPF records: why it breaks everything and how to merge them
A domain is allowed exactly one SPF record. Publish two — usually the result of a new tool's setup wizard saying "add this TXT record" and someone adding instead of editing — and receivers don't pick one or combine them: the standard says multiple records are a permanent error. Both records stop working, and mail that used to pass SPF starts failing.
Updated July 13, 2026
How this happens
Every email service's onboarding says the same thing: "add a TXT record starting with v=spf1." If your DNS already has one, the correct move is to merge the new mechanism into it — but nothing stops you from adding a second record, and most DNS dashboards won't warn you. It sits there silently breaking SPF for every sender you have.
How to check
Run your domain through our SPF checker — it flags multiple records explicitly. Or query it yourself: dig txt yourdomain.com and count the answers that start with v=spf1. More than one is the bug.
How to merge correctly
Take every mechanism from both records, keep one v=spf1 at the front and one all term at the end, drop duplicates, and publish it as a single TXT record. Delete the other one.
v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all
v=spf1 include:sendgrid.net ~all
v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com include:sendgrid.net ~allKeep the strictest all you had (-all beats ~all), and check the merged record's DNS lookup count — merging two records can push you over the 10-lookup limit.