# Email deliverability Emails landing in spam? Want to ensure your messages reach recipients? This guide explains how email authentication works with Missive and how to maintain good deliverability. ## How Missive sends emails Missive acts as an email **client**, not a **server**. When you send an email through Missive, it goes through your email provider's SMTP server using the credentials you provided when connecting your account. This is exactly how traditional email clients work (Apple Mail, Outlook, Mozilla Thunderbird). The difference is that Missive operates in the cloud to enable team collaboration. **What this means:** * You don't configure SPF, DKIM, or DMARC records specifically for Missive * Your email provider handles all authentication * Deliverability depends on your domain and email provider configuration * Issues are usually related to your domain's DNS records, not Missive itself ## Email authentication basics Three DNS records determine whether your emails are trusted by recipient servers. ### SPF (Sender Policy Framework) SPF tells receiving servers which mail servers are allowed to send emails from your domain. **Why it matters:** Without a valid SPF record, your emails are much more likely to land in spam or be rejected entirely. This is the most common cause of deliverability issues. **How to set it up:** {% stepper %} {% step %} **Contact your email hosting provider** Ask your email hosting provider or IT team for the SPF record value for your domain. {% endstep %} {% step %} **Add a TXT record to your DNS** Log in to your domain registrar or DNS hosting provider (GoDaddy, Cloudflare, Namecheap, etc.) and add the SPF record as a TXT record. For Gmail/Google Workspace: ``` v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all ``` For other providers, the `include:` part will be different based on your email server. {% endstep %} {% step %} **Verify your SPF record** Use an [SPF record checker](https://mxtoolbox.com/spf.aspx) to confirm your domain has a valid SPF record. {% endstep %} {% endstepper %} ### DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) DKIM adds a digital signature to your emails, proving they came from your domain and haven't been tampered with. **How to set it up:** {% stepper %} {% step %} **Request your DKIM record** Contact your email hosting provider and request your DKIM DNS record (usually a TXT record). {% endstep %} {% step %} **Add it to your DNS** Add the DKIM record to your domain's DNS settings. Some hosting providers offer a one-click setup option in their control panel. {% endstep %} {% endstepper %} ### DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication) DMARC builds on SPF and DKIM, telling receiving servers what to do when authentication fails. Set this up after you have SPF and DKIM working. DMARC is optional but recommended for better deliverability. ## Diagnosing deliverability issues If your emails are landing in spam or not being delivered, use Mail Tester to diagnose the problem. {% stepper %} {% step %} **Get a temporary test address** Go to [Mail Tester](https://www.mail-tester.com/) and copy the temporary email address shown. {% endstep %} {% step %} **Send a test email** Send a test email from Missive to the Mail Tester address. Use the same content and sending address you're having issues with. {% endstep %} {% step %} **Review your diagnosis** Click the link Mail Tester provides to see your score and detailed results. Mail Tester checks: * SPF, DKIM, DMARC configuration * Content quality * IP reputation * Email formatting * Spam triggers {% endstep %} {% step %} **Follow the recommendations** Mail Tester will show specific issues and how to fix them. Most issues relate to missing or incorrect DNS records. If you need help understanding the results, send the report link to . {% endstep %} {% endstepper %} ## DNS propagation timing After adding or updating SPF, DKIM, or DMARC records: * Changes can take up to 48 hours to propagate globally * Most changes take effect within a few hours * Test your configuration with [Mail Tester](https://www.mail-tester.com/) after 2-4 hours ## IP address whitelisting Some email providers and corporate firewalls require you to whitelist IP addresses for third-party email clients. If your IT administrator or email hosting provider asks for Missive's IP addresses, provide this complete list. These are all IP addresses that Missive uses to connect to outside servers (IMAP, SMTP, APIs, MCPs). ### Global ``` 34.225.82.230 35.169.119.22 35.170.20.232 44.205.86.208 50.19.195.90 52.200.230.40 52.207.174.201 54.205.47.14 54.235.68.71 100.29.148.139 107.23.138.182 ``` ### Asia / Pacific ``` 13.201.161.208 13.238.137.175 54.251.158.174 ``` ### Europe ``` 15.188.192.95 18.135.169.252 51.20.148.86 54.247.159.27 ``` ### South America ``` 54.94.55.61 54.232.217.132 ``` ### US / Canada ``` 3.98.31.195 3.99.69.237 15.156.105.122 15.222.57.53 15.223.17.48 18.190.12.187 18.190.172.14 18.191.103.174 18.216.35.59 18.224.226.78 52.10.128.84 52.53.135.85 ``` {% hint style="info" %} Whitelisting all addresses ensures reliable use of Missive with no interruptions as Missive may use different IPs based on your region and for redundancy. {% endhint %} ## Marketing emails and newsletters Don't send high-volume marketing emails through your regular SMTP server (whether using Missive or any other email client). **Why:** SMTP servers aren't designed for bulk sending. High volumes hurt deliverability for all your emails, including regular business correspondence. Your emails may start landing in spam. **Use instead:** Dedicated email marketing services like Mailchimp, SendGrid, or Mailgun. These services are designed for bulk sending and handle authentication and reputation management. ## Provider-specific issues Some deliverability issues are specific to your email provider: * **Gmail/Google Workspace:** See [Gmail FAQ](/docs/core-features/connected-accounts/email-accounts/gmail-google-workspace/faq.md) for Gmail-specific spam diagnosis and SPF setup * **Office 365/Outlook:** See [Outlook FAQ](/docs/core-features/connected-accounts/email-accounts/outlook-office-365/faq.md) for "Access denied" errors and IP whitelisting * **Other providers:** See [IMAP FAQ](/docs/core-features/connected-accounts/email-accounts/imap/faq.md) for general IMAP server issues ## Getting help ### Contact your email provider if: * You need help setting up SPF, DKIM, or DMARC records * You're unsure what values to use for your DNS records * You need DNS hosting credentials * Your hosting provider manages both DNS and email delivery ### Contact your IT team if: * You don't have access to DNS settings * Your company has a dedicated IT department * You need approval for DNS changes * Your firewall requires IP whitelisting ### Contact Missive support if: * Mail Tester shows issues with Missive's sending IP * You need help interpreting Mail Tester results * You suspect a Missive-specific issue Email us at and include your Mail Tester report link if you have one. --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. 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