My email isn’t delivered or lands in spam

Can’t send, can’t receive or ending up in spam: check authentication, DNS records, quota and server settings.

Troubleshooting Updated: November 3, 2026 · 2 min read

Email problems usually come down to a few common causes. Follow the section that matches your problem.

I can’t receive email

MX record: check that your domain’s MX record points to your mail server: nslookup -type=mx yourdomain.com (see DNS records).
Is the mailbox full? Check the mailbox quota in the control panel; delete old messages or increase the size.
Right address? Make sure the sender typed the address correctly.
Spam folder: check the message hasn’t landed in junk.

I can’t send email

Authentication: in your client make sure the username for the outgoing server (SMTP) is the full email address and authentication is on.
Port: try 465 (SSL/TLS) or 587 (STARTTLS); port 25 is blocked by many internet providers (see Business email).
Password: if you changed it recently, update the settings on your phone and computer.
Error message: read the error code in the bounced message; codes starting with “550” usually mean a rejection on the recipient’s side.

My email lands in spam

Receiving servers want to verify that the sender is really allowed to speak for your domain. Check:

SPF: your domain should have an SPF TXT record that includes the server sending the email.
DKIM: outgoing email should be signed; confirm DKIM is on in the control panel.
DMARC: add a DMARC record (start with p=none).
Reverse DNS: if you run your own mail server, the IP’s reverse DNS must match the hostname (see Reverse DNS).
Content: excessive capitals, many links, shortened URLs and image-only messages can count as spam.
Sending habits: in bulk mailings include an unsubscribe link and send only to people who have opted in.

You can view your records with dig yourdomain.com TXT +short; an SPF record starts with v=spf1.

If you send bulk email from a server

A new IP address builds reputation over time. Start with small volumes in the first days and increase gradually. If your volume is high, consider a dedicated email delivery service.

If you can’t solve it

Open a ticket and include the sender and recipient addresses, the time sent, the error message you got and, if possible, the full headers of the email.