Quick diagnosis
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Domain shows “Pending” or “Failed” | DNS records missing or wrong | Verify DNS records |
| Domain shows “Success” but emails fail | SPF record missing amazonses.com | Fix SPF record |
| Only some emails fail | Recipient-side issue | No action needed |
Verify DNS records
Required records:
| Type | Purpose |
|---|---|
| DKIM (3 CNAME) | Proves emails are from you |
| SPF (TXT) | Authorizes Amazon SES to send |
| DMARC (TXT) | Tells receivers how to handle failures |
Use MXToolbox to verify your records are live.
Fix SPF record
If you have an existing SPF record, addinclude:amazonses.com:
Verification failed?
- Check for typos or extra spaces in DNS records
- Confirm you’re editing the correct domain
- Remove and re-add the records
- Wait longer. Propagation can take 48 hours.
Emails landing in spam?
- Verify SPF and DKIM records are correct (use MXToolbox)
- Avoid “no-reply@” addresses. Use a human-like sender.
- Check if your domain is on any blocklists
- Keep subject lines clear and professional
Test it
The alert clears after the next successful send.