What verified means in Moosend
Moosend verifies each sender in two layers. The domain must pass SPF, DKIM and DMARC checks, and the sender address must click an activation link that Moosend emails once those checks pass. On the Senders page, the SPF and DKIM boxes tick when the records are correct, and the Verified column shows a check once the activation link is clicked. [1] [2] [3]
If the Verified column is empty, either the domain checks failed and the sender shows as rejected, or the activation email was missed. Check the sender's inbox and spam folder for the Moosend confirmation email first; it is the cheapest fix. [1]
Step by step: add and verify a sender
These steps follow Moosend's help center. Moosend says to set up the SPF and DKIM TXT records before you create a campaign. [1] [3]
- Pick an address on a domain you own with a live website, for example [email protected]. Avoid admin, postmaster, maildaemon and no-reply prefixes.
- In Moosend go to More, Settings, Senders, click Add new, enter the name and email, and click Save.
- Open the SPF and DKIM tabs for the sender and copy the values.
- In your DNS host, edit your single SPF record to include spfa.mailendo.com, add the DKIM TXT record at ms._domainkey, and add a DMARC TXT record at _dmarc.
- Wait 30 minutes to 48 hours, then click Verify DNS records.
- Open the activation email sent to the sender address and click the link.
- Confirm the Verified column shows a check before scheduling a campaign.
Common causes and fixes
Moosend's articles name the rejection reasons directly. The DNS mistakes below are the ones its setup guides warn about. [1] [3] [4]
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Sender rejected immediately | Free webmail sender such as Gmail, Hotmail, Outlook or Yahoo [1] | Use an address on your own domain |
| Sender rejected on a custom domain | No website found for the domain, or reputation below threshold [1] | Publish a real website on the domain; for reputation, contact Moosend support |
| Address not accepted | Disallowed prefix such as admin, maildaemon, postmaster or no-reply [1] | Use a role address such as news@ or hello@ |
| SPF fails | A second SPF record was added instead of editing the first [4] | Merge into one record: v=spf1 include:existing include:spfa.mailendo.com ~all |
| DKIM fails | Record created at a host name your DNS provider does not expect [4] | Use the host form your DNS provider expects (table below) |
| Whole check fails though SPF and DKIM look right | No DMARC record; Moosend checks all three at once [3] | Add a TXT record at _dmarc |
| Domain was verified, now every sender is unverified | A DNS value was changed or deleted outside Moosend [3] | Restore the record and click Verify DNS records |
| Domain checks pass, Verified still empty | Activation email not clicked [1] | Find the Moosend confirmation email, including spam |
Getting the record host right
The host field is where DNS providers differ. Moosend's provider guide uses the short host ms._domainkey for GoDaddy, Namecheap BasicDNS, Cloudflare and Squarespace, and the full TXT record name shown in Moosend for Namecheap cPanel and Name.com. For a subdomain sender on GoDaddy, the guide gives ms._domainkey.subdomain. [4]
| DNS provider (per Moosend's guide) | SPF host | DKIM host | DMARC host |
|---|---|---|---|
| GoDaddy | @ | ms._domainkey (or ms._domainkey.subdomain) | _dmarc |
| Namecheap BasicDNS, PremiumDNS or FreeDNS | @ (or the subdomain) | ms._domainkey | _dmarc |
| Cloudflare | @ | ms._domainkey | _dmarc |
| Squarespace | @ | ms._domainkey | _dmarc |
| Namecheap cPanel | Your domain name | The full TXT record name shown in Moosend | _dmarc.your_domain_name |
| Name.com | Your domain, for example mydomain.com | The full TXT record name shown in Moosend | _dmarc.mydomain.com |
How Moosend re-checks your records
Moosend re-verifies DNS when you click Verify DNS records and when you add a sender in the campaign wizard and click Next. It checks DKIM, SPF and DMARC together, so one bad record fails the whole check. [3]
For a subdomain that cannot be verified, Moosend checks the parent domain, and if the parent verifies, the subdomain counts as verified. It also accepts SPF if the record contains spfa.mailendo.com or its IP addresses. Verified records keep their status for 48 hours before they can be re-verified. [3]
To check outside Moosend, its help center points to dmarcian's SPF Surveyor, DKIM Inspector (selector ms) and DMARC Inspector. [5]
Final check against Gmail and Yahoo rules
Passing Moosend's check is not the same as meeting mailbox-provider rules. Google requires every sender to use SPF or DKIM and keep spam rates below 0.3%. Senders of more than 5,000 messages a day to Gmail must have both SPF and DKIM, DMARC with at least p=none, and a From domain aligned with SPF or DKIM. They also need one-click unsubscribe on marketing mail. [6]
Yahoo's bulk-sender rules match: SPF and DKIM, a valid DMARC policy of at least p=none that passes, From-domain alignment (relaxed is fine), one-click unsubscribe, unsubscribes honored within 2 days, and spam below 0.3%. [7]
Moosend's example DMARC record uses p=quarantine, but its guide says to start with v=DMARC1; p=none if your organization has no DMARC record yet. Google and Yahoo both accept p=none, so you can tighten the policy once reports look clean. [4] [6] [7]
| Requirement | Google (bulk) | Yahoo (bulk) | Covered by Moosend setup |
|---|---|---|---|
| SPF and DKIM | Both required [6] | Both required [7] | Yes, both are part of sender verification [3] |
| DMARC | Required, p=none allowed [6] | Required, at least p=none, must pass [7] | Yes, checked during verification [3] |
| Alignment | From domain aligns with SPF or DKIM [6] | Same, relaxed accepted [7] | DKIM on your own domain at ms._domainkey provides it |
| One-click unsubscribe | Required for marketing mail [6] | Required, honor within 2 days [7] | Check a test campaign's headers |
| Spam rate | Below 0.3%, aim for 0.1% [6] | Below 0.3% [7] | Your list quality, not a DNS setting |
Questions before you decide
Why was my Moosend sender rejected?
Moosend lists three reasons: a free webmail sender such as Gmail, Hotmail, Outlook or Yahoo; no website found for the sender's domain; or website, domain or address reputation below its threshold. Prefixes like admin, postmaster and no-reply are also not allowed.
What SPF record does Moosend need?
Include spfa.mailendo.com. With no existing SPF record, use v=spf1 include:spfa.mailendo.com ~all. If you already have one, edit it, for example v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com include:spfa.mailendo.com ~all. Two SPF records make SPF invalid.
Why does DNS verification fail when only one record is wrong?
Moosend checks DKIM, SPF and DMARC at the same time, so if any one record cannot be verified, the whole verification fails with an error. Fix the failing record, wait for DNS to update, then click Verify DNS records again.
How long does Moosend DNS verification take?
Moosend says it takes between 30 minutes and 48 hours after you add the records before you can move on to verification. Verified records keep their status for 48 hours, and changing or deleting a record later unverifies every sender on that domain.
Sources & verification
Product details and prices can change. Check the linked provider before buying.
- Moosend Help: Add a sender Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Moosend Help: Work with senders Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Moosend Help: Working with DNS records Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Moosend Help: Set up SPF, DKIM and DMARC for a provider Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Moosend Help: Run an external verification check on your DNS records Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Google: Email sender guidelines Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Yahoo Sender Hub: Best practices Accessed 30 Oct 2026
Sources link directly to providers. Product buttons may use separately labeled affiliate links. Read our disclosure.