If your emails keep landing in spam, failing to send, bouncing back, or not reaching your clients at all—there’s a high chance your DNS settings are the problem. This happens a lot after a migration, new domain setup, or wrong DNS records.

Table of Contents

Why DNS Causes Email Deliverability Problems

Email deliverability issues are mostly caused by:

Wrong or missing MX records
Incorrect SPF, DKIM, or DMARC
Conflicting A or CNAME records
Using third-party email services without updating DNS
DNS propagation delays
Old DNS still pointing to your previous host

Once your DNS is correct, your email becomes stable and trusted again.

1. Confirm Your MX Records Are Correct

MX records tell the internet which server should receive your emails. If they’re not correct, your email may not deliver or may bounce.

How to check MX records in cPanel

1. Log in to cPanel

2. Go to Zone Editor

3. Click Manage

4. Search for MX

You should see something like:

Priority: 0
Destination: mail.yourdomain.com

If your MX records are wrong:

Delete incorrect old MX entries
Add a new one pointing to your server
Make sure the priority is set to 0

Make sure you have an A-record for mail.yourdomain.com pointing to your hosting IP.

2. Enable and Verify SPF in cPanel

SPF (Sender Policy Framework) tells receiving mail servers who is allowed to send emails from your domain.
If missing or incorrect, your emails may go to spam or get rejected.

How to enable SPF:

1. Go to Email Deliverability in cPanel

2. Find your domain

3. Click Manage

4. Click Install or Update SPF Record

A correct SPF record for telaHosting usually looks like: v=spf1 +a +mx +ip4:YOUR_SERVER_IP ~all

If you use third-party email services (Mailchimp, Google Workspace, SendGrid, etc.), add their SPF includes as needed.

3. Enable DKIM in cPanel

DKIM adds a digital signature to your emails. Without DKIM, many email providers mark your mail as “unverified.”

How to activate:

Go to Email Deliverability
Click Manage
Click Install or Update DKIM Record

This installs a TXT record that validates your email authenticity. Once installed, deliverability improves immediately.

4. Add a DMARC Record (Recommended)

DMARC helps receive servers (like Gmail) trust your emails. It tells them how to handle suspicious messages.

Add DMARC in Zone Editor → Add Record

Choose TXT, then add:

Name: _dmarc
Type: TXT
Value: v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:[email protected];
Note: change [email protected] to your real email and domain name

You can later change p=none to p=quarantine or p=reject once everything is stable.

5. Fix Conflicting DNS Records

Sometimes email fails because you have:

More than one MX record
A-records pointing to wrong servers
Old CNAMEs overriding mail records
DNS from previous hosting still active

How to clean things up:

Delete anything you do not recognize, such as:

Old MX entries from previous providers
Unused email service records
Conflicting CNAME for “mail”
Duplicate A-records

Keep your DNS simple and clean.

6. Check DNS Propagation Status

After correcting DNS, it needs time to update worldwide. Use these tools:

Check:

MX
SPF (TXT)
DKIM
A-record for mail

If propagation isn’t complete yet, email may behave inconsistently.

7. Make Sure Your Reverse DNS (PTR) Is Set Correctly

Email providers like Gmail and Outlook check PTR to verify your server. Most shared hosting providers configure PTR automatically.

But if you’re on VPS or Cloud server: Ask your provider to set PTR to your domain hostname. Example: SERVER_IP → mail.yourdomain.com

8. Reduce Spam Score by Checking Your Domain Reputation

Use tools like:

mail-tester.com
MXToolbox SPF & DKIM Check

These tools tell you:

Why your email goes to spam
Whether your DNS is correct
Whether your IP is blacklisted

Aim for a score of 9/10 or higher.

9. Clear Email Cache (For Webmail and Clients)

After fixing DNS, cached settings may still cause issues. Try:

Removing and re-adding your email to Gmail app or Outlook
Logging out and back into webmail
Clearing browser cookies

This forces your device to use the updated DNS.

Conclusion

Email deliverability problems can be frustrating, but once you understand that DNS controls everything—from MX records to SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, the whole process becomes easier. By correcting your DNS settings in cPanel, installing proper authentication, and cleaning up old records, your emails will start delivering reliably again.

FAQs

1. How long before my email works after fixing DNS?

Usually within minutes, or up to 24 hours during propagation.

2. Why are my emails going to spam?

Missing SPF, DKIM, DMARC, or your domain reputation is low.

3. Can wrong MX records stop all emails?

Yes—no correct MX = no email delivery.

4. Do I need DMARC?

It’s not mandatory, but highly recommended for better inbox placement.

5. Can DNS affect outgoing emails?

Absolutely. Incorrect SPF or DKIM causes outgoing mail to fail.

Why DNS Causes Email Deliverability Problems