How to Test Your Email Authentication and Deliverability

Summary

This article explains how to use free online tools to test whether your domain's email authentication records (DMARC, DKIM, and SPF) are correctly configured and working. These tools can help you diagnose issues when DMARC reports are not arriving or when emails may be failing authentication.

Objective

By the end of this guide, you will be able to send a test email and get back detailed results on how your message was authenticated — helping you confirm your DMARC, DKIM, and SPF setup is working as expected.

Introduction

Email authentication issues can cause your messages to be flagged as spam or rejected by recipient servers. When DMARC reports are not arriving, it can be helpful to send a test message and receive immediate feedback on how your email was handled. The tools below each work a little differently but all give you visibility into your authentication results.

Prerequisites

  • A valid DMARC, DKIM, or SPF record set up for your domain
  • Access to your domain's email
  • An email address from the domain you wish to test

Testing Tools

1. About My Email (aboutmy.email)

About My Email provides a detailed browser-based analysis of your message including SPF, DKIM, DMARC, spam score, headers, and deliverability signals.

How to use it:

  1. Go to https://aboutmy.email/ — it will generate a unique test email address for your session.
  2. Send an email from your domain to that address. Keep the browser tab open.
  3. Within moments, the page will update with a full analysis of your message.

2. Port25 Verifier (check-auth@verifier.port25.com)

Port25 is an email reflector — send it a message and it replies with a report. This service checks DKIM, SPF, and Sender-ID.

How to use it:

  1. Send any email from your domain to check-auth@verifier.port25.com.
  2. You will receive an automated reply within a few minutes containing the authentication results.

3. Campaign Cleaner Mail Tester

Campaign Cleaner's Mail Tester checks your email for spam signals and authentication issues.

How to use it:

  1. Visit https://campaigncleaner.com/tools/mail-tester to get a unique test address.
  2. Send a test email from your domain to that address.
  3. Return to the page to view your results.

Still Not Receiving DMARC Reports?

If your authentication tests pass but you are still not receiving aggregate DMARC reports after 24–48 hours, consider:

  • Confirming your rua= tag in your DMARC DNS record points to a valid, reachable address
  • Checking that no external domain authorization is needed if your report address is on a different domain than the one being tested
  • Reviewing the Troubleshooting Missing DMARC Reports article