How to Add an SPF Record in IONOS

IONOS -- formerly known as 1&1 IONOS and before that simply 1&1 -- is one of the largest hosting and domain providers in Europe and North America. If your domain is registered with IONOS or you're using their nameservers, setting up an SPF record correctly is essential for email deliverability. The branding has changed over the years, but the DNS management process is consistent across the current IONOS Control Panel.

This guide walks you through adding, editing, and troubleshooting SPF records in IONOS DNS settings.

Why You Need SPF With IONOS Domains

Every domain that sends email needs an SPF record. It tells receiving mail servers which IP addresses and services are authorized to send email on behalf of your domain. Without one, providers like Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo have no way to tell your legitimate email apart from spoofed messages.

IONOS domains are no exception. Whether you use IONOS Mail (their built-in email service), Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, or a third-party sending platform, you need an SPF record published in your domain's DNS.

Step-by-Step: Adding an SPF Record in IONOS

A Note on the Host Field

In IONOS DNS settings, the host name field for your root domain should be @. Don't type out your full domain name -- IONOS appends it automatically. Entering example.com in the host field would create a record at example.com.example.com, which won't authenticate anything.

IONOS Mail and the perfora.net / kundenserver.de Includes

If you use IONOS Mail (the email service included with IONOS hosting and domain packages), your email is routed through two sets of servers: _spf.perfora.net and _spf.kundenserver.de. Both must be included in your SPF record for IONOS email to pass authentication.

A basic SPF record for IONOS Mail only:

v=spf1 include:_spf.perfora.net include:_spf.kundenserver.de -all

These two includes cover the full range of IONOS mail infrastructure. Omitting either one can cause intermittent SPF failures depending on which server handles the delivery.

Combining SPF Records in IONOS

Most IONOS users eventually need to add another email service alongside IONOS Mail. The rule is always the same -- merge everything into a single SPF record.

IONOS Mail + Google Workspace

v=spf1 include:_spf.perfora.net include:_spf.kundenserver.de include:_spf.google.com -all

IONOS Mail + Microsoft 365

v=spf1 include:_spf.perfora.net include:_spf.kundenserver.de include:spf.protection.outlook.com -all

IONOS Mail + SendGrid

v=spf1 include:_spf.perfora.net include:_spf.kundenserver.de include:sendgrid.net -all

Google Workspace Only (no IONOS Mail)

If you've fully migrated away from IONOS Mail and confirmed no email flows through their servers:

v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com -all

Common IONOS SPF Mistakes

IONOS DNS settings are relatively straightforward, but several mistakes come up regularly.

Duplicate SPF Records

The most frequent problem. IONOS may have auto-created an SPF record when you activated their email service. If you then add a second TXT record with a different SPF value, both records break. A domain can only have one SPF record.

Fix: Always check for existing SPF records first. If one exists, edit it to include the new service rather than creating a separate record.

Using the Wrong Host Field

Entering your full domain name instead of @ in the host field creates a record on a nonexistent subdomain. Your root domain remains unprotected.

Fix: Use @ for the host name when setting up SPF for your root domain.

Missing One of the Two IONOS Includes

IONOS routes mail through two server pools. Using only include:_spf.perfora.net or only include:_spf.kundenserver.de means some of your mail will fail SPF checks.

Fix: Always include both _spf.perfora.net and _spf.kundenserver.de if you use IONOS Mail.

Confusion Around IONOS Branding

If you originally signed up with 1&1 or 1&1 IONOS, your login URL and dashboard may look slightly different from current IONOS documentation. The DNS management functionality is the same -- just the branding and UI layout may differ.

Editing an Existing SPF Record in IONOS

If you need to update your SPF record to add a new service, remove an old one, or fix a mistake:

Verifying Your IONOS SPF Record

After adding or editing your SPF record, always verify it's live and correct. Go to SPF Record Check and enter your domain. The tool will:

• Confirm your SPF record is published
• Check for syntax errors
• Count your DNS lookups (must be 10 or fewer)
• Flag duplicate SPF records
• Show you exactly what receiving servers will see

If you see any errors, go back to IONOS DNS settings and fix them before relying on the record.

Complete Your Email Authentication

SPF is one piece of the email authentication puzzle. For full protection, you need all three protocols working together:

• DKIM adds a cryptographic signature to your outgoing emails, proving they haven't been tampered with in transit. Use DKIM Creator to generate your DKIM keys and add the records in IONOS the same way you added your SPF record.
• DMARC ties SPF and DKIM together and tells receiving servers what to do when authentication fails. Use DMARC Creator to build your DMARC policy.

With all three records published in IONOS DNS, mailbox providers can fully verify that your email is legitimate.

Monitor Your New SPF Record

You've created your SPF record — now make sure it keeps working. The Email Deliverability Suite watches your SPF, DKIM, DMARC, and MX records daily and alerts you when something breaks.