# Managing e-mail deliverability settings in cPanel

> Set up DKIM, SPF and reverse DNS in cPanel Email Deliverability so your messages reach inboxes instead of spam folders.

Source: https://helpcenter.ruachost.com/email/cpanel-email/managing-e-mail-deliverability-settings-in-cpanel/

E‑mail deliverability refers to how reliably your messages reach recipients’ inboxes instead of being flagged as spam. In cPanel, you can configure **authentication records** that help mail servers verify your domain’s legitimacy.

## Key Technologies

### 1. DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM)

- **Purpose:** Verifies that an incoming e‑mail is genuinely from the stated sender and hasn’t been altered.
- ### How it works

  - Sender signs the message with a private key.
  - Recipient retrieves the sender’s public key via DNS to validate the signature.
- ### Setup in cPanel

  1. Log in to **cPanel → Email Deliverability**.
  2. Locate your domain → click **Manage**.
  3. Under **DKIM**, view or copy the DNS record name/value pair.

### 2. Sender Policy Framework (SPF)

- **Purpose:** Prevents spammers from forging messages that appear to come from your domain.
- **Benefits:** Reduces bounce messages (backscatter spam).
- ### Setup in cPanel

  1. Log in to **cPanel → Email Deliverability**.
  2. Locate your domain → click **Manage**.
  3. Under **SPF**, view or customize the DNS record.
  4. For shared hosting, ensure the record includes:

     ```
     +include:spf.mysecurecloudhost.com
     ```
  5. If missing, click **Customize → Add a New “+include” Item** → enter the correct include line → **Install Customized SPF Record**.

### 3. Reverse DNS (PTR Records)

- **Purpose:** Maps IP addresses back to domain names (reverse lookup).
- **Benefit:** Helps receiving mail servers verify that your IP address corresponds to your domain, reducing spam flags.
- ### Setup in cPanel

  1. Log in to **cPanel → Email Deliverability**.
  2. Locate your domain → click **Manage**.
  3. Under **Reverse DNS (PTR)**, view the record name/value pair.

> **Note:**
- You typically don’t need to modify these settings unless troubleshooting deliverability issues.
- Always confirm changes with your mail provider’s documentation.
- Propagation of DNS changes may take several hours.