Does flattening SPF always fix errors?
- Myth: Flattening your SPF record will solve all SPF issues.
- Reality: Flattening trades one problem for another.
What flattening fixes:
Exceeding 10 DNS lookup limit
What flattening does not fix:
- Syntax errors
- Missing authorized senders
- Overly permissive policies
New problems from flattening:
- Stale IP addresses when providers change
- Maintenance burden to keep updated
- Longer records (may hit size limits)
- Manual flattening errors
Address the root cause. If using many services, consider subdomain delegation or reducing services.
Copying addresses from reference documents solves one problem but requires ongoing maintenance.
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