What is the practical difference between DMARC none and reject?

None collects authentication reports without affecting delivery, while reject instructs receivers to refuse mail that fails DMARC once your policy is enforced.

Must I publish both SPF and DKIM if I use DMARC?

DMARC can pass when either aligned SPF or aligned DKIM authenticates successfully, but teams often publish both for redundancy and clearer aggregate reporting.

Email deliverability

DMARC explained

DMARC builds on SPF and DKIM, adds alignment rules, and enables aggregate and forensic reporting.

Published: 2026-05-01Last reviewed: 2026-05-01

Policy layers

A DMARC DNS TXT record at _dmarc.example.com declares your policy (none, quarantine, reject) and where reports should be sent.

Alignment

DMARC passes when either SPF or DKIM aligns with the header From domain and passes authentication—depending on strict or relaxed alignment settings.

Reports

Aggregate (rua) reports help you find unauthorized senders; forensic (ruf) reports are optional and may be restricted by large receivers.

FAQ

What is the practical difference between DMARC none and reject?: None collects authentication reports without affecting delivery, while reject instructs receivers to refuse mail that fails DMARC once your policy is enforced.
Must I publish both SPF and DKIM if I use DMARC?: DMARC can pass when either aligned SPF or aligned DKIM authenticates successfully, but teams often publish both for redundancy and clearer aggregate reporting.

More in this category

DKIM signing explained

DomainKeys Identified Mail: cryptographic signatures, selectors, and DNS TXT publishing.

Google Workspace: SPF and DKIM

High-level steps to publish Google’s SPF include and DKIM keys for your primary domain.

Microsoft 365: enable DKIM

Enable DKIM for Microsoft 365 custom domains and publish CNAME records as instructed.

SPF records explained

What Sender Policy Framework does, how SPF TXT records work, and common mistakes.

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