Emails to previous addresses used are suddenly undeliverable

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Emails to previous addresses used are suddenly undeliverable

Danielle Dickman 0

Why are emails sent to addresses used previously suddenly being returned as undeliverable - tends to be icloud or hotmail email addresses

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Answer 1

Harold Milan 12,290 Independent Advisor

Hi,

Your messages are suddenly bouncing to iCloud and Hotmail/Outlook.com because receivers tightened policies in 2025. Outlook now rejects poorly authenticated/low‑reputation mail (requires SPF, DKIM, DMARC alignment), and iCloud aggressively blocks mail on “local policy” signals (sender reputation, content/URLs, rate limits) even if it used to deliver. Fixes that typically resolve it fast: ensure SPF/DKIM pass and publish a DMARC policy, clean invalid addresses, slow sending to iCloud, and remove/scan any URLs/signatures that might be flagged (malware or tracking). If iCloud still returns “policy” bounces, email ******@apple.com with logs. I hope this helps!

Danielle Dickman 0 Reputation points

2025-12-11T15:41:32.6633333+00:00

'ensure SPF/DKIM pass and publish a DMARC policy' - how do I do this?
Harold Milan 12,290 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2025-12-11T16:12:30.0133333+00:00

Hi,

Log in to your domain registrar or DNS hosting provider

To ensure SPF/DKIM pass and publish a DMARC policy, you’ll need to configure these at the domain level, not inside Outlook. Here’s the clear process:

SPF (Sender Policy Framework)

Add a TXT record in your domain’s DNS:

v=spf1 include:spf.protection.outlook.com -all

This authorizes Microsoft 365 servers to send mail for your domain.

DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail)

Go to Microsoft 365 Admin Center → Exchange Admin Center → DKIM.

Enable DKIM for your domain.

Microsoft will give you two CNAME records to add in your DNS.

DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance)

Add a TXT record in DNS:

v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:@yourdomain.com; ruf=mailto:@yourdomain.com; adkim=s; aspf=s

Start with p=none for monitoring, then move to quarantine or reject for enforcement.

Let me know how it goes, I’m here to help!

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Emails to previous addresses used are suddenly undeliverable

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