First separate filtering from rejection
A message in the spam folder arrived and was filtered. A rejected or bounced message failed delivery. A provider saying “accepted” describes that provider’s step, not necessarily arrival at the final mailbox.
If there was no email attempt, start with the order-email troubleshooting guide.
Use a From address on your store’s domain
For example, a store at store.example can use orders@store.example. The sending service must be authorised to send for that domain. Configuring a website to impersonate an unrelated Gmail or Yahoo address can cause authentication failures.
Read the authentication of an actual message
Use your mail client’s original-message or header view. Look for authentication results and check the domain used by each method against the visible From address.
| Method | Purpose |
|---|---|
| SPF | Identifies services authorised to send using a domain in the sending envelope. |
| DKIM | Lets receiving systems verify a signature added by the sending service. |
| DMARC | Checks alignment with the visible From domain and publishes a policy for failures. |
Google recommends SPF, DKIM, and DMARC; its minimum requirements differ for ordinary and bulk senders. Follow the configuration supplied by the service actually sending your store’s mail.
Make a specific, reviewed DNS change
Compare the active records with the sending provider’s instructions. Review existing senders before editing authentication. Keep a record of what changed and verify the result using a new test message.
If checks pass, look at sending reputation, message content, recipient rules, and provider events instead of repeatedly changing DNS.
Record the evidence
- The visible From address and sending provider
- A redacted header and authentication results
- Provider event, bounce code, or failure timestamp
- Whether the issue affects one mailbox or several providers
WooCommerce email troubleshooting · WooCommerce email authentication · Google email sender guidelines
Guidance reviewed October 10, 2026. Menus and available logs may differ by installed version.