include:_spf.google.com – Google Workspace (Gmail)

Short answer: include:_spf.google.com lets Google Workspace (Gmail)'s mail servers pass SPF for your domain. It costs 1 of the 10 DNS lookups SPF allows (checked live).

ServiceGoogle Workspace (Gmail)
Lookups1 of the 10 DNS lookups SPF allows (checked live)
Record now
v=spf1 ip4:74.125.0.0/16 ip4:209.85.128.0/17 ip6:2001:4860:4864::/56 ip6:2404:6800:4864::/56 ip6:2607:f8b0:4864::/56 ip6:2800:3f0:4864::/56 ip6:2a00:1450:4864::/56 ip6:2c0f:fb50:4864::/56 ~all

Do you need it?

Yes, if you send mail through Google Workspace (Gmail) with your own domain. It is the include our Google Workspace setup guide uses. Google's include costs about 4 of SPF's 10 DNS lookups, so leave room for your other senders.

Who uses it

In our scan of top websites on 23 Oct 2026:

Add it the right way

  1. Keep one SPF record per domain: v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all, plus your other senders in the same record – SPF generator.
  2. Stay under 10 lookups in total; every include counts, nested ones too.
  3. SPF alone isn't enough for Gmail, Yahoo and Outlook: turn on DKIM and publish DMARC.

Check your domain

After the fix, send a test email to see SPF, DKIM and DMARC pass on a real message, then keep an eye on it: free DMARC monitoring shows every service that sends mail as your domain and which ones fail, in plain English.

Rather not touch DNS? I set up SPF, DKIM and DMARC without breaking your other senders, with a before/after report.

Get it fixed on Fiverr

Prefer to do it yourself? Get the step-by-step Fix Kit ($15) – 28-page guide, checklist, 20+ providers.

Other includes

All 47 SPF includes