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Error: "250 SPF Validation Soft Failure" When Using Salesforce Email-to-Case

Publish Date: Jul 21, 2026
Description

This article explains how to resolve or prevent the error message "250 SPF validation soft failure" when using Salesforce Email-to-Case. SPF stands for Sender Policy Framework, which is an email authentication method used to verify that incoming emails are sent from authorized mail servers.
This error typically occurs when Salesforce Email-to-Case is configured to process incoming emails from your own domain only, but receives an email from a different domain. The routing address rejects or soft-bounces emails that originate outside the allowed domain.
Example scenario: A Salesforce admin sets up Email-to-Case to create cases only from internal company emails. External customers who email the support address receive a soft bounce with the "250 SPF validation soft failure" message.

Resolution

How to Check and Fix the Email-to-Case Accept Email Setting

The most common cause of this error is that the Email-to-Case routing address in Salesforce is configured to accept emails only from a specific domain. To resolve this, verify the Accept Email From setting in Email-to-Case.

Navigate to Email-to-Case Settings

In Salesforce Classic: Go to Setup | Customize | Cases | Email-to-Case, then click Continue.
In Lightning Experience: Click the gear icon in the top-right corner, then go to Setup. In the Quick Find box, type Email-to-Case and click the search result under Feature Settings | Services | Email-to-Case, then click Continue.

Check the Accept Email From Field

  1. Under Email-to-Case Settings, click Edit next to the routing address that is generating the error.
  2. Locate the Accept Email From field.
  3. If you want to accept emails from any domain, make sure the Accept Email From field is empty. Leaving it blank allows Email-to-Case to accept emails from all senders.

Note: If the Accept Email From field is grayed out, On-Demand Email-to-Case is not enabled for your org. On-Demand Email-to-Case is required for this setting to be configurable.

Knowledge Article Number

000384588

 
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Salesforce Help | Article