### [DMARC Policy Not Enabled? Here's How to Fix It](https://wpmailsmtp.com/dmarc-policy-not-enabled/)

**Published:** September 25, 2026
**Author:** David Ozokoye

**Excerpt:** Seeing a "DMARC policy not enabled" warning in your domain scan?

Learn what it means and how to fix it without sending your emails to spam.

This guide covers checking your record, testing your senders with WP Mail SMTP, and moving safely from none to quarantine to reject.

**Content:**

Did a domain scan just flag “DMARC policy not enabled” on your site? Fixing it stops scammers from sending email that looks like it came from you.

Most DMARC records start in monitoring mode, which is safe but doesn’t block anything. The catch? Switching to enforcement too early can send your own emails to spam.

In this guide, I’ll show you how to fix this warning safely with WP Mail SMTP.

- [What the DMARC Policy Not Enabled Warning Means](#aioseo-what-the-dmarc-policy-not-enabled-warning-means)
- [How to Fix DMARC Policy Not Enabled](#aioseo-how-to-fix-dmarc-policy-not-enabled)
    - [Step 1: Look up Your Current DMARC Record](#aioseo-step-1-look-up-your-current-dmarc-record)
    - [Step 2: Confirm Every Sender Passes SPF or DKIM](#aioseo-step-2-confirm-every-sender-passes-spf-or-dkim)
    - [Step 3: Change the Policy to Quarantine](#aioseo-step-3-change-the-policy-to-quarantine)
    - [Step 4: Move to Reject Once Reports Are Clean](#aioseo-step-4-move-to-reject-once-reports-are-clean)
    - [Step 5: Recheck Your Domain](#aioseo-step-5-recheck-your-domain)
- [Troubleshooting Common DMARC Enforcement Problems](#aioseo-troubleshooting-common-dmarc-enforcement-problems)
- [Frequently Asked Questions](#aioseo-frequently-asked-questions)

## What the DMARC Policy Not Enabled Warning Means

The DMARC policy not enabled warning means your domain doesn’t block fake email. Either you have no DMARC record, or your record uses `p=none`.

Tools like [MXToolbox](https://mxtoolbox.com/problem/dmarc/dmarc-policy-not-enabled) show this warning until your policy is `quarantine` or `reject`.

Some scanners word it as “DMARC Quarantine/Reject policy not enabled.” It’s the same problem.

Here’s what each policy tells mail servers to do with failing email:

PolicyWhat happens to failing emailTriggers the warning?`p=none`Delivered as normal. You only get reports.Yes`p=quarantine`Sent to the spam or junk folderNo`p=reject`Blocked before it reaches the inboxNo**Note:** This is a security warning, not a delivery failure. Your email still sends while the policy is `none`.

### No DMARC Record at All

If a lookup says “No DMARC record found,” you need to create one first. Start with `p=none` so you can collect reports safely.

### A DMARC Record Set to p=none

This is a common cause. You published a record, but it’s still in monitoring mode.

That’s the right place to start.

Since February 2024, [Google](https://support.google.com/a/answer/81126) and [Yahoo](https://senders.yahooinc.com/best-practices/) require bulk senders to publish at least `p=none`. That’s why many domains never move past it.

The downside is that anyone can still [spoof your domain](https://wpmailsmtp.com/how-to-fix-wordpress-email-spoofing-issues/ "How to Fix WordPress Email Spoofing Issues"). Mail servers see the failure, report it to you, then deliver the fake email anyway.

![The DMARC enforcement path, with three stages: p=none (monitor), p=quarantine (spam folder), and p=reject (blocked), and a "check reports" gate between each stage](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/img_01_dmarc-enforcement-path.png "The DMARC Enforcement Path From None to Reject")## How to Fix DMARC Policy Not Enabled

To fix DMARC policy not enabled, change your record’s `p=` tag from `none` to `quarantine`. Later, move it to `reject`.

First, confirm every service that sends as your domain passes SPF or DKIM.

That check matters most. Skip it, and your contact form notifications could land in spam.

### Prerequisites

Before you start, you’ll need:

- **Access to your DNS settings**: at your registrar, host, or a service like Cloudflare.
- **A DMARC record**: already in place (see above if you don’t have one).
- **WP Mail SMTP**: installed on your WordPress site. The free version is enough for this.

### Step 1: Look up Your Current DMARC Record

First, check what your domain publishes right now. Your DMARC record is a TXT record at `_dmarc.yourdomain.com`.

You can look it up with the [MXToolbox DMARC lookup](https://mxtoolbox.com/dmarc.aspx). A record that triggers the warning looks something like this:

![MXToolbox DMARC lookup result for a domain with p=none, showing the DMARC Policy Not Enabled warning](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/img_02_mxtoolbox-dmarc-policy-not-enabled.png "MXToolbox DMARC Lookup Showing DMARC Policy Not Enabled")```

v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:dmarc-reports@yourdomain.com
```

The `rua` tag is the address that receives your aggregate reports. Keep it, because you’ll need those reports in the next step.

### Step 2: Confirm Every Sender Passes SPF or DKIM

Next, make a list of every service that sends email as your domain. For a typical WordPress site, that’s usually:

- **Your WordPress site**: contact forms, WooCommerce receipts, and password resets.
- **Your inbox provider**: Google Workspace or Microsoft 365.
- **Marketing tools**: your newsletter or CRM platform.

Each one needs to pass SPF or DKIM on your domain. Here’s [how SPF, DKIM, and DMARC work together](https://wpmailsmtp.com/dmarc-spf-dkim/ "What Are DMARC, SPF, and DKIM?"). If one doesn’t, enforcement will send its email to spam.

For your WordPress site, I use the built-in test in WP Mail SMTP.

Go to **WP Mail SMTP » Tools » Email Test**. Enter an address and click **Send Email**.

If WP Mail SMTP finds a problem with records like SPF, DKIM, or DMARC, it shows **Domain Check Results** with steps to fix each one. The exact checks depend on your mailer.

If you see “Test email sent successfully!” instead, your WordPress site passed.

![WP Mail SMTP Email Test tab showing the Test email sent successfully message](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/img_03_wp-mail-smtp-test-email-sent.png "WP Mail SMTP Test Email Sent Successfully")For your other senders, check your DMARC aggregate reports. Give them 2 to 4 weeks, then look for any legitimate service that’s failing.

**Pro Tip:** Domain Check skips free email addresses like Gmail or Outlook.com. Your **From Email** needs to use your own domain for the check to run.

If your WordPress emails fail here, fix that before you touch your DMARC policy. One fix is to send them through a proper mailer with WP Mail SMTP.

[Fix Your WordPress Emails Now](https://wpmailsmtp.com/pricing/)

### Step 3: Change the Policy to Quarantine

Once every sender passes, edit the `_dmarc` TXT record at your DNS provider. Change `p=none` to `p=quarantine`:

```

v=DMARC1; p=quarantine; rua=mailto:dmarc-reports@yourdomain.com
```

Leave the other tags as they are. Save the record.

That’s enough to clear the warning. Mail servers will now send failing email to spam instead of the inbox.

**Important:** Edit your existing record. Don’t add a second DMARC record. With 2 records, receivers skip DMARC entirely ([RFC 7489](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc7489#section-6.6.3)).

### Step 4: Move to Reject Once Reports Are Clean

Keep `quarantine` in place for another 2 to 4 weeks. Watch your reports and ask your team if any real email went to spam.

If everything looks clean, change the policy to `reject`:

```

v=DMARC1; p=reject; rua=mailto:dmarc-reports@yourdomain.com
```

This is full protection. Mail servers now block spoofed email from your domain outright.

**Read Also:** [DMARC Policy: None vs Quarantine vs Reject](https://wpmailsmtp.com/dmarc-policy-none-quarantine-and-reject/ "DMARC Policy Explained: None, Quarantine, and Reject")

### Step 5: Recheck Your Domain

Finally, confirm the change is live. Run the MXToolbox DMARC lookup again, and the warning should be gone.

Then send another test from **WP Mail SMTP » Tools » Email Test**. You should still see the success message, not Domain Check Results.

DNS changes can take a few minutes to 48 hours to show up. If the old record still appears, wait and check again.

## Troubleshooting Common DMARC Enforcement Problems

Most problems after a policy change have 3 causes: a cached record, a failing sender, or a duplicate.

### The Warning Still Shows After You Changed the Record

The scanner is probably reading a cached record. Wait for DNS to update, then run the lookup again.

Also check that you edited the record at `_dmarc.yourdomain.com`, not the root domain.

### Legitimate Email Started Going to Spam

One of your senders isn’t passing SPF or DKIM. Switch back to `p=none` while you fix it.

Your aggregate reports will show which service is failing. Add it to your SPF record or set up DKIM for it.

### Your Scanner Shows Two DMARC Records

Delete the extra one so only a single `v=DMARC1` record remains. Then merge any tags you need into it.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How do I enable my DMARC policy?

Edit your DMARC TXT record at `_dmarc.yourdomain.com` and change `p=none` to `p=quarantine` or `p=reject`. Check that all your senders pass SPF or DKIM first. That way, mail servers won’t block your own email.

### Is p=none bad?

No. `p=none` is the right starting point, because it lets you collect reports without affecting delivery.

It just doesn’t protect your domain from spoofing, which is why scanners flag it.

### Will switching to p=reject stop my emails from being delivered?

Only if a legitimate sender fails DMARC. That’s why you should move to `quarantine` first and watch your reports.

Once every sender passes, `reject` only blocks fake email.

### How long does a DMARC change take to work?

The DNS change usually shows up within a few hours. It can take up to 48.

Plan on 2 to 4 weeks at each policy level before moving on.

## Next, Create Your DMARC Record the Right Way

If your lookup showed no DMARC record at all, that’s the place to start.

[How to Create a DMARC Record](https://wpmailsmtp.com/how-to-create-dmarc-record/ "How to Create a DMARC Record") covers every tag. It also shows you how to publish your first record.

Once it’s live, come back here and move it to enforcement.

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**Categories:** WordPress Tutorials

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