`p=reject`: This policy instructs receiving mail servers to reject any emails that fail both SPF and DKIM checks and do not align with your domain's DMARC policy.
`aspf=s`: This setting specifies strict alignment for SPF. This means that the domain in the "Return-Path" (envelope sender) must exactly match the domain in the "From" header for SPF to pass.
When Emails Might Be Rejected or Marked as Junk
Rejected Emails: If your emails fail DMARC validation due to issues with SPF or DKIM alignment, they will be rejected outright by the receiving server. The email will not be delivered to the recipient’s inbox or junk folder—it will be bounced back to you (the sender).
Passing Emails: Emails that pass both SPF and DKIM checks and align with the DMARC policy will be delivered normally to the recipient's inbox.
How to Prevent Legitimate Emails from Being Rejected
Ensure Proper SPF and DKIM Configuration:
Make sure your SPF record is correctly configured to include all authorized sending servers.
Sign your outgoing emails with DKIM and ensure the DKIM signature is valid.
Test Before Applying p=reject:
Start with a less strict policy, like p=none or p=quarantine, and monitor your DMARC reports to ensure that legitimate emails are passing the checks.
Analyze the reports to identify and fix any issues with SPF or DKIM alignment before moving to p=reject.
Monitor and Adjust:
Continue to monitor your DMARC reports after switching to p=reject to ensure that legitimate emails are not being rejected.
Conclusion
If your SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are correctly configured, and your emails are properly authenticated, the p=reject policy should not cause your legitimate emails to go to the junk mail folder. Instead, it will help protect your domain from being spoofed, and only emails that fail DMARC checks will be rejected by receiving servers.
However, if there are issues with SPF or DKIM alignment, your emails could be rejected entirely, meaning they won’t even reach the junk mail folder—they’ll bounce back to you. Therefore, it's important to thoroughly test and monitor your configuration before enforcing a p=reject policy.
