Microsoft Outlook Bulk Email Changes: What You Need to Know

Microsoft Outlook Bulk Email Changes: What You Need to Know

Dear Marketers,

We want to bring your attention to an important upcoming change announced by Microsoft (Outlook) that will impact users sending bulk emails to Outlook.com, Hotmail.com, and other Microsoft-hosted inboxes. This update focuses on strengthening email authentication to improve inbox security and reduce spam. These measures will help reduce spoofing, phishing, and spam activity, empowering legitimate senders with stronger brand protection and better deliverability.

Microsoft's New Requirements for Bulk Senders:

Microsoft is introducing new requirements for domains sending more than 5,000 emails per day. Starting May 5th, 2025, Outlook will begin enforcing stricter email authentication standards.

Key Changes to Be Aware Of:

  • Mandatory SPF (Sender Policy Framework): Your sending domain must pass SPF authentication. Ensure your domain's DNS record accurately lists all authorized IP addresses and hosts that send emails on your behalf.

  • Mandatory DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail): Your emails must pass DKIM authentication. This validates the integrity and authenticity of your emails.

  • Mandatory DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance): Your domain must have a DMARC record in place, and alignment with either SPF or DKIM (preferably both for optimal deliverability).

Impact on Non-Compliant Senders:

  • Initial Routing to Junk: After May 5th, 2025, emails from high-volume senders that do not comply with these authentication requirements will initially be routed to the Junk folder.

  • Future Rejection: Microsoft has stated that in the future, non-compliant emails will be rejected entirely to further protect their users.

Recommendations for Zoho Marketing Automation Users:

As users of Zoho Marketing Automation, especially if you send bulk email campaigns that might exceed 5,000 emails per day to Microsoft-hosted inboxes, it's crucial to take the following steps now to ensure your email deliverability is not affected:

  • Review Your DNS Records: Audit your SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records for the domains you use to send emails through Zoho Marketing Automation. Verify that they are correctly configured and accurately reflect your sending infrastructure.

  • Ensure SPF Passes: Confirm that your SPF record includes all necessary sending sources for Zoho Marketing Automation.

  • Ensure DKIM is Implemented: Verify that DKIM signing is properly set up for your sending domains within Zoho Marketing Automation.

  • Implement DMARC: If you haven't already, implement a DMARC record in your DNS. Starting with p=none allows you to monitor your email authentication results before moving to stricter policies.

  • Configure Custom Return PathThis dedicated custom return-path address allows you to receive detailed notifications about email bounces, enabling you to analyze delivery issues and proactively manage your email lists.

  • Follow Email Hygiene Best Practices: While not strictly mandatory yet, adopting the following practices will further enhance your deliverability and sender reputation:

    • Use compliant and valid "From" and "Reply-To" addresses.

    • Include functional and easily accessible unsubscribe links.

    • Maintain clean email lists and manage bounces effectively.

    • Practice transparent mailing practices with clear subject lines and proper consent.

Next Steps for You:

  1. Prepare Now: Review and update your SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records immediately.

  2. Help Resources: If you need assistance with setting up SPF, DKIM, or DMARC, refer to Zoho Marketing Automation's help documentation.

This update from Microsoft underscores the increasing importance of proper email authentication for ensuring reliable email delivery. By taking proactive steps now, you can safeguard your email campaigns and maintain strong deliverability to Outlook inboxes.

We will continue to monitor this situation and provide any further updates or guidance relevant to using Zoho Marketing Automation. Keep an eye on our community forums and announcements.

Notes
It's important to note that Zoho Marketing Automation will not impose restrictions on email sending; however, users are strongly encouraged to proactively implement these authentication measures on their end to maximize deliverability

If you have any questions or concerns regarding this, please don't hesitate to reach out to our support@zohomarketingautomation.com or engage in the community forums.

Happy Marketing!
The Zoho Marketing Automation Team

    • Sticky Posts

    • Marketer’s Space - Automating CRM Actions with Journeys – Part 2

      Hello marketers! Welcome back to another post in Marketer’s Space. In our previous post, we explored how CRM actions in Journeys help marketing and sales teams work together by nurturing CRM leads and pushing only engaged prospects back to sales. If you
    • Introducing automation and utility conversations in WhatsApp marketing

      We’re excited to announce the addition of two new features to our WhatsApp integration: Automation and Utility conversations. These enhancements will allow you to streamline your marketing efforts and engage with your customers more effectively by automating
    • Tip of the week 02 - The art of 'seeing' your leads

      What's the last page that your lead visited before signing up for your brand? What was the page that first convinced your lead to explore more about you? Where are your leads coming in from? Well, these are some perennial questions today's marketers live upon. And, knowing the answers to these questions is crucial, considering the vitality of leads in every business. In the journey of finding lead opportunities, it's important to understand that every detail about a lead is useful. While the channels
    • Zoho Marketing Automation Update: Topics, Contacts, and List Management

      At Zoho Marketing Automation, our highest priority is making it easier for you to use our product to accomplish your business goals. With that in mind, we are updating three of our pivotal features: Topic, Contacts, and List Management.   These existing
    • Important: Zoho MarketingHub is now Zoho Marketing Automation

      Hello Everyone,   We hope you all are doing well. We'd like to notify you that we have rebranded Zoho MarketingHub to Zoho Marketing Automation. We'll discontinue using the term "MarketingHub" from May 26, 2021. However, there will be no changes in the

    Nederlandse Hulpbronnen


      • Recent Topics

      • New Search Function

        Hey Team, The search function updated in our CRM about a week ago, so I assume it was an automated update across Zoho. It no longer displays leads/deals etc in Chronological order so that the most recently created or updated is the first to display which
      • Better integration between Zoho CRM and Zoho Bookings

        I've noticed that when a meeting which was created in Zoho Bookings is updated by a sales person in Zoho CRM, the change is not reflected back into Zoho Bookings. I have raised this with support who advised that meetings created in Bookings need to be
      • Offline mode on Android TV app?

        Hello! Is there a way to use Zoho Show offline in the Android TV app? I have an Android TV based projector, and I travel with it, and don't want to have to rely on a steady internet connection when giving a presentation.
      • Enhancements to Custom Connectors in Zoho Creator

        Hello everyone, At Zoho Creator, we believe in providing you with the necessary tools to achieve a well connected ecosystem of apps. Our Custom Connectors feature is a testament to this, enabling you to integrate with a wide range of external services
      • issues with manually shipping sales orders - advise needed please

        we are new to zoho inventory. we are going to roll the program out to our company within a couple of weeks and during the implementation process we have come into a roadblock with manually packaging and shipping sales orders. its important to note important
      • Problem with the "Search" function

        Hi, I've been using Workdrive for a few days and lately, the files I added in Workdrive don't appear in the search. It looks like my latest files aren't indexed. Are you aware of this issue ? 
      • Connect Woocommerce new order to zoho books via zoho flow

        Hello i want help to create a flow to create a new sales order from woocommerce to zoho books. Can someone send me step by step flow, functions and fields?
      • [Webinar] Deluge Learning Series - AI-Powered Automation using Zoho Deluge and Gemini

        We’re excited to invite you to an exclusive 1-hour webinar where we’ll demonstrate how to bring the power of Google’s Gemini AI into your Zoho ecosystem using Deluge scripting. Whether you're looking to automate data extraction from PDFs or dynamically
      • Getting error "invalid warehouse_id" when trying to update any transaction in Zoho books

        I got a message from Zoho saying that the Warehouse and Branch has been merged into one category "Locations" Once I migrated to this setup I was no longer able to edit any invoice / create creadit notes - got an error saying "invalid warehouse_id" I never
      • customize payment page

        Is there a way to customize, other than the theme colour, the payment page that customers are taken to from invoices? I can't seem to find a way. I just don't like the formatting of the current page and would like to make it look better. I've looked at
      • Delay function execute

        I've got a workflow which uses a webhook to send information to Flow, which in return updates a record in Creator. Problem is, by the time this has executed, the rest of my script has run and can't find the (yet to be) updated info in the record. Is there
      • Return "kit_quantity" when fetching Kit items via "List all the items" API call

        I have been appreciating the new Kits feature quite a bit, it is exactly what we were looking for in Zoho to solve many pain points. However, there is 1 problem I am running into and that is the fact there is no stock information that can be pulled for
      • Automating Pricing in Zoho Inventory Based on Brandline Quantity

        I am currently setting up my Zoho Inventory system and would like to implement an automatic pricing feature for sales orders. We have created a custom field called "brandline" for our items. All products with the same brandline value should have the same
      • Tags with Zapier

        Maybe I'm missing something....I hope so... Using tags for triggers is a key need.  This prevents us from having a ton of different lists. I am trying to find out how to add a tag using zapier when someone makes a purchase....but it doesn't seem to be
      • Print & PDF Support for Composite items

        There needs to be a way to print a composite item showing all the components, qty & images.
      • Build custom AI solutions with Catalyst’s QuickML capabilities in CRM

        Hello everyone, We’re thrilled to announce an improvement for our Zoho CRM Enterprise users: the ability to create custom AI solutions using Catalyst’s QuickML directly from Zoho CRM. As you may already know, Zia, Zoho CRM’s AI-powered assistant, offers
      • Querying CloudSQL using NodeJS?

        How can I query CloudSQL over nodejs? Are there any rest apis from which I perform Select Queries in the data of a Workspace? In the v1 we had C#, Python, Java for CloudSQL Now I only see Java? I am confused about the overall API of Analytics, there any
      • We cant create a custom function

      • More context, fewer tabs: View lookup modules' data within a CRM Canvas page

        Hello everyone, How often do your users juggle multiple browser tabs just to piece together the full context of a record? This update can make their lives easier. You can now add lookup modules' fields to a Canvas detail view page and a Canvas list view
      • Claude + MCP Server + Zoho CRM Integration – AI-Powered Sales Automation

        Hello Zoho Community 👋 I’m excited to share a recent integration we’ve worked on at OfficehubTech: ✅ Claude + MCP Server + Zoho CRM This integration connects Zoho CRM with Claude AI through our custom MCP Server, enabling intelligent AI-driven responses
      • Live webinar: Power-up your business presentations with Show's add-ons

        We all spend a good amount of time building presentations for meetings, reports, and pitches. But even with good content, slides can sometimes feel basic or less engaging. That’s where having the right tools helps. With Zoho Show’s add-ons, you can embed
      • Zoho Inventory Feature Roadmap Visible To All

        Hello, please consider making your feature roadmap visible to us users so that we know what to expect in future. This may appease current users who are seeking clarification on feature implementation dates, so that they can make an informed decision whether
      • Data Template Amending

        Hi, is it possible to remove data templates once you have applied them in Workdrive? Also, once I have added a new field to a data template can I mass update multiple files who have already been allocated that template and amend just that one added
      • Upcoming Changes to LinkedIn Parsing in Resume Extractor

        Starting 31 July 2025, the Zoho Recruit Resume Extractor will no longer support direct parsing of candidate data from LinkedIn profiles. Why Is This Change Needed? In accordance with LinkedIn’s platform policies, extracting profile data through browser
      • Writer very buggy and glitchy after only a few minutes of use... oh my.

        I am finding Writer to be very buggy and glitchy while using it. I've tried it in Firefox, Chrome, Safari... all Mac. Complete words get deleted on backspace (probably a feature, but disconcerting and bad design, esp. if you just want to delete a couple
      • Important! ZipRecruiter Sponsored Posting Plan Changes in Zoho Recruit

        Greetings, We’re reaching out to inform you about an important upcoming change to the ZipRecruiter Sponsored job board integration within Zoho Recruit. What’s Changing? Starting June 1, 2025, Zoho Recruit will be updated with ZipRecruiter's latest pricing
      • How can I use the API to add a drop-shipping address to a sales order for one-time use?

        I need to be able to add a drop-shipping address for one-time use to a sales order via the API. Adding every such address to the contact (customer), then feeding the shippingaddress_id into the sales order, is not an acceptable approach; we have some
      • Mass Print Attachments from Selected Records in Custom Module

        Dear Zoho CRM Team, We’d like to request a feature enhancement regarding the handling of attachments. Use Case: We have a custom module that stores invoices uploaded by our affiliates. Currently, we need to open each record individually to print these
      • how to integrate zoho bigin to wordpress website ?

        hello , i want to integrate zoho bigin to wordpress webiste , can anyone help me with the tutorial ?
      • Surely it's time Inline editing from views

        I think the first request I found for in-line editing from grids was approximately 12 years ago - that post was locked because it was suggested Zoho sheetview solved the problem. However, it's now 2024, and in-line editing from grids is just a basic expectation.
      • Issue with POST request creating Calls in CRM

        Hello, I am in the middle of integrating some 3rd party Call center API with Zoho CRM and going through our logs I see some discrepencies. We sometimes get an error: {"data":[{"code":"INVALID_DATA","details":{"api_name":"Call_Duration","json_path":"$.data[0].Call_Duration"},"message":"Please
      • Session "Ask Me Anything" Zoho France - Le 26 Juin 2025 14h à 17h (en Français

        Chers Utilisateurs, Vous cherchez à mieux comprendre Zoho CRM ou Zoho Desk ? Nos experts seront disponibles pour répondre à toutes vos questions lors de notre session Ask Me Anything. Rejoignez-nous ici pour en discuter en ligne. Pendant trois heures,
      • only lastname as index(?) field in custom module

        Hello, I have a small problem. I have created a custom module. The data records are only labeled with the last names. Also in the lookup etc.... It's stupid if you have different first names with the same surname. Then I only ever see the surname. In
      • Canvas View - Print

        What is the best way to accomplish a print to PDF of the canvas view?
      • Sesión "Ask me anything" Zoho en Español - 26 de junio de 2025, de 14:00 a 17:00 (en español)

        ¡Hola Comunidad! ¿Quieres entender mejor Zoho CRM o Zoho Desk? Nuestros expertos estarán disponibles para responder a todas tus preguntas durante nuestra sesión "Ask me anything". Puedes comentar este artículo y durante tres horas, nuestro equipo estará
      • How to read content out of File (Excel, Zoho Sheet, CSV) and iterate through rows

        Hello, I'd like to be able to iterate through all the rows in a CSV or Excel/Zoho Sheet file to perform actions on them. How is this possible in Flow? Thanks in advance! Best regards, Sven
      • Import CSV file into Zoho CRM using Zoho Flow?

        Is there a way to automate the import of contacts from Zoho Flow to Zoho CRM? I have a csv file on a remote server that I would like to pull off and import/update on a schedule.  I know you can do it with Zapier but I would like to stay within the Zoho
      • Domain Change from apkbark.com to apkbark.io – Do I Need to Setup Zoho Mail Again?

        I recently migrated my website from the old domain https://apkbark.com to the new domain https://apkbark.io. The Zoho Mail setup was previously configured and working perfectly on the old domain. Now I would like to know: Will my Zoho Mail setup automatically
      • TDS Filing

        Is there any option for automatic 26Q and 24Q filing in Zoho books. Even Tally has this option. Why don't Zoho has this ? Is there any customisation available for this ?
      • In the Blue Print Transition requirement received it will show 8 check field in pop up if they any one of this field then only move to next stage Ist quote

        In the Blue Print Transition requirement received it will show 8 check field in pop up if they any one of this field then only move to next stage Ist quote Pls help how i fix this
      • Next Page