Real test
The real test gives you a temporary address. You send it an email from the system you want to test (your mail server, your app or your website) and MailSolid shows you how it arrived.
Who can do it: any member of the workspace. There is an hourly limit on tests in the workspace.
Before you start: you need to be able to send an email from the system you want to test.
Run a test
Section titled “Run a test”- Open Real test in the sidebar and press New test.
- Send an email to this address appears, with the address and a button to copy it. A countdown shows how much time is left: the address works for about 30 minutes.
- From your system, send an email to that address.
- Leave the screen open. The result appears by itself, usually within seconds.
Each address takes up to 3 messages. If a test is already waiting, Real test opens it directly. If the address expires before any email arrives, the console says so and you start a new test.
Read the result
Section titled “Read the result”The verdict comes first, and it depends mostly on DMARC, which is what receivers decide on:
| Verdict | What it means |
|---|---|
| Authenticated and encrypted | It passed DMARC and arrived over an encrypted connection (and without a high spam score). |
| Authenticated, with warnings | It passed DMARC, but look at the encryption and the spam score. |
| Authentication failed | Receivers that enforce DMARC can send this message to spam or reject it. Check SPF and DKIM. |
| Authentication incomplete | DMARC could not confirm the message: receivers may treat it with suspicion. |
Below there are three facts at a glance:
- DMARC: the result.
- Encryption: Yes or No, depending on whether the message arrived over an encrypted connection (TLS).
- Spam score: Clean (below 4), Borderline (from 4 to below 6) or Likely to be marked as spam (6 or more). Lower is better.
Connection
Section titled “Connection”It shows the Sending IP, the Reverse DNS (PTR), the HELO name, the TLS (Encrypted with its bits, or Not encrypted), the From domain, the Envelope sender domain and how many DKIM signatures it carried.
Authentication
Section titled “Authentication”A table with SPF, DKIM, DMARC and ARC, with the result of each and whether it is aligned with the From domain. DMARC passes when SPF or DKIM passes and aligns.
Spam score
Section titled “Spam score”It shows the score and the rules that added to it. When there is detail, the rules table under Spam score lists all the rules with what they add or subtract, the heaviest first, and you can filter it by the rules that add, those that subtract, the neutral ones or all. What to fix first highlights the rules that add the most points and have a known fix. Provider noise groups header rules triggered by the sending provider’s own servers (for example Microsoft 365 or Google): they are not part of the score and are not a problem with your setup.
Compared with the DNS
Section titled “Compared with the DNS”MailSolid analyses the DNS of the From domain and compares it with the message. If everything agrees you see Match; if not, a list of differences with their severity. This comparison runs a Domain health analysis: it counts toward the workspace hourly limit and stays in that section (with the Open the analysis link). If part of the DNS could not be read, the console warns that the comparison may be incomplete.
After the test
Section titled “After the test”- Check for more messages looks for another email that reached the same address (up to 3).
- Download PDF generates a PDF of the result.
- Previous tests lists your tests with their date and status: Waiting, Received or Expired. Tests are kept for 12 months.
If something fails
Section titled “If something fails”- Minutes pass and nothing arrives: if the countdown reached zero, the address expired; start a new test and send the email to the full address the screen shows.
- “We could not analyse this message”: send it again to the same address; that attempt does not count against its 3 messages.
- “Too many tests this hour”: wait a while and try again.
- “The real test is not available right now”: try again later.
- “That test does not exist or is older than 12 months”: open one from Previous tests, or run a new one.
- The comparison with the DNS is not available: the rest of the result does not depend on it.
Frequently asked questions
Section titled “Frequently asked questions”Can I reuse the address? Up to 3 messages and as long as it has not expired.
Why does it say “Authenticated, with warnings” if it passed DMARC? Because the message did not arrive encrypted or the spam score is high (6 or more). Look at those two facts.