top of page
Bounced Email
A bounced email is an automated message from an email server that informs the sender that their email has not been delivered to its intended destination. This will indicate that something has gone wrong either on the sender side or the recipients side.
What Causes an Email Bounce?
There are a variety of reasons as to why an email will get bounced by an email server. Some reasons are more common than others, but for the most part these are the primary reasons why an outgoing piece of mail would get bounced back undelivered to you.
1. Bounced Due To A Lack Of Memory On The Email Server/Inbox
This type of bounce occurs when the recipient’s inbox does not have enough memory to store your email. In modern times, this rarely happens but can be a issue occasionally when an email bounces.
2. Bounced Due To Unreachable Destination
This will typically occur when you attempt to send an email to an address that does not exist. If a mail server cannot find the targeted destination of a recipient's inbox, it will simply bounce your message back to you and inform you that the domain/recipient's address does not exist. This does not indicate that this server/address never existed, but rather at the time of sending your email it does not.
3. Bounced Due To Failing Validation
In certain circumstances, you may receive a bounced message when attempting to contact an address with more advanced security features implemented onto their email server. If you are attempting to make contact with an email address under a domain that does not have the proper security protocols in place (DMARC, SPF, DKIM)
How Can I Prevent Emails From Getting Bounced?
It can be difficult to fully avoid having an email get bounced back at you due to the nature of never fully knowing how outside email servers are configured, but there are a few ways to ensure that your emails have the best chance at being sent. Below are a few ways to ensure the best chances at delivery.
​
bottom of page