Aws mail gmail blocking 550

A common issue!

When AWS Simple Email Service (SES) is unable to deliver an email to a Gmail address, you may receive a 550 error response. This error typically indicates that the recipient's email server (in this case, Gmail) is blocking the email due to various reasons.

Here are some common causes of 550 errors when sending emails from AWS SES to Gmail:

  1. SPF (Sender Policy Framework) configuration: Gmail checks the SPF record of the sending domain to verify that the IP address sending the email is authorized to do so. If the SPF record is not properly configured or does not include the IP addresses of your SES sending servers, Gmail may block the email.
  2. DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) configuration: DKIM is another authentication mechanism that helps prevent email spoofing. If your domain is not properly configured for DKIM or the DKIM signature is invalid, Gmail may block the email.
  3. DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance) configuration: DMARC is a more recent authentication mechanism that helps prevent email spoofing. If your domain is not properly configured for DMARC or the DMARC policy is set to reject or quarantine, Gmail may block the email.
  4. IP address reputation: If your SES sending servers have a poor reputation or have been used to send spam emails in the past, Gmail may block emails from those IP addresses.
  5. Content filtering: Gmail may block emails that contain certain keywords, attachments, or formatting that are considered suspicious or malicious.

To resolve the 550 error and get your emails delivered to Gmail addresses, try the following:

  1. Verify your SPF record: Ensure that your SPF record is properly configured and includes the IP addresses of your SES sending servers.
  2. Configure DKIM: Set up DKIM for your domain and ensure that the DKIM signature is valid.
  3. Configure DMARC: Set up DMARC for your domain and ensure that the DMARC policy is set to none or relaxed.
  4. Warm up your IP addresses: If you're using a new IP address for sending emails, warm it up by sending a small volume of emails to a small group of recipients and gradually increasing the volume and scope.
  5. Monitor your IP address reputation: Keep an eye on your IP address reputation and take steps to improve it if necessary.
  6. Check your email content: Ensure that your email content is legitimate and not triggering Gmail's content filtering.
  7. Contact Gmail support: If you've tried the above steps and still encounter issues, contact Gmail support for further assistance.

Remember to always follow best practices for email sending and ensure that your emails are legitimate and not spammy.