{"id":9532,"date":"2026-06-03T06:14:03","date_gmt":"2026-06-03T04:14:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mybox.com\/help\/?post_type=manual_kb&#038;p=9532"},"modified":"2026-06-03T06:14:03","modified_gmt":"2026-06-03T04:14:03","slug":"what-is-the-recommended-percentage-of-messages-quarantined-via-dmarc","status":"publish","type":"manual_kb","link":"https:\/\/mybox.com\/help\/en\/knowledgebase\/what-is-the-recommended-percentage-of-messages-quarantined-via-dmarc\/","title":{"rendered":"What is the recommended percentage of messages quarantined via DMARC?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"translation-block translation-block-merged\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When implementing a DMARC policy, it is important to consider how many messages should be affected by the policy. The <code>pct<\/code> tag allows you to specify the percentage of emails that should be processed according to the DMARC policy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is particularly useful when introducing DMARC gradually, as it allows you to monitor the impact of the policy before applying it to all messages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_86 ez-toc-wrap-left counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/mybox.com\/help\/en\/knowledgebase\/what-is-the-recommended-percentage-of-messages-quarantined-via-dmarc\/#What_Does_the_pct_Tag_Do\" >What Does the pct Tag Do?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/mybox.com\/help\/en\/knowledgebase\/what-is-the-recommended-percentage-of-messages-quarantined-via-dmarc\/#Why_Start_with_a_Lower_Percentage\" >Why Start with a Lower Percentage?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/mybox.com\/help\/en\/knowledgebase\/what-is-the-recommended-percentage-of-messages-quarantined-via-dmarc\/#Recommended_Starting_Values\" >Recommended Starting Values<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/mybox.com\/help\/en\/knowledgebase\/what-is-the-recommended-percentage-of-messages-quarantined-via-dmarc\/#Small_Organizations\" >Small Organizations<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/mybox.com\/help\/en\/knowledgebase\/what-is-the-recommended-percentage-of-messages-quarantined-via-dmarc\/#Large_Organizations\" >Large Organizations<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/mybox.com\/help\/en\/knowledgebase\/what-is-the-recommended-percentage-of-messages-quarantined-via-dmarc\/#Example_DMARC_Record\" >Example DMARC Record<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/mybox.com\/help\/en\/knowledgebase\/what-is-the-recommended-percentage-of-messages-quarantined-via-dmarc\/#Understanding_the_Percentage\" >Understanding the Percentage<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/mybox.com\/help\/en\/knowledgebase\/what-is-the-recommended-percentage-of-messages-quarantined-via-dmarc\/#Important_Consideration\" >Important Consideration<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/mybox.com\/help\/en\/knowledgebase\/what-is-the-recommended-percentage-of-messages-quarantined-via-dmarc\/#Summary\" >Summary<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Does_the_pct_Tag_Do\"><\/span>What Does the <code>pct<\/code> Tag Do?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n<div id=\"mybox-928136226\" class=\"mybox-content mybox-entity-placement\"><div class=\"early-access-banner-inpost\">\r\n  <div class=\"banner-left-inpost\">\r\n    <div class=\"icon-box-inpost\">\r\n      <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/mybox.com\/help\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/square-info-icon.svg\" alt=\"Info\">\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <div class=\"text-box-inpost\">\r\n      <span class=\"label-inpost\"><span class=\"translation-block translation-block-banner-text\">Early access<\/span><\/span>\r\n      <h4><span class=\"translation-block translation-block-banner-text\">Still need help?<\/span><\/h4>\r\n      <p><span class=\"translation-block translation-block-banner-text\">Contact our customer service team.<\/span><\/p>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n  <div class=\"banner-right-inpost\">\r\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/panel.mybox.com\/helpdesk2\/v\/list\/\" class=\"banner-button-inpost\"><span class=\"translation-block translation-block-banner-text\">Message us<\/span><\/a>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"translation-block translation-block-merged\"><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <code>pct<\/code> parameter defines the percentage of messages that will be subject to the DMARC policy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-code\"><code>v=DMARC1; p=quarantine; pct=10; rua=mailto:dmarc@yourdomain.com;<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In this example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The DMARC policy is set to <code>quarantine<\/code>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Only 10% of messages that fail DMARC checks will be quarantined.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The remaining messages will be handled normally by the receiving mail server.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_Start_with_a_Lower_Percentage\"><\/span>Why Start with a Lower Percentage?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Before enforcing DMARC across all email traffic, it is common to start with a lower percentage and gradually increase it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This approach helps:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Identify legitimate email sources that may not be configured correctly.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Reduce the risk of affecting valid email messages.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Test SPF, DKIM, and DMARC alignment.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Review DMARC reports before increasing enforcement.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Recommended_Starting_Values\"><\/span>Recommended Starting Values<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Small_Organizations\"><\/span>Small Organizations<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For smaller organizations, a starting value of:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-code\"><code>pct=10<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">is often used.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This means approximately 10% of messages that fail DMARC validation will be quarantined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The lower enforcement level allows administrators to monitor the effect of the policy while minimizing the risk of legitimate messages being treated as spam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Large_Organizations\"><\/span>Large Organizations<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For larger organizations with complex email infrastructures, a more cautious approach may be appropriate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A value such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-code\"><code>pct=1<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">can be used initially.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This means only about 1% of messages that fail DMARC validation will be affected by the policy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Large organizations often use multiple email services, third-party platforms, and shared infrastructure, making it more important to identify all legitimate sending sources before increasing enforcement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Example_DMARC_Record\"><\/span>Example DMARC Record<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-code\"><code>v=DMARC1; p=quarantine; pct=10; adkim=r; aspf=r; rua=mailto:dmarc@yourdomain.com;<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In this example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th>Tag<\/th><th>Description<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td><code>v=DMARC1<\/code><\/td><td>DMARC version<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><code>p=quarantine<\/code><\/td><td>Quarantine messages that fail DMARC<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><code>pct=10<\/code><\/td><td>Apply the policy to 10% of messages<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><code>adkim=r<\/code><\/td><td>Relaxed DKIM alignment<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><code>aspf=r<\/code><\/td><td>Relaxed SPF alignment<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><code>rua=<\/code><\/td><td>Address for aggregate DMARC reports<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Understanding_the_Percentage\"><\/span>Understanding the Percentage<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <code>pct<\/code> value determines how many messages are subject to the DMARC policy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th>Value<\/th><th>Effect<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td><code>pct=100<\/code><\/td><td>All failing messages are processed according to the policy<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><code>pct=50<\/code><\/td><td>Approximately half of failing messages are processed according to the policy<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><code>pct=10<\/code><\/td><td>Approximately one in ten failing messages is processed according to the policy<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><code>pct=1<\/code><\/td><td>Approximately one in one hundred failing messages is processed according to the policy<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As confidence in your email configuration increases, the percentage can be gradually raised until it reaches:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-code\"><code>pct=100<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Important_Consideration\"><\/span>Important Consideration<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <code>pct<\/code> parameter controls how many failing messages are affected by the DMARC policy, not how many emails are checked. All messages are still evaluated against SPF, DKIM, and DMARC rules. The percentage only determines how often the specified policy is enforced on messages that fail validation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Summary\"><\/span>Summary<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The DMARC <code>pct<\/code> tag allows you to gradually introduce DMARC enforcement by applying a policy such as <code>quarantine<\/code> to only a percentage of failing messages. Organizations often start with lower values, such as 1% or 10%, review DMARC reports, and then increase the percentage over time until the policy is applied to all failing messages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","format":"standard","manualknowledgebasecat":[62],"manual_kb_tag":[5264,5265,339,797,896,996,3114,5261,5262,5263],"class_list":["post-9532","manual_kb","type-manual_kb","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","manualknowledgebasecat-domain-management-in-panel","manual_kb_tag-gradual-rollout","manual_kb_tag-aggregate-reports","manual_kb_tag-email-deliverability","manual_kb_tag-email-authentication","manual_kb_tag-best-seo-tags","manual_kb_tag-dmarc-policy","manual_kb_tag-quarantine-policy","manual_kb_tag-start-with-pct1-for-small-organizations-and-pct1-for-large-organizations-increase-gradually-until-reaching-pct10-when-confident","manual_kb_tag-pct-tag","manual_kb_tag-percentage-enforcement"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mybox.com\/help\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/manual_kb\/9532","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mybox.com\/help\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/manual_kb"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mybox.com\/help\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/manual_kb"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mybox.com\/help\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/mybox.com\/help\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/manual_kb\/9532\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9534,"href":"https:\/\/mybox.com\/help\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/manual_kb\/9532\/revisions\/9534"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mybox.com\/help\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9532"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"manualknowledgebasecat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mybox.com\/help\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/manualknowledgebasecat?post=9532"},{"taxonomy":"manual_kb_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mybox.com\/help\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/manual_kb_tag?post=9532"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}