How to Check Email Delivery Status in Mailgun

Overview

This article explains how to locate the delivery status for a specific email sent through the integrated Mailgun service within your CRM. You will learn how to search the sending logs, interpret the results, and address common delivery issues such as bounces, unsubscribes, and authentication failures.

Accessing Mailgun Sending Logs

To check the status of a specific email, you must log in to the Mailgun dashboard directly.

Steps to Search Logs

1. Log in to your Mailgun account at app.mailgun.com/app/dashboard.
2. In the left-hand menu, click Sending.
3. Select Logs from the submenu.
4. Ensure the correct sending domain is selected from the dropdown at the top of the page.
5. Click the Add Filter button.
6. From the filter dropdown, choose Recipient and enter the complete email address you are investigating.
7. Click Filter to view the results.

Analyzing the Log Results

Once you have located the email in the log list:

1. Click the gear icon (⚙) on the right side of the entry for that email.
2. Select Quick view from the menu that appears.

This view will display a preview of the email content and its detailed delivery status. If the status is marked as delivered but the recipient reports not receiving it, advise them to check their spam folder. If the issue persists, the receiving email provider may be silently blocking the message, and you should contact Mailgun support for further investigation.

Resolving Common Delivery Errors

Not Delivering to a Previously Bounced Address

If an email address has previously bounced, it is added to a suppression list to prevent future sends.

1. In the Mailgun dashboard, go to Sending → Suppressions.
2. Select the relevant domain at the top of the page.
3. Click the Bounces tab.
4. Search for the recipient's email address.
5. Select the address and click the trash icon to remove it from the bounces list.

Recipient Unsubscribed Accidentally

If a recipient was accidentally unsubscribed, you can remove them from the unsubscribes list.

1. Navigate to Sending → Suppressions.
2. Select the correct domain.
3. Switch to the Unsubscribes tab.
4. Find the email address and remove it using the trash icon.

Unauthenticated Email from a Custom Domain

This error occurs when the sending domain's DMARC policy is strict and the email authentication (SPF/DKIM) is not properly aligned. As a temporary solution, you can set the DMARC policy for your custom domain to none. If you are using a service like G Suite, refer to your email hosting provider's documentation to adjust this setting.

Unauthenticated Email from Free-Mail Domains

Sending from domains like yahoo.com, hotmail.com, aol.com, or outlook.com can frequently trigger authentication errors. A quick workaround is to change the sender's email address to use your own custom domain or a gmail.com address instead. Update the sender address in the originating application within your CRM.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why can't I find the email in the logs?

Double-check that you have selected the correct sending domain in the logs view and that your date range filter includes the time the email was sent. Logs are filtered by one domain at a time.

What is the difference between a bounce and an unsubscribe?

A bounce indicates the recipient's mail server rejected the message (e.g., due to an invalid address or full mailbox). An unsubscribe means the recipient actively opted out of receiving emails. Both prevent future sends but are managed in separate tabs (Bounces and Unsubscribes) within the Suppressions area.

How long are sending logs retained?

Log retention periods depend on your specific Mailgun plan. To look up an older email, check your plan details for the retention window or contact Mailgun support.

Can I search logs across all my domains simultaneously?

No, the Logs view only displays data for one domain at a time. Always verify the domain selection before applying your recipient filter.

Why does DMARC cause an "unauthenticated" error?

If a domain has a DMARC policy set to quarantine or reject, and the email's SPF or DKIM authentication does not align with that domain, receiving providers will mark it as unauthenticated. Setting the DMARC policy to none temporarily disables this enforcement while you correct the authentication setup.

Do I need my own Mailgun login to check this?

Yes, you must have login credentials for the specific Mailgun account that is linked to your CRM's sending domain in order to access the logs and suppression lists.