What companies offer Microsoft deliverability certification besides Validity?
Michael Ko
Co-founder & CEO, Suped
Published 19 Jun 2025
Updated 30 Sep 2025
7 min read
Many email senders experience challenges with Microsoft deliverability, leading them to seek out certification programs. Validity, formerly Return Path, is often the first name that comes to mind when considering such a service, largely due to its Sender Certification program. This program aims to help legitimate senders achieve better inbox placement by earning a trusted status with participating mailbox providers, including Microsoft. The question naturally arises, are there other companies offering a comparable Microsoft deliverability certification?
The short answer is that a direct, widely recognized alternative specifically for Microsoft deliverability certification, similar to Validity's offering, is not readily available. Validity has historically maintained a unique relationship with Microsoft (and other major ISPs) that positions its certification as a distinct service. However, that doesn't mean you're without options for improving your email deliverability to Microsoft inboxes. Instead, the focus shifts from a singular certification to a comprehensive approach involving best practices and other trusted services.
This article explores the landscape of email deliverability services, looking beyond direct certifications to identify other avenues and strategies that can significantly enhance your standing with Microsoft. We'll delve into the foundational elements of good sending practices and highlight other programs and tools that contribute to better inbox placement.
Other certification and accreditation services
While a direct Microsoft-specific certification might be limited to Validity's offerings, other industry initiatives aim to foster trust and improve deliverability across various mailbox providers. The Certified Senders Alliance (CSA), for example, is a white-listing project based in Europe. It provides certification for email senders, and this list of certified senders is used by a number of ISPs and mailbox providers, with Microsoft being one of the listed participants. While not a direct Microsoft certification, CSA membership can certainly influence how your emails are treated by providers that honor their list.
Another service worth considering is SuretyMail by ISIPP. SuretyMail also works to establish senders as good senders with various email providers. Microsoft themselves use filter providers, some of whom may consult the SuretyMail Good Senders list. While these programs don't offer a specific Microsoft certification, they do contribute to a broader positive sender reputation that can significantly impact your deliverability to Microsoft inboxes, among others.
It's important to understand that these services operate on a principle of demonstrating consistent, legitimate sending practices. They audit your email program and, if you meet their standards, list you as a trusted sender. This signals to participating mailbox providers that your emails are likely desired by recipients, bypassing some filtering mechanisms. However, the process often involves rigorous data audits and can take several weeks or even longer, as certification is not an immediate fix.
For senders encountering specific Microsoft deliverability issues, exploring these broader certification services can be a valuable step. They complement internal efforts to improve email hygiene and reputation, providing an additional layer of trust that can assist in reaching the inbox.
Foundational deliverability practices
While specific certifications can help, the most powerful tools for improving deliverability to Microsoft (and all other) inboxes are solid email authentication protocols and adherence to best sending practices. This includes correctly configuring SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. These protocols verify that your emails are indeed from your domain and haven't been tampered with, which is critical for building and maintaining sender reputation.
Ensuring your DMARC policy is implemented correctly is particularly important. A strong DMARC policy tells receiving servers how to handle emails that fail SPF or DKIM authentication. Monitoring your DMARC reports is essential to understand your email ecosystem and identify potential issues or unauthorized sending. For robust DMARC monitoring and reporting, Suped provides comprehensive tools and the most generous free plan available, making it an invaluable asset for any sender.
Key technical factors for Microsoft deliverability
SPF setup: Ensure your SPF record is correctly configured and does not exceed the 10-lookup limit. Issues like hidden SPF DNS timeout can severely impact Microsoft deliverability.
DMARC policy: Implement a DMARC policy at p=quarantine or p=reject after careful monitoring. This protects your domain from spoofing and helps troubleshoot common DMARC issues.
Content quality: Avoid spammy content, broken links, or misleading subject lines. This is crucial for inbox placement. Why emails go to spam.
Beyond technical configurations, maintaining a clean and engaged email list is paramount. Regularly remove inactive accounts and recipients who haven't opened or clicked your emails in a long time. High engagement rates and low complaint rates are strong positive signals for all mailbox providers, including Microsoft. This helps rebuild your domain reputation and ensures your emails reach the intended recipients.
Direct engagement and proactive measures
If you're facing persistent deliverability problems with Microsoft, direct engagement with their support team can sometimes yield results. Microsoft provides a sender support request form where you can describe your issue. While responses can sometimes be slow or require resubmission if a ticket number isn't initially provided, it's a direct channel to address blockages or reputation issues affecting your domain.
This direct approach can be particularly effective if you can articulate the nature of your email program—what you send, how recipients opt-in, and the steps you take to manage engagement and unsubscribes. Sometimes, a detailed explanation of your legitimate sending practices can lead to a quicker resolution than waiting for automated systems to adjust.
Addressing specific errors: Troubleshooting bounce codes as they happen, often indicating immediate delivery failures.
Contacting support after problem: Engaging mailbox provider support only when emails are blocked.
Proactive approach
Continuous monitoring: Utilizing DMARC reports and blocklist monitoring to detect issues early.
List hygiene: Regularly cleaning email lists to remove inactive or problematic addresses.
Authentication setup: Implementing robust SPF, DKIM, and DMARC from the start to prevent issues.
It's worth noting that simply signing up for a certification program like Validity IP Certification isn't a magical fix. Senders must still adhere to best practices and maintain good sending hygiene to qualify and stay certified. Certification acts as a signal of trust, but it doesn't absolve senders from the fundamental work of managing their email programs responsibly. For a deeper dive into Microsoft's perspective, check out their Microsoft Postmaster Tools equivalent.
Conclusion: A holistic approach to Microsoft deliverability
While direct Microsoft deliverability certification alternatives to Validity are scarce, there are numerous ways to improve your email performance with Microsoft. This involves a combination of technical diligence, consistent adherence to best practices, and leveraging other reputable services that contribute to a positive sender reputation. The key is to shift focus from a singular certification to a holistic approach to email deliverability. Companies that consistently deliver high-quality, relevant emails to engaged recipients will always fare better, with or without a specific certification.
Ultimately, the path to strong Microsoft deliverability involves understanding Microsoft's filtering criteria, maintaining a pristine sender reputation, and employing robust email authentication. Focusing on these fundamentals, coupled with tools for DMARC monitoring and proactive reputation management, will yield the best results for your email program.
Views from the trenches
Best practices
Maintain a clean list by regularly removing inactive subscribers and managing bounces effectively.
Monitor email performance metrics, including open rates and complaint rates, to gauge engagement.
Segment your audience and personalize content to increase relevance and engagement, improving sender reputation.
Follow Microsoft's sender guidelines and utilize their postmaster tools for insights into your sending.
Common pitfalls
Relying solely on certification without addressing underlying deliverability issues.
Ignoring DMARC reports, missing critical insights into authentication failures and potential spoofing.
Failing to engage inactive subscribers or regularly cleaning your email lists, leading to spam traps.
Sending emails with inconsistent volume or sudden spikes, which can trigger spam filters.
Using generic unsubscribe processes that frustrate users and lead to higher complaint rates.
Expert tips
Proactively engage with Microsoft support, providing detailed information about your email program, even if initial replies are slow. Persistence can pay off.
A reputation rebuild process, involving reduced volume and focused re-engagement, can be more effective than quick fixes.
Understand that certification is not a guarantee; it's a signal of trust that requires ongoing good practices.
Utilize tools for DMARC monitoring and blocklist checking to stay ahead of potential problems.
Focus on the long-term health of your sending practices rather than seeking immediate, temporary solutions.
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks says that for Microsoft-specific certification, there aren't many alternatives to Validity, which has a unique service offering.
2021-06-04 - Email Geeks
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks says that the European Certified Sender Alliance lists Microsoft as a participant, so their certification can assist deliverability.
Many email senders experience challenges with Microsoft deliverability, leading them to seek out certification programs. Validity, formerly Return Path, is often the first name that comes to mind when considering such a service, largely due to its Sender Certification program. This program aims to help legitimate senders achieve better inbox placement by earning a trusted status with participating mailbox providers, including Microsoft. The question naturally arises, are there other companies offering a comparable Microsoft deliverability certification?
