How to resolve 'HELO/EHLO outbound.qs.icloud.com is not matching your DNS configuration' error in iCloud Mail?

HELO/EHLO DNS Configuration, Mail doesn't deliver email to specific address

Mac OS 15.4.1 / iPhone 18.4.1


I cannot send email via Mail iCloud to one distinctive email provider. The emails bounce back after hours with this msg: "refused to talk to me: 421 EHLO MXIN201 Your HELO/EHLO outbound.qs.icloud.com is not matching you DNS configuration"


This happens when I send email via iCloud with wifi on. If I send it thru my iPhone mobile service (wifi off) the email reaches its destination 100%. Also, I can reach it thru gmail or outlook accounts. Strangely enough I can reach my iCloud address from that other email address no problem. Even more strange: I can send email to that email address using iCloud webmail.

I have spent hours talking to Apple Support and the provider, to no avail. The provider says it's an issue with iCloud. Apple says it's a problem with the provider.

I have checked ALL settings (osx mail, system, router) and cannot find any problem. All settings are as expected. I have latest software on all devices. I have switched off all security software (Norton). This issue started after I installed OSX 15.4. but I doubt that this is the problem.


[Re-Titled by Moderator]

iMac (2017 – 2020)

Posted on Apr 17, 2025 8:44 AM

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Posted on Apr 23, 2025 3:06 AM

This is what I did: 1.5 hrs on the phone with Apple Support to absolutely no avail. They don’t see the issue on their side😬. Very disappointing to say the least.

With so many people having this issue why doesn‘t Apple look into this? There must be people working there that can understand what‘s going on!

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Apr 23, 2025 3:06 AM in response to intwrisit

This is what I did: 1.5 hrs on the phone with Apple Support to absolutely no avail. They don’t see the issue on their side😬. Very disappointing to say the least.

With so many people having this issue why doesn‘t Apple look into this? There must be people working there that can understand what‘s going on!

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Apr 23, 2025 3:00 AM in response to PeterKurt

This error typically occurs when the hostname in your email server's EHLO greeting doesn't match the forward-confirmed reverse DNS record for your server's IP address.

To resolve this, you may need to contact iCloud Support or the email provider to verify and adjust the DNS configuration on the server.

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Apr 29, 2025 2:50 AM in response to PeterKurt

This is doing my head in now. While connected to my home network I'm unable to send from myself@icloud.com to any ntlworld.com or virginmedia.com address. I just get the error in the opening post, not straight away, but after a number of hours. I have several icloud addresses and I've tried both the main address and the aliases and the result is the same. I've tried everything, restarts, reboots, altering mail privacy/IP hiding settings in iCloud, turning private relay off, all to no avail. If I tether to my phone and use mobile data (or just turn off wifi from my phone and send from there) it works fine, just not while I'm connected to my home network, which is a Virgin Media connection.


One thing that does work....if I just go to iCloud.com on the web and send the mail from there, it works, even while I'm connected to my home network. I'm not sure why that gets around it, but it's hardly convenient as I'd rather just use the Mac Mail app.

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Apr 23, 2025 6:18 AM in response to R2014

Solution found!

Following a suggestion from a very savvy user in the German Apple Community , I changed my DNS settings on my iPhone to 8.8.8.8 (Google), deleted the DNS numbers from my provider. Sent a test email to the troublesome email Adress and - it was delivered!

Next I did the same on my iMac , then deleted the Google DNS and reinstalled the original DNS settings on my iMac , sent an email and it got delivered right away. Somehow the DNS and SMTP settings must have got corrupted after update to 15.4. / 18.4.

I'll keep my fingers crossed.


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Apr 23, 2025 2:49 AM in response to PeterKurt

I have the same problem. So i did a view test with dmarctester.com.

From my iphone and select my own domain e-mail everything is ok and all records (spf,dkim and dmarc) are ok and the e-mail wil pass.

from my outlook client you need to send the mail as your own e-mail adres, when you use your icloud.com adres and send it on behave it wil fail anyway.

From my own domain adres it gives an error on the spf and dmarc records. But the DKIM is ok. So the overall wil pass.

I checked all my DNS settings and they are ok (v=spf1 include:icloud.com ~all and v=DMARC1; p=quarantine; fo=1)

There seems no problem, but spf wil not pass. Is there a problem with the spf of Apple? is it incompleet?

The mail from my outlook client uses the Host p-east3-cluster1-host10-snip4-10.eps.apple.com

Do you have all the same problem?

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Apr 23, 2025 8:44 AM in response to PeterKurt

sorry, my testing and all the right settings dit not work, stil have a bounce back😬:

host mxin10.ziggo.nl[84.116.6.2] refused to talk to me:

421 EHLO

MXIN201 Your HELO/EHLO outbound.qs.icloud.com is not matching your

    DNS

configuration p-east3-cluster2-host11-snip4-1.eps.apple.com

psrc=57.103.87.232

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Apr 28, 2025 9:25 AM in response to RetiredPeter

Exactly the same here.

can not send from iPhone to my 3 virgin emsil addresses over WiFi.

I can send with wifi off though using data though.

I can also send to gmail no problems regardless of WiFi on or off.


this has only happened since latest iPhone upgrade to 18.4.1 so This is an Apple problem!!!!


I can also receive Mail on all my emails on my mobile.

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Apr 28, 2025 9:38 AM in response to bilabonic

Same here getting the exact same problem since 18.4.1 upgrade.


can only send to Virgin/not email with data.


i can send to gmail no problems.


I can also send from any email to my phone.

all outward Mail I have to use data only which I forgot to.



!!! PLEASE FIX THIS APPLE SINCE YOUR LAST UPDATE TO 18.4.1 !!!!

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How to resolve 'HELO/EHLO outbound.qs.icloud.com is not matching your DNS configuration' error in iCloud Mail?

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