> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://squad.so/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Fix email problems

> Fix the common problems with agent inboxes: send caps, custom domains, bounces, spam, scheduled sends, and inboxes that do not set up.

This page assumes that at least one agent has an inbox. To add one, see [Give an agent an email inbox](/docs/email).

## An agent cannot send because of a cap

Symptom: an email does not go out. The chat shows a card for the failed send, and the error names a cap. For example: "Daily send cap (\[n]) reached for \[address] (including scheduled sends). Adjust in agent settings."

Cause: the send went over one of the send caps. Squad checks these caps before an agent sends:

| Cap                                           | Scope                | Who can change it          |
| --------------------------------------------- | -------------------- | -------------------------- |
| Sends per minute                              | Each inbox           | Nobody in the dashboard    |
| Different recipients in 5 minutes             | Each inbox           | Nobody in the dashboard    |
| **Daily send cap**, over a rolling 24 hours   | Each inbox           | You, in the inbox settings |
| Workspace daily cap, over a rolling 24 hours  | All inboxes together | Nobody in the dashboard    |
| Workspace monthly cap, over a rolling 30 days | All inboxes together | Nobody in the dashboard    |

For the numbers, see [Limits and defaults](/docs/limits-and-defaults).

The caps count sent email, scheduled sends in the same time window, and drafts that wait for your approval. The windows are rolling. Capacity comes back as older sends leave the window, not at midnight.

The error names the cap:

| Error                                                                                                                                        | Cap                               |
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------- |
| "Per-minute send rate (\[n]/min) reached for \[address] (including scheduled sends). Try again shortly."                                     | Sends per minute                  |
| "Recipient burst cap (\[n] distinct in 5 min) would be exceeded. Send fewer at once or space them out."                                      | Different recipients in 5 minutes |
| "Daily send cap (\[n]) reached for \[address] (including scheduled sends). Adjust in agent settings."                                        | **Daily send cap** of the inbox   |
| "Workspace daily send cap (\[n]) reached (including scheduled sends). Adjust in admin settings or wait until tomorrow."                      | Workspace daily cap               |
| "Workspace monthly send cap (\[n]) reached (including scheduled sends). Adjust in admin settings or wait for the rolling window to free up." | Workspace monthly cap             |

<Note>The two workspace errors say "Adjust in admin settings". You cannot change the workspace caps in the dashboard. Wait until capacity comes back.</Note>

Fix:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Email">
    Open **Email**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Open the inbox settings">
    Select the gear next to the inbox. The settings for that inbox open.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Read the meter">
    On the **Daily send cap** card, read the meter "\[n] of \[cap] sent today".
  </Step>

  <Step title="Raise the cap">
    To allow more sends, type a larger number in **Daily send cap**.
  </Step>
</Steps>

Or wait until capacity comes back, then select retry on the chat card. An agent can also schedule the send for a later time.

A cap only stops sending. The inbox stays live, and the agent still receives and reads new mail.

<Warning>The caps do not apply when you approve a draft with **✓ Approve & send**, **✓ Approve & send draft**, or **✓ Save & send**. The caps limit only what agents send by themselves.</Warning>

## The custom domain does not verify

You connect a domain in **Settings** > **Email Domains**. The domain shows one of these states:

| State                        | What it means                              |
| ---------------------------- | ------------------------------------------ |
| **Waiting for DNS**          | Squad waits for you to add the DNS records |
| **Checking DNS…**            | Squad is checking your records             |
| **Verification failed**      | Squad did not find the correct records     |
| **Connected · DNS verified** | The domain is ready                        |

Symptom: the domain stays at **Waiting for DNS** or shows **Verification failed**.

Cause: the DNS records are missing or wrong, or your DNS host has not published them yet.

Fix:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Email Domains">
    Open **Settings** > **Email Domains**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Compare the records">
    Compare each row under **DNS RECORDS** with the records at your DNS host. Each row shows Verified or Pending.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Fix the records">
    Add or correct the records at your DNS host.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Verify">
    Select **Verify now**.
  </Step>
</Steps>

Squad checks again for a few minutes after you select **Verify now**. DNS changes can take longer to publish. If a record is still Pending, wait and select **Verify now** again.

### The inboxes still use the old address

Symptom: the domain is verified, but an existing inbox still sends from the default address.

Cause: only inboxes that you create after the domain is verified use the domain automatically. Existing inboxes keep their address.

Fix: open the settings for the inbox. On the **Identity** card, choose the new domain for the address. The dialog says that the old address stops receiving and that its scheduled sends are canceled. Confirm to continue.

### The domain is refused when you add it

| Error                                                                                                               | Cause                                     | Fix                                                                                                               |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| "This workspace already has a custom domain (\[domain]). Delete it first if you want to switch to a different one." | A workspace can have one custom domain.   | Remove the current domain first. See [The custom domain cannot be removed](#the-custom-domain-cannot-be-removed). |
| The domain, then "doesn't look like a valid domain"                                                                 | The text is not a domain name.            | Type only the domain, for example `mail.example.com`, with no `https://` and no path.                             |
| The domain, then "is already registered to another workspace"                                                       | Another Squad workspace uses this domain. | Use a different domain or subdomain. If the other workspace is yours, remove the domain there first.              |

## The custom domain cannot be removed

Symptom: you select **Remove** and confirm, but the domain stays. The error says that the domain "is still in use by" one or more inboxes, and "Delete or change those addresses first."

Cause: Squad does not remove a domain while an inbox has an address on it. This includes inboxes that are still being set up. The confirm dialog says "Agents will fall back to the default sending domain." That does not happen today.

Fix:

1. Open the settings of each inbox on that domain.
2. On the **Identity** card, change the address to the default domain. Or delete the inbox.
3. Open **Settings** > **Email Domains** and select **Remove** again.

<Warning>When you delete the last inbox in your workspace, Squad also removes your custom domain.</Warning>

## A sent email bounced, but the message shows "Sent"

Symptom: someone says that they did not get an email. In **Email**, the message shows **Sent**.

Cause: the Email screen does not show bounces or spam complaints today. A bounced email still shows **Sent**, with no reason.

Fix:

1. Open **Live Feed**.
2. Look for an entry that starts with "Email bounced to", "Email marked as spam by", or "Email to" and ends with "was rejected by the mail provider".
3. Open the entry. Its detail shows the reason when the mail provider gives one.

If many emails bounce, the address list is probably old. Ask the agent to check the list before it sends more.

## An agent did not reply to an email

Check these causes in order.

**A block rule stopped the email.** Mail from a blocked sender or domain does not reach the inbox. Open the inbox settings and check **Allow & block rules**. Remove the rule if it is wrong.

**The email was marked as spam.** Squad keeps email that the mail provider marks as spam, but it does not wake the agent for it and does not notify you. The message can still be in the inbox. Ask the agent to read it.

```text Ask the agent theme={null}
Please read the latest email from [sender] in your inbox and handle it.
```

**The handling instructions leave this email out.** Open the inbox settings and read **Handling instructions**. Agents follow these instructions. They are guidance only, so Squad does not force them.

**The agent's runs are failing.** See [Fix an agent that is stuck or failing](/docs/agent-stuck).

## An agent sent something that it should not send

Squad does not have a setting that forces every email to wait for your approval. Agents can send email directly.

To reduce the risk:

1. Open the inbox settings and make **Handling instructions** clear. For example, tell the agent to draft every reply for your review.
2. Add a block rule for senders or domains that the agent must not email. Use **＋ Add rule** on **Allow & block rules**, and choose the direction.
3. Lower the **Daily send cap** for that inbox.

You cannot recall an email after it is sent.

## A scheduled send fails or does not go out

These rules apply to scheduled sends:

* The send time must be at least 60 seconds in the future.
* A scheduled send cannot have attachments.
* The caps apply around the send time. If the send would break a cap at that time, Squad refuses to schedule it.
* When you change an inbox address, Squad cancels the scheduled sends of the old address.

The agent gets one of these messages and passes it on:

| Message starts with                                                                     | Cause                                                | Fix                                                      |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------- |
| "sendAt must be at least 60 seconds in the future"                                      | The send time is too soon or in the past.            | Ask the agent to send now, or to pick a later time.      |
| "Scheduling with attachments isn't supported yet"                                       | The email has attachments.                           | Send it now, or schedule a version without attachments.  |
| "Can't schedule for that time — that minute would carry"                                | Too many sends in that minute.                       | Pick a later time, or space the sends out.               |
| "Can't schedule for that time — it would put \[n] distinct recipients within 5 minutes" | Too many different recipients near that time.        | Spread the recipients across different times.            |
| "Can't schedule for that time — that day would carry \[n] sends (daily cap \[cap])"     | The inbox's **Daily send cap** is full for that day. | Choose a different day, or raise the **Daily send cap**. |
| "Can't schedule for that time — the workspace daily cap" or "the workspace monthly cap" | The workspace cap is full for that window.           | Choose a later day.                                      |

To cancel a scheduled send, open it in **Email** and select **Cancel send**. If the email already went out, the message is "This scheduled send has already gone out — it can no longer be canceled."

## An inbox does not appear after you add it

Symptom: you selected **Confirm & pay**, but the agent still has no inbox.

Cause: the charge for the inbox, or the setup of the inbox, failed. Squad then turns the inbox off again. When the charge fails, the Live Feed shows "Couldn't add \[agent]'s email seat —" followed by the reason, for example "Couldn't find an active subscription on file. Upgrade on the Billing page, then try again."

Fix:

1. Open **Live Feed** and read the reason.
2. If your subscription is not active, or your card was declined, fix it in **Settings** > **Billing**. See [Manage your subscription, credits, and workspace data](/docs/billing).
3. Add the inbox again. See [Give an agent an email inbox](/docs/email).

Other messages in the **Confirm & pay** dialog:

| Message                                                                   | Fix                                          |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------- |
| "The previous inbox is still being removed — try again in a few seconds." | Wait a few seconds, then try again.          |
| "Couldn’t create the inbox"                                               | Try again. If it fails again, email support. |

## The address change or the inbox deletion fails

The inbox settings show one of these messages:

| Message                                                                                            | Cause                                                    | Fix                                 |
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------- |
| "This inbox is still being set up — try again in a moment."                                        | The inbox is new, or an earlier change is still running. | Wait a moment, then try again.      |
| "The previous inbox is still being removed — try again in a few seconds."                          | An earlier change is still running.                      | Wait a few seconds, then try again. |
| "This inbox isn't active — enable email first, then change the address."                           | The inbox is off.                                        | Enable the inbox first.             |
| "Email handle must contain at least one letter or digit."                                          | The part before the @ has no letters or digits.          | Type a name with letters or digits. |
| "Couldn't change the address. Please try again." or "Couldn’t delete the inbox. Please try again." | The change did not go through.                           | Try again.                          |

## An email that you write does not send

When you write an email yourself on the **Email** screen, the window can show:

| Message                                      | Fix                                                                                                                       |
| -------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| "Pick a From inbox and fill To + Subject."   | Choose the inbox in **From**, and fill in **To** and **Subject**.                                                         |
| "Couldn’t send. Try again." or another error | Try again. If the error names a cap, see [An agent cannot send because of a cap](#an-agent-cannot-send-because-of-a-cap). |

## Still stuck

Email [support@squad.so](mailto:support@squad.so). Give the inbox address, the time, and the exact error text. See [Get help](/docs/getting-help).