Warm Up Email Accounts in Instantly

Prerequisites

• Instantly account with connected sending accounts
• DNS records configured (SPF, DKIM, DMARC)

Steps

1. Enable warmup immediately via API. As soon as you connect a new sending account, enable warmup:

   POST /api/v1/account/<email>/warmup/enable
   { "daily_limit": 5, "increase_per_day": 2, "max_limit": 40, "reply_rate": 35 }
   

   Warmup sends automated emails between Instantly users' accounts to build positive sender signals.

2. Configure warmup settings. Set daily warmup email limit to start at 5, increasing by 2 per day up to a maximum of 40. Set reply rate to 30-40% (Instantly will auto-reply to that percentage of warmup emails). Choose slow ramp-up speed.

3. Wait the minimum warmup period. New domains need at least 14 days of warmup before any cold sending. Established domains (6+ months old with some email history) can start after 7 days. Do not skip this step -- sending cold email from unwarm accounts will land in spam.

4. Monitor warmup health via API. Check the warmup status:

   GET /api/v1/account/<email>/warmup/status
   

   Look for: inbox placement rate (target 95%+), warmup emails being opened, no bounces or blocks. If inbox placement drops below 90%, pause and investigate DNS configuration.

5. Keep warmup running during campaigns. Never turn off warmup while running campaigns. Warmup emails maintain your sender reputation alongside cold sends. Instantly handles the volume balance automatically.

6. Rotate accounts showing poor health. If an account's warmup score drops below 80% (check via API), pause cold sending from that account but keep warmup active. If it does not recover in 7 days, replace the account with a new one.