Set up email DNS records

Email → your domain → DNS records.

Where the records are

Every domain with email has a DNS records tab on its Email page. It lists every record the domain needs, with its type, host and value (and the priority for MX records), a copy button beside each host and value, and a live check for each one. The same list is on the domain's Email tab under Domains. You never need to open a ticket to ask for them.

The values are not the same for every account, so always copy them from that tab rather than from a forum, an old ticket or another domain.

What each record does

• MX receives your email. Without it, mail sent to your addresses has nowhere to go.
• SPF (a TXT record on the domain itself) says which servers may send mail for your domain.
• DKIM (a TXT record on a _domainkey host) lets receivers check that a message was signed by us and not changed on the way.
• DMARC (a TXT record on the _dmarc host) tells receivers what to do with mail that fails those checks, which protects your domain from people faking it.
• Mail app records (autodiscover and autoconfig) let Outlook, Apple Mail and Thunderbird set a mailbox up from just the address and password.

If your domain's DNS is with us

We publish the records for you when you set email up, and the tab shows each one as Live. There is nothing to add.

If your domain's DNS is at another provider

The tab says so and names the nameservers. Sign in to that provider's DNS panel and add each record exactly as shown:

1. Pick the same type (MX, TXT or CNAME).
2. For the host, @ means the domain itself. Most panels add your domain to the host for you, so enter it exactly as shown. If your panel asks for the full name, add a dot and your domain to it (for example _dmarc becomes _dmarc.yourdomain.com).
3. Paste the value with the copy button, so nothing is mistyped.
4. For MX records, enter the priority shown.

If you already have an SPF record, do not add a second one: two SPF records make receivers reject both. Add our include: part to the record you have instead. If you already have a DMARC record, you can keep it.

Checking that it worked

Press Check again on the tab. Each record shows:

• Live: your domain's nameservers answer with this record.
• Missing: there is no such record yet.
• Different value: there is a record, but with another value, which is shown so you can correct it.
• Not checked: your nameservers could not be asked just now. Try again in a minute.

After you add or change a record it can take from a few minutes to a few hours to show as Live, depending on your DNS provider.

See also: Setting up a mailbox on your domain and My email is not arriving.