Set Up Your Domain's DNS for Email Deliverability

After you've added your domain to MailAfiniti, the last step is to update your domain registrar's DNS records. This tells the internet that MailAfiniti is authorized to send and receive emails on your behalf, and helps get your email into inbox folders instead of spam.

Getting Started: When you sign up, MailAfiniti provides an onboarding wizard that walks you through the DNS setup process. You'll also receive an email with all the DNS records you need to configure. This guide is here to help you if you need detailed step-by-step instructions, want to reference the process later, or need troubleshooting help.

Why this matters: Many email providers (Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, etc.) and spam filters check SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records before accepting your emails. Without them, your emails may be rejected, marked as spam, or blocked entirely. Adding these records is essential for reliable email delivery.

Don't worry. MailAfiniti provides the exact records you need. This guide walks you through finding them and adding them to your registrar in just minutes without any DNS expertise required.

Quick Overview: What Happens Next

1. Add your domain in MailAfiniti (Manage Domains → Add New Domain)
2. Copy your DNS records from the domain details page
3. Log into your registrar (GoDaddy, Namecheap, Cloudflare, etc.)
4. Add all four records to your registrar (MX, SPF, DKIM, DMARC: all are important)
5. Verify in MailAfiniti (we check automatically, usually within 5 minutes)

Important: Add all four records. Don't skip SPF, DKIM, or DMARC. While MX gets your email delivered, the other three are what keep it out of spam and ensure recipients trust it's really from you.

Where to Find Your DNS Records in MailAfiniti

1. Go to Manage Domains in your MailAfiniti dashboard

2. Find your domain in the list

3. In the DNS Records column, you'll see four colored badges:

   • MX: tells the internet where to deliver emails for your domain (required)
   • SPF: proves you're authorized to send from this domain (highly recommended)
   • DKIM: adds a cryptographic signature to your emails so mailbox providers trust them (highly recommended)
   • DMARC: sets the policy for failed emails and sends you security reports (highly recommended)

4. Click "View DNS Records" to see the exact values you need to copy

Each record shows its exact type, name, and value. Copy these carefully, then paste them into your registrar.

Why all four? Email providers like Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo check these records before accepting your emails. Without SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, your emails may be rejected, delayed, or marked as spam, even though they're legitimate.

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Step 1: Open Your Domain Registrar's DNS Settings

The process is similar across most registrars, but the interface varies slightly. Here's where to find the DNS settings for the most common registrars:

GoDaddy

1. Go to godaddy.com and sign in
2. Click My Products in the top right corner
3. Find your domain and click Manage
4. Click the DNS tab
5. Scroll to Records where you'll add the four MailAfiniti records

Namecheap

1. Go to namecheap.com and sign in
2. Click Manage next to your domain
3. Click the Advanced DNS tab
4. This shows all your DNS records where you'll add MailAfiniti's records

Cloudflare

1. Go to cloudflare.com and sign in
2. Select your domain from the dashboard
3. Click the DNS tab in the left sidebar
4. You'll see a list of your DNS records where you'll add MailAfiniti's records

Other Registrars (1&1, HostGator, Bluehost, DreamHost, etc.)

Look for one of these sections:

• "Domain Management" or "My Domains"
• A DNS, Name Servers, or DNS Management tab
• A section labeled "DNS Records," "Advanced DNS," or "Zone File"

Once you find it, keep this page open. You'll be adding records here in the next step.

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Step 2: Get Ready to Add Your Records

Before you start adding records to your registrar, keep your MailAfiniti dashboard open so you can copy each record's details as you add them. The following steps will guide you through adding all four DNS records (MX, SPF, DKIM, DMARC) one by one to your registrar.

Have both tabs open:

• MailAfiniti dashboard (where you'll copy record values from)
• Your registrar's DNS settings (where you'll paste them)

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Step 3: Add the MX Record

The MX record tells the internet where to deliver emails sent to your domain.

Here's what you'll do across all registrars:

1. Create a new record and select MX as the type
2. Set the name/host field to @ (this represents your domain root)
3. Paste the mail server from MailAfiniti into the value field (e.g., mail.mailafiniti.io)
4. Enter the priority number from MailAfiniti (usually 10)
5. Save the record

The exact field names and buttons differ slightly:

✓ MX done! You're making progress. Three more records to go. DNS changes usually take effect immediately, but can take up to 48 hours to propagate globally.

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Step 4: Add the SPF Record

The SPF record authorizes MailAfiniti to send emails on behalf of your domain. It prevents others from spoofing your domain.

Here's what you'll do across all registrars:

1. Create a new record and select TXT as the type
2. Set the name/host field to @
3. Paste the SPF record from MailAfiniti into the value field (it looks like v=spf1 include:mailafiniti.io ~all)
4. Save the record

The exact field names and buttons differ slightly:

Important: If you already have an SPF record from another service, don't replace it. Instead, add the MailAfiniti include: to your existing record. For example, change v=spf1 include:other.com ~all to v=spf1 include:other.com include:mailafiniti.io ~all.

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Step 5: Add the DKIM Record

The DKIM record adds a cryptographic signature to your emails so mailbox providers know they really came from you (not a spammer).

Here's what you'll do across all registrars:

1. Create a new record and select TXT as the type
2. Paste the name from MailAfiniti into the name field (usually default._domainkey or selector1._domainkey)
3. Paste the full DKIM record from MailAfiniti into the value field (it's a long string starting with v=DKIM1)
4. Save the record

The exact field names and buttons differ slightly:

Important: DKIM records are long (200+ characters). Copy the entire value from MailAfiniti exactly—every character, space, and underscore matters. Don't truncate or edit it.

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Step 6: Add the DMARC Record

The DMARC record tells mailbox providers what to do if an email fails SPF or DKIM checks. It also sends you reports about suspicious emails.

Here's what you'll do across all registrars:

1. Create a new record and select TXT as the type
2. Set the name/host field to _dmarc
3. Paste the DMARC record from MailAfiniti into the value field (it looks like v=DMARC1; p=quarantine; rua=mailto:dmarc@yourdomain.com)
4. Save the record

The exact field names and buttons differ slightly:

✓ Done with all four records! Move to the next section to verify they're live.

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Step 7: Verify Your DNS Records in MailAfiniti

After adding all four records to your registrar, you can verify they're live in MailAfiniti.

How to Verify

1. Go to your MailAfiniti dashboard
2. In Manage Domains, find your domain in the list
3. Click the three dots menu (⋮) next to your domain
4. Click View DNS Records
5. Click Verify DNS Records to check your records
6. MailAfiniti will check your registrar and show the status:
   • ✓ MX Verified: emails can be delivered to your domain
   • ✓ SPF Verified: MailAfiniti is authorized to send from your domain
   • ✓ DKIM Verified: emails are cryptographically signed
   • ✓ DMARC Verified: you're receiving DMARC reports

All four records typically verify within 5-15 minutes after you add them to your registrar.

Verify Records Yourself (Optional)

If you want to check your records before they appear in MailAfiniti, use our Email Health Check tool:

1. Go to Email Health Check
2. Enter your domain name
3. Review your DNS records and email configuration
4. You should see your MailAfiniti records listed

Troubleshooting Verification Issues

Records aren't showing as verified yet?

• Wait a few minutes: DNS usually takes 5-30 minutes to propagate, occasionally up to 24 hours globally
• Refresh the page: click the refresh button in MailAfiniti to check again
• Double-check your records: make sure you copied them exactly from MailAfiniti (including underscores and dots)
• Check for extra spaces: if you accidentally added spaces when pasting, records won't match

Still having issues?

• Use our Email Health Check tool to verify what your registrar actually has on file
• Compare it exactly with what MailAfiniti shows
• Check that all four records are present (MX, SPF, DKIM, DMARC)
• Contact support@mailafiniti.io if records appear correct but won't verify

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Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Copy record values exactly: Every character, dot, and underscore matters. Copy straight from MailAfiniti without editing.
2. Forgetting underscores: DKIM needs _domainkey and DMARC needs _dmarc. Missing these will cause verification to fail.
3. Using wrong record types: MX must be type MX (not TXT). SPF, DKIM, and DMARC must all be type TXT.
4. Adding extra spaces: When pasting long DKIM values, make sure no spaces get added at the beginning or end.
5. Replacing existing DNS records: If you have other DNS records (for your website hosting, CNAME records, etc.), don't delete them. Add MailAfiniti's records alongside them.
6. Expecting instant verification: DNS propagation takes 5-30 minutes typically, but can be up to 48 hours globally. Don't panic if records don't verify immediately.

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What's Next After Verification?

Once all four records are verified (✓ MX, ✓ SPF, ✓ DKIM, ✓ DMARC):

1. Create email accounts: Go to Email Accounts in MailAfiniti and add mailboxes (e.g., info@yourdomain.com, sales@yourdomain.com)
2. Connect your email client: Use MailAfiniti's IMAP/SMTP settings to add your business email to Outlook, Apple Mail, Thunderbird, or any email client
3. Send your first email: Your domain is now ready to send and receive professional emails!

Everything from here is instant. No more waiting. You're all set.

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Need Help?

If you run into problems or have questions:

• Email: support@mailafiniti.io (we respond within 2-4 hours)
• Help & Support: Go to Help & Support for FAQs and more guides

We're here to get your email set up perfectly.