Domain Setup & Verification
Verify your sending domain with DKIM, SPF, and DMARC DNS records to build trust and guarantee high inbox delivery placement.
Docs Summary
- What this page explains: Setting up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records to authorize sending domains.
- Who should use it: System administrators and developers configuring email infrastructure.
- Related MailSend feature: Domain Keys authentication, deliverability check tools
- Common use cases: Authenticating startup or ecommerce sending domains
- Related docs: Introduction, Email API, Webhooks
To ensure your emails don't end up in the spam folder, you must prove ownership of your domain. MailSend verifies domain keys by checking DKIM, SPF, and DMARC records on your DNS hosting provider (Cloudflare, AWS Route53, GoDaddy, Namecheap, etc.).
Do not attempt to send emails before completing verification. Unverified domains will be blocked or throttled by major ISPs (Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo) to prevent phishing.
1. Add SPF Record
Sender Policy Framework (SPF) specifies which servers are authorized to send email on behalf of your domain. Add a TXT record with these details:
| Type | Name | Value |
|---|---|---|
| TXT | @ (or leave blank) | v=spf1 include:mailsend.dev ~all |
2. Add DKIM Records
DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) adds a cryptographic signature to your emails, validating that the content was sent by you and wasn't altered in transit.
| Type | Name / Hostname | Value |
|---|---|---|
| CNAME | ms1._domainkey | dkim1.mailsend.dev |
| CNAME | ms2._domainkey | dkim2.mailsend.dev |
3. Add DMARC Record
DMARC leverages SPF and DKIM to tell mailbox providers how to handle emails that fail verification. We recommend a default quarantine policy:
| Type | Name | Value |
|---|---|---|
| TXT | _dmarc | v=DMARC1; p=quarantine; pct=100; rua=mailto:dmarc@mailsend.dev |