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Set up SPF, DKIM, or DMARC records for my hosting email

If your email is using your company’s domain name, you may need to set up email authentication, which includes Sender Policy Framework (SPF), Domain Keys Identified Mail (DKIM), and Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance (DMARC).

Required: These steps are for domains with email and DNS managed at GoDaddy. If your domain is not with GoDaddy, you'll need to update your records with your DNS provider.

Add an SPF record using the value:

v=spf1 include:secureserver.net -all

You can add DKIM for your email using cPanel and your DNS provider. If you don't know your DNS provider, we recommend checking your nameservers or contacting your domain's registrar.

Step 1: Find your DKIM record

Your DKIM records can be found in your cPanel account.

  1. Sign in to cPanel for your domain.
  2. Under Email, select Email Deliverability.
  3. Next to your domain, select Manage.

Under Suggested “DKIM” (TXT) Record, you'll see your DKIM record Name and Value.

Step 2: Add the DKIM record to your DNS

  1. In your web browser, open a new tab.
  2. Sign in to your GoDaddy Domain Portfolio. (Need help logging in? Find your username or password.)
  3. Under Domain Name, select your domain.
  4. Under your domain name, select DNS.
  5. Select Add New Record, and then enter the details of your first record:
    • Type: Select TXT.
    • Name: Enter the Name your cPanel's Suggested “DKIM” (TXT) Record.
    • Value: Enter the Value from your cPanel's Suggested “DKIM” (TXT) Record.
    • TTL: Leave it as Default.
  6. Select Save All Records.

Most DNS changes take effect within an hour but could take up to 48 hours to update globally.

You can add DKIM for your email using Plesk and your DNS provider. If you don't know your DNS provider, we recommend checking your nameservers or contacting your domain's registrar.

Step 1: Find your DKIM record

Your DKIM records can be found in Plesk.

  1. Sign in to Plesk.
  2. In the left-menu, select Domains.
  3. Select your domain.
  4. Select Mail.
  5. Select Mail Settings.
  6. If this is your first time adding DKIM for your domain, select Create New DKIM Selector.
  7. Enter a Selector name, and then select Create.
  8. Select How to configure external DNS.

Your DKIM record will appear. The longer text that starts with yourselectorname._domainkey is your Value, and the shorter text that starts with _domainkey. is your Name.

Step 2: Add the DKIM record to your DNS

  1. In your web browser, open a new tab.
  2. Sign in to your GoDaddy Domain Portfolio. (Need help logging in? Find your username or password.)
  3. Under Domain Name, select your domain.
  4. Under your domain name, select DNS.
  5. Select Add New Record, and then enter the details of your first record:
    • Type: Select TXT.
    • Name: Enter the Name from Plesk.
    • Value: Enter the Value from Plesk.
    • TTL: Leave it as Default.
  6. Select Save All Records.

Most DNS changes take effect within an hour but could take up to 48 hours to update globally.

Required: Before you add DMARC to your domain, you must add SPF and DKIM (when available). This DMARC will quarantine messages that don't align with your SPF and DKIM and will send a notification to an email address of your choosing.

Define how suspicious email is handled by DMARC

The value of the DMARC TXT record includes a “p=” parameter. The p stands for “policy.” When an email appears to be from your domain but doesn’t contain the correct information, you can use 1 of 3 policies to define how that email gets handled:

  1. p=none: The receiving email server performs no action against unauthenticated email but instead sends a report to an email listed in the mailto: address on the DMARC record.
  2. p=reject: The receiving email server denies and blocks unauthenticated email.
  3. (Recommended) p=quarantine: The receiving email server quarantines unauthenticated email (for example, sending them to a junk or spam folder instead of an inbox). This is the policy we use in the steps below.

Add a DMARC TXT record to your domain

These instructions are only for domains with DNS managed at GoDaddy. If your domain is not with GoDaddy, you'll need to update your records with your DNS provider.

  1. Sign in to your GoDaddy Domain Portfolio. (Need help logging in? Find your username or password.)
  2. Under Domain Name, select your domain.
  3. Under your domain name, select DNS.
  4. Select Add New Record, and then enter the following details:
    • Type: Select TXT.
    • Name: _dmarc
    • Value: v=DMARC1; p=quarantine; pct=100; rua=mailto:jane@coolexample.com
      Required: Replace jane@coolexample.com with the email address where you would like to receive notices about DMARC. We recommend using an email address that belongs to the administrator or owner of your domain.
    • TTL: Leave it as Default.
  5. Select Save.

Most DNS changes take effect within an hour but could take up to 48 hours to update globally.

More info