Manual DNS Setup Instructions

If you prefer to manage DNS manually, follow these instructions.

Before You Start

What You'll Need:

• Access to your domain's DNS settings
• The DNS records from your dashboard
• 15-30 minutes of time

Where to Find Your DNS Records:

1. Go to Email Domains in main menu
2. Click on your domain
3. Open the DNS Setup dialog
4. Keep this dialog open for reference: every record has a copy button

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Access Your DNS Provider

Common locations for DNS settings:

• Domain Registrar: GoDaddy, Namecheap, etc.
• Hosting Control Panel: cPanel, Plesk, DirectAdmin
• DNS Provider: Cloudflare, Route 53, etc.

Look for sections named:

• "DNS Management"
• "DNS Records"
• "Advanced DNS"
• "Zone Editor"

Step 2: Add MX Records

What they do: Tell the internet where to deliver email

How to add:

1. Click "Add Record" or "Add MX Record"
2. Fill in the fields:
   • Type: MX
   • Name/Host: @ (or leave blank)
   • Value/Points to: copy from the DNS Setup dialog
   • Priority: copy from the DNS Setup dialog
   • TTL: 3600 (or 1 hour)
3. Click "Save"

Note: adding the MX record moves this domain's mail, so do this step when you are ready to switch.

Step 3: Add SPF Record

What it does: Specifies which servers can send email for your domain

How to add:

1. Click "Add Record" or "Add TXT Record"
2. Fill in:
   • Type: TXT
   • Name/Host: @ (or leave blank)
   • Value: copy the entire SPF value from the DNS Setup dialog
   • TTL: 3600
3. Click "Save"

If you already have an SPF record, do not add a second one. A domain may only have one SPF record, so the existing one has to be edited to include our value. Contact support if you are not sure how to merge them.

Step 4: Add DKIM Record

What it does: Digital signature that proves emails are from you

How to add:

1. Click "Add Record" or "Add TXT Record"
2. Fill in:
   • Type: TXT
   • Name/Host: copy the host shown in the DNS Setup dialog
   • Value: copy the entire DKIM value from the dialog, it's long!
   • TTL: 3600
3. Click "Save"

Important: The DKIM value is very long. Make sure you copy it completely, with no added spaces or line breaks.

Step 5: Add DMARC Record

What it does: Tells receiving servers what to do with emails that fail authentication

How to add:

1. Click "Add Record" or "Add TXT Record"
2. Fill in:
   • Type: TXT
   • Name/Host: _dmarc
   • Value: copy from the DNS Setup dialog
   • TTL: 3600
3. Click "Save"

Step 6: Add the Amazon SES Verification Records

Outgoing mail is delivered through Amazon SES, and each sending domain is verified with Amazon. Once those records have been generated they appear in the same DNS Setup dialog. Add each one exactly as shown, the same way as the records above.

Step 7: Verify Configuration

1. Return to your dashboard
2. Go to Email Domains
3. Click on your domain
4. Click the refresh icon (circular arrows) on the domain's row to re-check the live records
5. Wait for propagation and refresh again if records are still missing

Provider-Specific Instructions

Cloudflare

1. Log in to Cloudflare
2. Select your domain
3. Click DNS in top menu
4. Click Add record
5. Important: Ensure proxy is OFF (gray cloud) for MX records
6. Add each record as described above

Cloudflare is also one of the two providers we can write mail records for automatically. If you would rather not add them by hand, connect the provider under Integrations instead.

GoDaddy

1. Log in to GoDaddy
2. Go to My Products
3. Find your domain, click DNS
4. Scroll to Records
5. Click Add for each record
6. Follow steps above

Namecheap

1. Log in to Namecheap
2. Go to Domain List
3. Click Manage next to your domain
4. Click Advanced DNS
5. Click Add New Record
6. Follow steps above

Namecheap is the other provider we can write mail records for automatically, through Integrations.

cPanel

1. Log in to cPanel
2. Find Zone Editor or DNS Zone Editor
3. Select your domain
4. Click Manage or Edit
5. Add records as described above

Verification Checklist

After adding all records, verify:

• ✅ MX record points to our servers
• ✅ SPF record includes our servers, and there is only one SPF record
• ✅ DKIM record is present and complete (it's long!)
• ✅ DMARC record is configured
• ✅ Amazon SES verification records added
• ✅ TTL is set to 3600 or lower
• ✅ No typos in any values

What Happens Next

DNS changes do not appear everywhere at once. They start being visible within minutes in some places, and can take up to 48 hours to be seen everywhere. Until the MX record is visible, mail keeps going to your old provider.

Click the refresh icon (circular arrows) on the domain's row on the domain whenever you want to re-check what is live now.

Troubleshooting

"Record already exists"

Solution: Delete the old record first, then add the new one. The exception is SPF: edit the existing record rather than replacing it, so you do not drop another service that sends for your domain.

"Invalid format"

Solution: Double-check you copied the entire value from the DNS Setup dialog. DKIM records are especially long!

"Changes not saving"

Solution:

• Try a different browser
• Clear browser cache
• Contact your DNS provider

"Don't see my provider listed"

Solution: The process is similar for all providers. Look for "DNS", "DNS Records", or "Advanced DNS" sections.

Getting Help

Check the panel:

1. Go to Email Domains
2. View your domain status
3. Open the DNS Setup dialog to see the records we expect
4. Click the refresh icon (circular arrows) on the domain's row for the current result

Contact support:

• We can guide you through the process
• We'll check your records against what the domain needs
• Support is available during business hours

You can also check any domain yourself with the DNS Checker in the control panel, which reports whether the MX, SPF, DKIM and DMARC records exist and are well-formed.

Tips for Success

✅ Do:

• Copy values exactly as shown in the DNS Setup dialog
• Double-check for typos
• Wait for propagation
• Use our verification tool

❌ Don't:

• Modify the values we provide
• Skip any records
• Set TTL too high (>3600)
• Test immediately (wait for propagation)

Pro Tip: Manual DNS setup is straightforward if you follow these steps carefully. When in doubt, contact support through the live chat in the control panel.