How do you add email DNS records in Namecheap?

Namecheap keeps every DNS record for a domain on one page, Advanced DNS, but email records live in two places on it: TXT and CNAME records under Host Records, and MX records under Mail Settings. Knowing which goes where, and what to type in the Host field, gets most setups right first time.

This guide covers adding SPF, DKIM, DMARC and MX records in Namecheap, using Namecheap's own knowledgebase for every step. If you need a refresher on the records themselves, read SPF vs DKIM vs DMARC.

Which Namecheap DNS are you using?

Namecheap's Host Records are only available for domains pointed to its BasicDNS, PremiumDNS or FreeDNS. Namecheap's knowledgebase explains the other cases (Namecheap):

To check, go to Domain List, select Manage next to the domain and scroll to the Nameservers section. If you don't see an Advanced DNS tab with Host Records, your DNS lives somewhere else. Our MX Lookup also shows the domain's live nameservers. If Cloudflare hosts your DNS, use our Cloudflare guide.

Where do you add DNS records in Namecheap?

For TXT and CNAME records (Namecheap):

1. Sign in to your Namecheap account.
2. Select Domain List in the left sidebar, then Manage next to your domain.
3. Open the Advanced DNS tab.
4. In the Host Records section, select Add New Record.
5. Choose the record type, then fill in Host, Value and TTL.
6. Select Save all changes.

The fields:

Namecheap says new host records normally take about 30 minutes to take effect.

How do you add an SPF record in Namecheap?

SPF is a TXT record on the bare domain. Namecheap's instructions use @ as the Host and TXT Record as the type (Namecheap).

Before adding one, look through Host Records for an existing TXT record on @ that starts with v=spf1. A domain must have only one: RFC 7208, section 3.2 says it "MUST NOT have multiple records" that an SPF check would select. If one exists, edit it and add your new include before the final all.

To add a new one:

1. In Host Records, select Add New Record and choose TXT Record.
2. Enter @ as the Host.
3. Paste your SPF record as the Value, for example v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all.
4. Select Save all changes.

Get the include for each service you send from on our SPF provider pages, or build a combined record with the SPF Record Generator, which also counts DNS lookups against the limit of 10.

How do you add a DKIM record in Namecheap?

DKIM keys are published at a name made of a selector, then ._domainkey. Namecheap describes the Host as "a unique selector for that key, then a period (.), and then the protocol name '_domainkey'", so for s1._domainkey.example.com you enter s1._domainkey.

When your provider gives a TXT record

1. Select Add New Record and choose TXT Record.
2. Enter the selector host, such as google._domainkey, as the Host.
3. Paste the key, which starts v=DKIM1;, as the Value. Copy it in one piece, without extra spaces or line breaks.
4. Select Save all changes.

Long 2048-bit keys sometimes arrive split into several quoted chunks. That's fine: RFC 6376, section 3.6.2.2 says receivers join the strings "with no intervening whitespace." What breaks a key is a missing or extra character, so compare the start and end of what you saved with what your provider shows.

When your provider gives CNAME records

Microsoft 365 and many sending platforms ask for CNAME records that point to a key they host.

1. Select Add New Record and choose CNAME Record.
2. Enter the host, such as selector1._domainkey, as the Host.
3. Paste the provider's target as the Value.
4. Select Save all changes, and repeat for any second selector.

Then turn on DKIM signing in your provider's console. Our DKIM setup guide for Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace shows where, our DKIM records by provider pages list each service's selectors, and finding your DKIM selector helps if you don't know it.

How do you add a DMARC record in Namecheap?

Namecheap's example uses _dmarc as the Host for DMARC.

1. Select Add New Record and choose TXT Record.
2. Enter _dmarc as the Host.
3. Enter your policy as the Value, for example v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:dmarc-reports@example.com.
4. Select Save all changes.

Keep a single DMARC record at _dmarc. Start at p=none with a reporting address you read, then move toward quarantine and reject once reports show your real senders passing. The DMARC Record Generator builds the record and DMARC record examples explains every tag.

How do you set custom MX records in Namecheap?

MX records sit in their own section of Advanced DNS (Namecheap):

1. In Advanced DNS, find the Mail Settings section.
2. Choose Custom MX, which Namecheap says is "used to set MX records for third-party mail services."
3. Add each MX record your provider gives you: Host @, the mail server hostname as the Value, and the Priority it specifies. Namecheap's Google Workspace example is Host @, Value SMTP.GOOGLE.COM, Priority 1, TTL Automatic.
4. Save your changes.

Two warnings from Namecheap's article:

• If your MX points to a host on your own domain, such as mail.example.com, "the corresponding A record pointing to the IP address of the mail server should be created."
• "CNAME has the highest priority and prevails over all the other records for the host name, including MX Records." Remove any CNAME on @ before you rely on MX.

Changing MX records moves where all incoming mail goes. Read how to change MX records without losing email before switching.

What does a complete Namecheap email setup look like?

Here is how the records for a domain using Google Workspace look once they're all in place. Your values will differ by provider, but the Host column is the part people most often get wrong.

Notice that none of the Host values contain the domain itself. Namecheap adds it, so _dmarc is published as _dmarc.example.com. If you also use a newsletter or help desk tool, its DKIM record sits alongside Google's under its own selector, and its SPF include, if it needs one, goes into the same single SPF record.

How do you check the records after saving?

Give the change about 30 minutes, longer if you replaced a record with a long TTL, then check:

1. MX with our MX Lookup.
2. SPF with the SPF Checker: one record, valid syntax, 10 lookups or fewer.
3. DKIM with the DKIM Checker and your selector.
4. DMARC with the DMARC Checker.
5. Send a test message to an outside mailbox and look for spf=pass, dkim=pass and dmarc=pass in its headers. Our header reading guide shows where.

What are the common Namecheap mistakes?

• Typing the full name into Host, such as _dmarc.example.com. Enter only _dmarc.
• Two SPF records on @ after adding a new service.
• A CNAME on @, which overrides MX.
• Editing Advanced DNS while the domain uses other nameservers. The records won't be published.
• Forgetting Custom MX, so mail still flows to an old setting.

Next steps

1. Run the Email Health Check to see your MX, SPF, DKIM and DMARC in one scan.
2. Build your records with the SPF Record Generator and the DMARC Record Generator.
3. Check DKIM with the DKIM Checker once signing is on.
4. New domain? Follow the new domain email setup checklist.

If you later point MX at a filtering service such as iBlockSpam, you'll use the same Custom MX section with its values. More walk-throughs are in setup guides.