DKIM record for Namecheap Private Email

The DNS records

The key is unique to each subscription, so copy it from the Private Email page in your Namecheap account. Enter it without brackets or quotes.

DKIM key (subscriptions from 2 June 2026)

Type: TXT · Host: privateemail._domainkey Copy

v=DKIM1;k=rsa;p=<public key shown under DKIM in your Namecheap account>

DKIM key (subscriptions bought before 2 June 2026)

Type: TXT · Host: default._domainkey Copy

v=DKIM1;k=rsa;p=<public key shown under DKIM in your Namecheap account>

Use one of the two hosts, the one that matches your subscription, not both.

Set it up and turn on signing

1. Sign in to Namecheap, open the Private Email menu and click Manage next to your domain or subscription.
2. Under DKIM, click Generate to create the key, or Show DKIM to copy one that already exists.
3. Copy the DNS record field: the value that begins v=DKIM1;k=rsa;p=MIIBIjANB....
4. Add it as a TXT record where your DNS is hosted: automatic on BasicDNS, in cPanel for Web Hosting DNS, in your Namecheap account for Premium DNS, or at your outside DNS provider.
5. If your DNS host splits long values across two fields, put as much of the key as possible in the first, rather than separating v=DKIM1; k=rsa; from the rest.
6. Allow up to an hour, then look up privateemail._domainkey.yourdomain.com to confirm it is live.

DMARC alignment

Private Email signs with your own domain, and the key sits under your domain's _domainkey name, so a passing signature lines up with your From address for DMARC. Namecheap says the DKIM record is mandatory for outgoing mail to work correctly and recommends publishing it together with SPF and a DMARC record on _dmarc, starting from v=DMARC1; p=none; with a report address.

Key length and rotation

This is a TXT key in your own zone, so Namecheap can't swap it for you: a new key means generating it in the Private Email page and replacing the record. The key shown is RSA (k=rsa); Namecheap's article doesn't state its length or a rotation schedule. Moving the domain to new nameservers means copying the record across too.

Common mistakes

• The wrong selector for your plan. Subscriptions bought before 2 June 2026 sign with default; newer ones with privateemail. A key under the other name is never checked.
• Quotes or brackets pasted into the value. Namecheap says to enter the key without them.
• A value split in the wrong place. Splitting off only the v=DKIM1; k=rsa; tag leaves a record some hosts store incorrectly.
• Records added at Namecheap while the domain uses outside nameservers. Add the TXT where the nameservers point.