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MailSprout
All tutorialsRegistrar setup · GoDaddy

Set up email on a GoDaddy domain

GoDaddy has its own DNS-record walkthrough, and we link to it for the registrar-side clicks. What this guide adds: the exact values to paste, the order to add records in, and how to confirm it worked in MailSprout.

Last verified: May 27, 2026

Before you start

  • You own the domain on GoDaddy and can sign in at godaddy.com.
  • You've already added the domain inside MailSprout (do that first if you haven't).
  • 5-10 minutes of uninterrupted time. (You can step away after submitting; DNS takes a few minutes to propagate.)
1

Sign in and open your DNS panel

Go to your GoDaddy product list (opens in a new tab) and sign in. You'll see a list of domains.

Find the domain you're setting up. Click the three-dot menu on the right and choose DNS, or click directly on the domain name and then the DNS tab at the top of the page.

Manage DNS records · GoDaddy Help (opens in a new tab)
Opens GoDaddy's official help article. They keep this up to date with their current UI, so if the steps on their site look different from what we describe, follow their version.
You may need to scroll past a sales banner for products GoDaddy is trying to upsell. The DNS panel is below the banner.
2

Delete the existing email-related records

Before adding MailSprout's records, you need to clear out any existing email setup so the two systems don't fight. Look for and delete any of the following you find in the DNS table:

  • Any record of type MX
  • Any TXT record starting with v=spf1
  • Any CNAME with name like autoconfig or autodiscover (these point at old email providers)
  • Any TXT with name _dmarc
If you're currently using email on this domain (Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, GoDaddy email, etc.), deleting these records will immediately stop mail flow on the old service. Only do this once you've migrated your old mail using our migration guide, and you're ready to cut over.
3

Add the MailSprout DNS records

For each row below, click ADD in the DNS panel, choose the record type from the dropdown, fill in Host (or Name) and Points to (or Value), leave TTL at the default (1 hour / 3600), and click Save.

MXTTL 3600
Host / Name
@
Value
fusion.mxrouting.net (priority 10)
GoDaddy puts "Priority" as a separate field. Set it to 10. The "Host" field stays as @ (the apex of your domain).
MXTTL 3600
Host / Name
@
Value
fusion-relay.mxrouting.net (priority 20)
A second MX as the backup. Priority 20 means GoDaddy only uses this if the priority 10 host is unreachable.
TXTTTL 3600
Host / Name
@
Value
v=spf1 include:mxroute.com -all
Tells the world which servers are allowed to send mail as your domain.
TXTTTL 3600
Host / Name
(copy from dashboard)
Value
(copy from dashboard)
Both the host and the value for this record are unique to your domain. Open your MailSprout dashboard and copy them exactly as shown.
TXTTTL 3600
Host / Name
_dmarc
Value
v=DMARC1; p=quarantine; rua=mailto:postmaster@yourdomain.com
DMARC policy. Instructs receiving servers what to do with mail that fails SPF or DKIM. Replace yourdomain.com with your actual domain in the rua= line.

Leave TTL at the default (typically 3600 / 1 hour) on every row.

Add an MX record · GoDaddy Help (opens in a new tab)
Opens GoDaddy's official help article. They keep this up to date with their current UI, so if the steps on their site look different from what we describe, follow their version.
GoDaddy quirk: for the "Host" field, use @to mean "the root of my domain." If GoDaddy auto-fills your full domain name in there (e.g. yourdomain.com), delete that and replace with @.
4

Verify in MailSprout

Wait 2-5 minutes for DNS to propagate, then head back to your MailSprout dashboard. Click into the domain you added and press the Verify DNS button.

If everything is correct, the domain status flips to Ready and you can start adding accounts. If verification fails, scroll down to Troubleshooting. Usually it's one of three things.

5

Add your first email account

On the verified domain page, click Add account. Type the name (the bit before the @, like hello or you), and submit. We'll generate a strong password and a QR code for instant Apple Mail setup. That's it. You've got email.

Troubleshooting

Verification fails. What do I check?
Three causes, in order of frequency. (1) DNS hasn't propagated yet; wait another 5 minutes and try again. (2) The Host field might be wrong. GoDaddy sometimes auto-fills your domain name; it should be @ for MX/SPF/DMARC, and for the DKIM TXT it should be exactly the host shown in your MailSprout dashboard (without your domain on the end). (3) An old MX or SPF record from your previous provider is still in the DNS panel; delete those per Step 2.
What happens to email still going to my old provider?
Until the MX records are MailSprout's, no mail comes to MailSprout. After you change MX, mail flips over within a few minutes (sometimes faster, sometimes up to an hour on slow DNS). If you have existing email on the domain, finish migrating it using a migration guide before changing the MX records.
I see "Conflicting Records" in GoDaddy when I try to add MX.
GoDaddy refuses to add an MX if another MX exists. Find and delete the existing MX records first (likely pointing at smtp.secureserver.net or mailstore1.secureserver.net. GoDaddy's default email parking). Then add MailSprout's MX records.
My GoDaddy account has the domain "Forwarded". Does that matter?
Domain forwarding is for the website, not email. It doesn't conflict with email setup. If you also want a website on this domain, configure it separately under Settings → Forwarding; the email setup in this guide will keep working.
GoDaddy is asking me to upgrade to "Premium DNS". Is it required?
No. Standard DNS supports every record we need. If GoDaddy gates a feature behind Premium DNS that we need, email support@mailsprout.io and we'll dig in; this hasn't come up so far.

On a different registrar?

Namecheap→

Popular among indie founders and developers.

Cloudflare→

Power-user favorite. DNS panel is the cleanest in the business.

Porkbun→

Indie-hacker darling. Fast, cheap, fair pricing.

Squarespace Domains→

Includes former Google Domains customers who got migrated here.

Hover→

Long-time favorite of founders and writers.

IONOS (1&1)→

Huge in Europe. Their UI is a labyrinth, but we map it out.

Stuck on a step?

Email support@mailsprout.io with the step number and a screenshot. We reply same day.