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MailSprout
All tutorialsRegistrar setup · Generic

Set up email on any domain registrar

Most registrars have their own DNS help docs, and we link to a DNS health checker so you can confirm your records took effect. What this guide adds: the exact values to paste into any registrar that supports DNS edits (IONOS, Name.com, Domain.com, OVH, Gandi, Dynadot, NameSilo, and dozens more), plus how to confirm it worked in MailSprout.

Last verified: May 27, 2026

Before you start

  • You own a domain and can sign in to whoever you bought it from.
  • You have access to its DNS management (sometimes called “Advanced DNS,” “Manage DNS,” or “Custom Records”).
  • You've already added the domain inside MailSprout (do that first if you haven't).
  • About 15 minutes of uninterrupted time.
1

Find your registrar's DNS panel

Sign in at your registrar and look for any of these labels. They all mean the same thing:

  • “DNS” or “DNS Management”
  • “Manage DNS,” “Edit DNS,” “Advanced DNS”
  • “Zone Editor” or “DNS Zone” (cPanel-based registrars)
  • “Custom Records” (Squarespace, some others)
  • “Records” under a domain's settings page

If your registrar offers “Email” or “Email Forwarding” as a separate product, that's a different feature; make sure you're in the DNS section.

2

Confirm DNS is managed here (not at a different service)

Some domains use third-party nameservers, meaning DNS is managed at a different service than where you bought the domain. Common examples:

  • Domain bought at GoDaddy but DNS at Cloudflare → manage at Cloudflare
  • Domain bought at Namecheap but pointed at AWS Route 53 → manage at Route 53
  • Domain on cPanel/Bluehost shared hosting → DNS often lives in cPanel

How to tell:in the domain settings, look for the “Nameservers” field. If it lists your registrar's default nameservers (e.g. ns1.namecheaphosting.com for Namecheap), DNS is at the registrar. If it lists something different (e.g. ns1.cloudflare.com), DNS is elsewhere.

If unsure: use MXToolbox's nameserver lookup (opens in a new tab) . Paste in your domain to see which service actually serves DNS for it.
3

Delete existing email records

Scroll through the records list and delete:

  • Any record of type MX
  • Any TXT record starting with v=spf1
  • Any CNAME with name autoconfig or autodiscover
  • Any TXT with name _dmarc
If you're currently using email on this domain (Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, registrar email, etc.), deleting these stops mail flow on the old provider immediately. Migrate first using our migration guides.
4

Add the MailSprout DNS records

Click “Add Record” (or whatever your registrar calls it) for each row below. The exact UI varies, but every registrar has fields for these four things:

  • Type (MX, TXT, CNAME)
  • Host / Name (the subdomain; use @ or blank for the apex of your domain)
  • Value / Target / Points to
  • Priority (only for MX; the primary is 10, the backup is 20)
MXTTL 3600
Host / Name
@
Value
fusion.mxrouting.net (priority 10)
Primary mail server.
MXTTL 3600
Host / Name
@
Value
fusion-relay.mxrouting.net (priority 20)
Backup mail server. Priority 20 means receivers only use this if the priority 10 host is unreachable.
TXTTTL 3600
Host / Name
@
Value
v=spf1 include:mxroute.com -all
SPF. Tells the world which servers can send mail as your domain.
TXTTTL 3600
Host / Name
(copy from dashboard)
Value
(copy from dashboard)
DKIM key. 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
Replace yourdomain.com with your actual domain in the rua= line.

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

Common host-field gotcha: for the DKIM TXT record, some registrars want just the subdomain (something like x._domainkey) and append your domain themselves. Others want the fully-qualified name (x._domainkey.yourdomain.com). Copy the host exactly as your MailSprout dashboard shows it. If your record list shows a weird double-domain like x._domainkey.yourdomain.com.yourdomain.com after saving, you typed in too much; delete and try again with just the short form.
5

Verify in MailSprout

DNS propagation time varies widely, anywhere from 1 minute (Cloudflare, Porkbun) to 30+ minutes (some older registrars). Wait at least 5 minutes, then go to your MailSprout dashboard and press Verify DNS.

If it fails the first time, wait another 10-15 minutes and try again. Most failures at this stage are just slow propagation. You can also use MXToolbox to check whether your records are visible yet:

DNS Health Check · MXToolbox (opens in a new tab)
Opens MXToolbox'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.
6

Add your first email account

Once verified, click Add account, type a name (e.g. hello), and scan the QR with your iPhone for instant Apple Mail setup.

Troubleshooting

I can't find a DNS section in my registrar.
A few registrars don't expose DNS editing on the cheapest plans. Bluehost and some shared-hosting registrars are common offenders. Check whether your registrar offers a “DNS” or “Zone Editor” upgrade. If they don't support direct DNS at all, you'll need to either move DNS to Cloudflare (free, easy) or transfer the domain to a different registrar.
Verification fails. What should I check?
Use mxtoolbox.com (opens in a new tab) to do an MX Lookup on your domain. If it shows fusion.mxrouting.net at priority 10 (and fusion-relay.mxrouting.netat priority 20), the MX records are live and the problem is elsewhere (usually the DKIM TXT with the wrong host). If it shows something else or nothing, DNS hasn't propagated. Wait longer.
My registrar charges extra for 'premium DNS' (is it required)?
No. The records MailSprout needs (MX, TXT, CNAME) are basic DNS supported by every registrar's free tier. “Premium DNS” usually adds DDoS protection and faster propagation; nice-to-have, never required.
My registrar isn't in your specific guides. Can you add it?
Email support@mailsprout.io with the registrar name. If it's a common one we'll write a dedicated guide; if it's rare we'll walk you through it directly.

On a different registrar?

GoDaddy→

The #1 registrar by market share. Most small businesses start here.

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.

Stuck on a step?

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