DNS records explained
Understand DKIM, SPF and DMARC, and the results of a DNS check.
Copy records from Sending Domains → your domain → DNS Records. Example names below show the format, not values to publish.
The three records
SendMero shows three TXT records. DKIM and SPF are required for DNS verified status; DMARC is recommended.
| Record | Purpose | Name format |
|---|---|---|
| DKIM | Lets receivers verify your email's signature. | selector._domainkey.mail.example.com |
| SPF | Lists the servers allowed to send for the domain. | mail.example.com |
| DMARC | Sets a policy for messages that fail authentication and alignment. | _dmarc.mail.example.com |
For more background, see Cloudflare's email authentication guide.
DKIM: domain authentication
SendMero signs outgoing email with a private key. The DKIM TXT record publishes the public key receivers use to check that signature.
Add the Name and Content shown under Domain authentication. Copy the full content, and keep it published after verification.
SPF: sender authorization
Under Sender authorization, SendMero checks the existing SPF policy before showing what to add or change.
| What you see | What to do |
|---|---|
| A new record to add | Publish it only if there is no existing SPF record at that name. |
| Edit your existing SPF record | Add the displayed SendMero include: term to the existing record, before the final all term. Keep other senders and the ending policy. |
| DNS verified | Keep the existing record; no change is needed. |
| Review DNS before editing | Resolve the check result with your DNS provider or administrator before changing the policy. |
The displayed include: term is not a complete TXT record. If it is already present, the policy uses redirect=, or there is no final all term, ask your DNS administrator to review it.
Publish only one SPF policy per hostname. Multiple TXT records starting with v=spf1 cause SPF failures. See Cloudflare's SPF setup guidance.
DMARC: domain protection
DMARC checks whether an authenticated SPF or DKIM domain aligns with the sender address recipients see. Its policy tells receivers how to handle failures.
Follow Domain protection on the domain page. Keep an existing policy and its reporting addresses. Before adding a policy for a subdomain, check whether it inherits the parent domain's policy; adding p=none could weaken that protection.
DMARC is recommended but does not block SendMero's domain verification.
Add records at your DNS provider
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Type | TXT |
| Name | The name shown in SendMero. If your provider appends the domain, enter only the host portion. |
| Content | The full value, or the existing policy updated as instructed. |
| TTL | Auto, or your provider's default. |
Copy all records includes only records with copyable values. Follow separate edit instructions for any SPF or DMARC policy excluded from the copy.
Save your changes, then return to SendMero and verify or recheck DNS.
Find your provider's instructions →
Understand record statuses
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Not checked | No check result is available yet. |
| DNS verified | The record passed the check. |
| Not found | The expected record wasn't found. |
| Does not match | The published value doesn't meet the check. |
| Multiple records | Conflicting policy records were found. |
| Invalid record | The record failed validation. |
| Check unavailable | The DNS check couldn't complete. |
| Setup needed | Required record values aren't available yet. |
Read the message below the record for the specific result. See Domain not verifying for help, or Manage domains to run another check.
- Keep existing senders in SPF and preserve your DMARC policy.
- Keep verified records published when changing DNS providers.
- Recheck after DNS edits; changes may take time to appear.