How To Set Up Your Custom Domain DNS Records

Created by Alice Joynson-Ellis, Modified on Wed, 22 Apr at 5:41 PM by Curtis Hammock

How To Set Up Your Custom Domain DNS Records

Using your own domain ensures you always control your email identity. Since Purelymail does not sell domains, you will need to own one through a registrar (like Cloudflare or Namecheap) before beginning.

Step 1: Initialize Onboarding

To begin, you need to access the setup page within our system to generate your unique ownership and security records.

Login: Go to the Purelymail Account Admin portal.
Navigate to Domains: Click Domains in the top navigation bar and select Add New Domain.
Enter Domain Name: Type your domain (e.g., example.com) into the Domain name field.

Step 2: Update DNS at Your Registrar

In a new browser tab, log into your domain registrar’s dashboard (where you bought the domain) and locate the DNS management section. Add the records displayed on your Purelymail setup page.

Record Type	Purpose	Key Requirement
Ownership	Verification	Required. You cannot add the domain without this.
MX	Incoming Mail	Required to receive mail at Purelymail.
SPF	Trusted Sender	Required to send mail from Purelymail.
DKIM	Digital Signature	Required to send mail from Purelymail (3 CNAME records) to improve deliverability.
DMARC	Security Policy	Recommended to protect your domain from scammers.

Pro-Tips for Success:

Host/Name Fields: For the Ownership, MX, and SPF records, if your registrar doesn't allow you to leave this blank, use the @ symbol.
Conflicts: Delete any existing MX or SPF records from previous email providers.
Check the Values: Ensure you copy the long purelymail_ownership_proof value exactly as shown.

Step 3: Verify and Save

After entering the records at your registrar, return to the Purelymail Account Admin portal setup page to finalize the link.

Check DNS Records: Click the Check DNS records button. Our system will attempt to validate the changes you made at your DNS registrar. Note: DNS propagation can take 24-48 hours.
Verify Status: If the records are found, the "not yet validated" warning will disappear. If they aren't found immediately, wait a few minutes for DNS propagation and try again.
Configure Settings:
- Allow Account Reset: We recommend leaving this enabled so you can use your domain to recover your admin account.
- Deliver Mail To: Most users should leave this on Purelymail.
Final Save: Once your records are validated, click the Save button at the top or bottom of the page. Your domain is now ready for you to create user accounts!