Learning objective
By the end of this tutorial, you’ll know how to add or update SPF, DKIM, and DMARC as TXT records in GoDaddy so your domain can authenticate email and protect against spoofing.
Why this matters
SPF, DKIM, and DMARC work together to prove your emails are legitimately sent from your domain. When they’re configured correctly, you reduce spoofing risk and improve deliverability (more inbox, fewer spam placements).
Prerequisites
You have access to your GoDaddy account and the domain you want to update.
You have the SPF, DKIM, and DMARC values from your email provider (or you’ve generated them using the tools linked below).
You understand that DNS changes can take time to propagate (often up to 1 hour, sometimes longer).
Core lesson: Step-by-step workflow
Phase 1: Open your domain’s DNS settings in GoDaddy
Sign in to your GoDaddy Domain Control Center, then select your domain to open its settings.
Select Manage DNS to open your zone file (DNS records).
Phase 2: Add (or update) your SPF record
An SPF record is a TXT record that lists which mail servers are allowed to send email on behalf of your domain.
In your DNS records, select Add, then choose TXT as the record type.
Enter your SPF record details:
Name/Host: Enter @ for the root domain (recommended for most setups), or a subdomain if your provider instructs you to.
Value: Paste the SPF value provided by your email provider (example for Google: v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all).
TTL: Leave the default (commonly 1 hour) unless your provider recommends otherwise.
Select Save (or Save Record) to publish the SPF TXT record.
Where do I get my SPF value? Your email provider can provide it. If you’re stuck, you can generate a starting point using SPF Record Generator.
To validate, you can read how to check and validate your SPF record or test it with SPF record Checker.
Phase 3: Add (or update) your DKIM record
DKIM digitally signs your outgoing messages so receiving servers can verify the email wasn’t altered and is authorized by your domain.
Before you start: Generate or obtain your DKIM TXT record from your email provider (for example: Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Postmark). If you need a tool to generate DKIM, you can use this DKIM generator.
In GoDaddy, go to your domain’s DNS management area, then click Add in the Records section to create a new record.
Choose TXT and enter the DKIM values provided by your email provider (example host format: s1._domainkey, plus the long DKIM value). Then select Save.
After DNS propagates, verify it using a checker like DKIM record checker. If it doesn’t appear immediately, wait up to 1 hour and try again.
Phase 4: Add (or update) your DMARC record
DMARC tells receiving mail servers what to do if SPF and/or DKIM checks fail, and (optionally) where to send authentication reports.
You can generate a DMARC value using DMARC generator or DMARC Record Generator.
From your domain’s DNS management screen, use the domain search/select option if needed to make sure you’re editing the correct domain.
Click Add to create a new DNS record (or edit the existing one if you already have _dmarc—you can’t have multiple DMARC records). Then set Type to TXT, set Host to _dmarc, paste your DMARC value, and save.
Example DMARC host/value (replace the email with one you own):
Host: _dmarc
Value (with reporting): v=DMARC1; p=quarantine; rua=mailto:[email protected]; pct=90; sp=none
Value (no reporting): v=DMARC1; p=quarantine; pct=90; sp=none
To confirm it’s live, you can check your DMARC record here: DMARC lookup.
Practical application (recommended baseline)
If you’re setting up authentication for the first time, a common approach is:
SPF: Include only the services that send mail for your domain (avoid multiple SPF records).
DKIM: Enable DKIM in your email provider and publish the provided TXT record(s).
DMARC: Start with a monitoring or gentle policy (for example, p=none), then move to quarantine or reject once you’re confident all legitimate sources pass SPF/DKIM.
Troubleshooting & pitfalls
Issue: “I added the record but checks still fail.”
Root cause: DNS propagation delay or record added to the wrong domain/host.
Fix: Wait up to 1 hour, confirm you edited the correct domain, and re-check using a validator/lookup tool.
Issue: “My SPF is invalid or too long.”
Root cause: Multiple SPF records or too many DNS “lookups” caused by includes.
Fix: Ensure there is only one SPF TXT record at the root (@), and simplify includes to stay within SPF limits.
Issue: “DMARC won’t work / lookup shows multiple records.”
Root cause: More than one DMARC record exists.
Fix: Keep a single TXT record at host _dmarc and delete/merge duplicates.
Knowledge check (optional)
Did you publish SPF as a single TXT record on @ (unless instructed otherwise)?
Did you publish the DKIM TXT record with the exact selector/host your provider gave you (for example, s1._domainkey)?
Did you ensure there’s only one DMARC record at _dmarc?
These DNS settings aren’t specific to any one tool, they’re foundational for securing your domain and improving email deliverability. If you’re unsure about the exact values to use, your email provider and domain host support teams can confirm what to publish.