SPF, DKIM and DMARC are three DNS records that prove email from your domain really comes from you. Without them, Gmail, Outlook and Yahoo are more likely to send your messages to spam, and anyone can forge your address more easily. This page explains what each record does and how to set them up for the email included with your Domain India hosting.
You need one SPF record, a DKIM key and a DMARC record. On cPanel, open Email › Email Deliverability: it shows the exact SPF and DKIM values your domain needs and can repair them when your DNS is on our servers. DKIM is on by default for new cPanel accounts. Start DMARC at p=none, read the reports, then tighten it. If your DNS is hosted elsewhere, such as Cloudflare, copy the values there yourself.
This page is the short version for hosting email. For every record in depth, with Cloudflare steps, MTA-STS, BIMI and monitoring, read email deliverability: SPF, DKIM, DMARC and BIMI. Using Business Email instead? It is a separate product that signs every message with DKIM and provides SPF and DMARC records for your domain; see Business Email vs the email included with your hosting.
1. What the three records do
| Record | What it does | Where it lives |
|---|---|---|
| SPF | Lists the servers allowed to send mail for your domain | One TXT record on the domain itself |
| DKIM | Signs each message so receivers can check it was not changed | A TXT record at selector._domainkey |
| DMARC | Tells receivers what to do when SPF and DKIM fail, and where to send reports | A TXT record at _dmarc |
2. Set them up on your hosting
cPanel: open Email › Email Deliverability. Each domain shows whether SPF and DKIM are valid, and Manage shows the exact records. When your DNS is on our servers, it can install or repair them for you. DKIM is on by default for new accounts and uses the selector default. Most domains on our cPanel servers already have a DMARC record with p=none, which you can edit in the Zone Editor.
DirectAdmin: DKIM uses the selector x, and most domains already have a key. See checking and managing DKIM in DirectAdmin.
Webuzo and Plesk (Windows): if you can't find the SPF or DKIM value for your domain in the panel, ask support for it.
Don't type a generic SPF record from a tutorial: it may leave out the server that actually sends your mail. Use the value your panel shows. A domain may have exactly one TXT record starting with v=spf1; if you also send through Google Workspace or a newsletter service, add its include: to the same record.
3. If your DNS is somewhere else
Records created in your control panel only take effect if the domain uses our nameservers. If DNS is on Cloudflare, another host or your registrar, copy the SPF, DKIM and DMARC values from your panel into that DNS as TXT records with the same names. On Cloudflare, keep mail records set to DNS only. See how to change your domain DNS settings.
4. DMARC in three steps
Start in monitoring mode:
_dmarc.yourdomain.com TXT "v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:[email protected]"p=nonechanges nothing about delivery; receivers send daily reports to theruaaddress.p=quarantineonce every service that sends as your domain passes: failing mail goes to spam.p=rejectif you want failing mail refused outright.
Move one step at a time over several weeks, reading the reports as you go. A domain may have only one DMARC record, so edit the existing one. The full walkthrough is in setting up DMARC.
5. Check your setup
- Email Deliverability in cPanel shows the status of each domain.
- Send a message to a Gmail address, open it and choose Show original: SPF, DKIM and DMARC should all say
PASS. - Use a mail-testing service for a scored report; see how to test email deliverability.
6. Common problems
If mail from your website's contact form lands in spam, the form is usually sending "from" the visitor's address. See emails going to spam for the fix.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I find my SPF and DKIM records on cPanel?
Open Email Deliverability in the Email section of cPanel. It lists each domain, shows whether SPF and DKIM are valid, and gives the exact records under Manage.
Is DKIM enabled on Domain India hosting?
Yes. DKIM is on by default for new cPanel accounts, and most DirectAdmin domains already have a key with the selector x.
Can I have two SPF records?
No. A domain may have only one TXT record starting with v=spf1. Two records make SPF fail. Merge all includes into one record.
Which DMARC policy should I start with?
Start with p=none and a rua address for reports. Move to p=quarantine once every service that sends as your domain passes, and to p=reject later if you want.
My DNS is on Cloudflare. Do the records get added automatically?
No. Copy the SPF, DKIM and DMARC values shown in your control panel into Cloudflare as TXT records, with the proxy off.
Ready to fix your email? Read the full deliverability guide, follow setting up DMARC, or open a support ticket if a record won't validate.
Domain India Business Email signs every message with DKIM and provides SPF and DMARC records for your domain.
See Business Email