What is a TXT Record
A TXT Record (Text Record) is a DNS record used for email verification and authentication, such as protecting emails from spam and verifying domain ownership when sending an email from your domain name.
It was originally used for human-readable text. This domain verification TXT record is used for several purposes, such as email verification, to prevent your email from being marked as spam.
Why Do You Need TXT Records for Your Domain Email Address?
TXT records are important for your domain and email for several reasons, primarily security, verification, internet reputation, and email management. Ensure your SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records are configured correctly for your domain's email addresses.
Here's a detailed look at why DNS records, specifically TXT records, hold significant value for your domain's email addresses:
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Domain Ownership Verification
TXT records confirm that you're the rightful owner, allowing access to tools and services such as Google Workspace or webmaster platforms.
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Email Security and Deliverability
Custom domain email addresses you create have important DNS Record settings called TXT records. The three TXT records are SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records.
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SPF — Sender Policy Framework
SPF records help protect your email reputation, prevent email spoofing, and reduce spam. They make it harder for attackers to impersonate your domain’s email address.
How to Set Up SPF Records: Follow this guide to set up and add an SPF record for your domain’s email.
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DKIM — DomainKeys Identified Mail
DKIM adds a digital cryptographic signature to your emails, ensuring authenticity and confirming that the message has not been altered during transit. This signature is stored in DNS TXT records.
What is a DKIM record?: Follow this guide to enhance sender authenticity for your domain’s email address.
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DMARC — Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance
DMARC uses a DNS TXT record to tell email servers how to handle messages that fail SPF or DKIM checks. It protects your domain’s reputation, provides insight into email misuse, and helps prevent abuse. DMARC also ensures that major email providers, such as Gmail, Yahoo, AOL, and Hotmail, recognize authentication results.
How to add a DMARC record: Follow this guide to configure DMARC for your domain’s email.
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Site Verification
A unique code to a TXT record proves you control a website, granting access to SEO tools, analytics, and other services. This is also a prerequisite and requirement for using and accessing certain services and tools related to SEO, site analytics, and other relevant areas.
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Flexible Use for Miscellaneous Verifications
Beyond these core uses, TXT records can store additional information for various security measures, API access, or any scenario requiring domain ownership verification or the sharing of public information.
Example of a TXT Record
The TXT Value is what the record 'points to,' but these records aren't used to direct any traffic. Instead, they're used to provide needed information to outside sources for email verification.
The first record is used for SPF (Sender Policy Framework) records. Many email systems use these records to help identify whether the email is coming from a trusted source, which helps filter out spam or messages pretending to be from your domain (called spoofing).
For more details, check out this article: How to Set Up SPF Records.
The second record is used for DomainKeys, which can verify that the email came from a trusted source.
To learn more about DomainKeys, visit: What is a DKIM record?
DNS Glossary
| DNS | Functions |
|---|---|
| Zone File | This is where all the DNS records are stored for a domain. |
| Host Record | This is the domain or subdomain you wish to use. The @ symbol is used to indicate the root domain itself. In our example, the Host Record 'FTP' would be for the subdomain ftp.google.com, and '@' would be the domain itself, google.com. |
| Points to | This is the destination server to which the domain or subdomain sends traffic. |
| TTL | The 'time to live' value indicates the amount of time a DNS Server, such as your Internet service provider, caches the record. The default (and lowest accepted) value is 14400 seconds (4 hours). You do not normally need to modify this value. |
| Action | This allows you to modify or remove existing records. |
| Weight | This is similar to priority, as it controls the order in which multiple records are used. Records are grouped with other records that have the same Priority value. As with MX Entries, lower numbers are used before higher numbers. |
| Port | The server or computer uses this to process traffic to specific services, ensuring that all traffic comes through the expected door. |
| Target | This is the destination to which the record sends the traffic. This record would send traffic from service.example.com to listening.otherexample.com over port 5060. SRV records typically require advanced knowledge of server administration to utilize effectively. |
Summary
To ensure that your email related to your domain name is not considered spam or for Google email verification, it is recommended to verify that your TXT record or TXT value is set correctly. Additionally, ensure that your SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records are configured correctly for your domain's email addresses.
If you need further assistance, feel free to contact us via Chat or Phone:
- Chat Support - While on our website, you should see a CHAT bubble in the bottom right-hand corner of the page. Click anywhere on the bubble to begin a chat session.
- Phone Support -
- US: 888-401-4678
- International: +1 801-765-9400
You may also refer to our Knowledge Base articles to help answer common questions and guide you through various setup, configuration, and troubleshooting steps.