Email Deliverability
Add DNS records in Namecheap
Exact steps to add your SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records in Namecheap.
Get to your DNS settings
- Sign in and open your Domain List.
- Click “Manage” next to your domain.
- Open the “Advanced DNS” tab.
- Under Host Records, click “Add New Record” and choose the type.
- Enter the Host, Value, and TTL, then click “Save All Changes”.
This only works if your domain uses Namecheap BasicDNS (check the Nameservers setting). If it points at Namecheap Web Hosting, edit DNS in cPanel instead; if it uses another provider’s nameservers, edit there.
The Host field
Namecheap adds your domain automatically — enter only the label: "@" for the root, and "focal._domainkey" for DKIM.
The #1 mistake: don’t type your full domain in the host/name field. When we ask for a record named "focal._domainkey.yourdomain.com", you enter only "focal._domainkey". Almost every DNS provider adds your domain back on automatically — type the whole thing and you get "focal._domainkey.yourdomain.com.yourdomain.com", which silently fails. Enter only the part before your domain, and use "@" (or leave it blank — see your provider below) for the root.
New domains ship with a parking “URL Redirect” on @ and a www CNAME to Namecheap’s parking page. A CNAME blocks other records on the same host — delete those defaults first. Only one SPF record is allowed. Set MX under “Mail Settings → Custom MX”.
TTL default is Automatic — leave it. Changes usually propagate within about 30 minutes.