Domains and DNS
Connect a domain, publish the four required record types, and diagnose verification.
Add a domain
Open Settings → Domains, choose Add domain, and enter a domain you own. Owners and admins can add or verify domains; members cannot.
Startup Mail creates provider-specific values. Always copy the records shown in your workspace rather than values from a screenshot, another domain, or this guide.
What each record does
| Record | Purpose | If it is missing |
|---|---|---|
| MX | Routes incoming messages to Startup Mail | The mailbox cannot receive |
| DKIM | Adds a verifiable signature to outbound mail | Recipients may distrust mail |
| SPF | Authorizes the outbound service for the mail-from domain | SPF checks fail |
| DMARC | Publishes a policy for failed authentication | The domain has weaker spoofing protection |
Some providers automatically append the root domain to a host value. If Startup Mail shows @, use your provider’s root-domain convention rather than entering the literal @ when it does not accept it.
Verify the domain
After publishing all records, return to the domain row and choose Check records. Startup Mail reports each check separately so you can see which record is still pending.
Existing mail providers
A domain should not have two competing MX destinations unless you deliberately understand the provider behavior. Adding Startup Mail’s MX record can change where all new mail for that domain goes.
If the domain already receives mail with another provider, consider using a subdomain or plan the cutover before changing MX. See Forwarding when the goal is to keep Gmail or Outlook as the reading surface after Startup Mail receives the message.
Safe changes
- Do not delete website A, AAAA, or CNAME records.
- Remove obsolete mail records only after confirming they belong to the previous provider.
- Keep TTLs low during a planned cutover, then restore normal values later.
- Test both incoming and outgoing mail after verification.