DKIM for GoDaddy: Setup and DNS Configuration

GoDaddy is one of the most popular domain registrars and DNS providers. Whether you use GoDaddy's own email or a third-party provider like Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, you'll need to add DKIM records through GoDaddy's DNS Management interface.

DKIM records are TXT records added to your domain's DNS. GoDaddy's DNS Manager supports TXT records, but there are some platform-specific quirks you should know about.

Before You Start

You'll need:

Access to your GoDaddy account with DNS management permissions
The DKIM public key from your email provider (or generated with DKIM Creator)
The selector name your email provider assigned (e.g., google, selector1, s1)

Adding a DKIM Record in GoDaddy

Log in to GoDaddy

Go to godaddy.com and sign in to your account. Navigate to My Products and find your domain.

Open DNS Management

Click on the domain name, then select "DNS" or "Manage DNS" from the domain settings. This opens the DNS Management panel.

Add a new TXT record

In the DNS Records section, click "Add" to create a new record. Select "TXT" as the record type.

Enter the Host field

In the Host (or Name) field, enter your selector followed by ._domainkey. For example, if your selector is google, enter google._domainkey. GoDaddy automatically appends your domain, so do not include it.

Enter the TXT Value

Paste the full DKIM record value from your email provider. This typically starts with v=DKIM1; k=rsa; p= followed by the base64-encoded public key.

Set the TTL

Set the TTL to 1 hour (3600 seconds) or use the default. A lower TTL makes future changes propagate faster.

Save the record

Click "Save" to add the record. GoDaddy confirms the record has been added.

GoDaddy DNS Record Format

Here's what your record should look like in the DNS Management panel:

Field	Value
Type	TXT
Host	`selector._domainkey`
Value	`v=DKIM1; k=rsa; p=MIIBIjANBgkq...`
TTL	1 Hour

Do not include your domain name in the Host field. GoDaddy appends it automatically. If your domain is example.com and you enter google._domainkey.example.com, the actual record will be created at google._domainkey.example.com.example.com, which is incorrect.

Setting Up DKIM for GoDaddy Email (Microsoft 365)

GoDaddy's professional email is powered by Microsoft 365. If you use GoDaddy email:

Get your DKIM records from Microsoft

GoDaddy email uses Microsoft 365 under the hood. You need the two CNAME records Microsoft provides for your domain.

Add two CNAME records

In GoDaddy DNS Management, add two CNAME records pointing to Microsoft's DKIM infrastructure:

selector1._domainkey pointing to selector1-yourdomain-com._domainkey.yourtenant.onmicrosoft.com
selector2._domainkey pointing to selector2-yourdomain-com._domainkey.yourtenant.onmicrosoft.com

Enable DKIM in Microsoft 365

Once the CNAME records propagate, enable DKIM signing in the Microsoft 365 Defender portal.

Need custom DKIM keys?

Generate DKIM key pairs for any email provider. Add the public key to GoDaddy DNS in minutes.

Generate DKIM Keys

Setting Up DKIM for Third-Party Email Providers

If you use a third-party email service alongside GoDaddy DNS, here's what each provider typically requires:

Provider	Record Type	Selector Example
Google Workspace	TXT	`google._domainkey`
Mailchimp	CNAME	`k1._domainkey`
SendGrid	CNAME	`s1._domainkey`
Mailgun	TXT	`smtp._domainkey`

Each provider gives you the exact values. Copy them into GoDaddy's DNS Management following the steps above.

Handling Long TXT Records in GoDaddy

DKIM records with 2048-bit keys are long. The base64-encoded public key alone is around 400 characters, and the full TXT record can exceed 255 characters.

GoDaddy handles this automatically. When you paste a long TXT value, GoDaddy splits it into 255-character chunks behind the scenes. You don't need to manually split the record.

However, if you run into issues:

Paste the entire value as a single string without line breaks
Don't add your own quotation marks around the value
If the record is rejected, try a 1024-bit key instead (shorter, but still secure for most use cases)

Pro tip

If GoDaddy truncates your TXT record, generate a 1024-bit DKIM key instead. While 2048-bit is preferred, 1024-bit is still widely accepted and fits within all DNS provider limits.

Verifying Your DKIM Record

After adding the record, verify it's live:

Wait for propagation

GoDaddy DNS changes typically propagate within 1-4 hours, though it can take up to 48 hours.

Check with a DNS lookup

Query your DKIM record using a terminal or online tool:

dig TXT selector._domainkey.yourdomain.com +short

You should see your DKIM record value in the response.

Send a test email

Send an email to a Gmail address and check the headers. Look for dkim=pass in the Authentication-Results header.

Common GoDaddy DKIM Issues

Record not propagating

GoDaddy DNS can take longer than other providers. Wait the full 48 hours before troubleshooting.
Clear your local DNS cache and try again.

Host field includes domain name twice

Only enter selector._domainkey in the Host field. Do not append your domain.
Check the actual record with dig or nslookup to confirm the full hostname is correct.

TXT value too long

GoDaddy should handle long records, but if you get an error, try pasting the value without any line breaks or extra spaces.
As a fallback, use a 1024-bit key.

Conflicting records

If you're switching email providers, remove the old DKIM record before adding the new one (unless they use different selectors).
Multiple DKIM records with different selectors are fine and expected.

Multiple DKIM Records in GoDaddy

You can have multiple DKIM records for different email services. Each uses a different selector, so they don't conflict:

google._domainkey.example.com    TXT  "v=DKIM1; k=rsa; p=..."
s1._domainkey.example.com        TXT  "v=DKIM1; k=rsa; p=..."
k1._domainkey.example.com        TXT  "v=DKIM1; k=rsa; p=..."

Each record is independent. Add as many as you need for your email services.

DKIM Creator generates keys you can add to GoDaddy DNS in minutes.

Generate DKIM keys for GoDaddy

Create DKIM key pairs and get the exact TXT record to paste into GoDaddy's DNS Management. Free and instant.