How to Add a DKIM Record in GoDaddy DNS for cPanel, Microsoft 365, and Professional Email

If your domain's DNS is managed by GoDaddy, you can add a DKIM record through its DNS Management dashboard. However, GoDaddy does not generate every DKIM key automatically. Your email provider, such as cPanel, Microsoft 365, or GoDaddy Professional Email, supplies the required DNS record details.

To add DKIM, sign in to your GoDaddy Domain Portfolio, select your domain, open DNS Management, and create the record using the exact hostname and value provided by your email service. Depending on your email platform, you may need a TXT record or one or more CNAME records.

This guide explains how to add DKIM records in GoDaddy for different email configurations and how to verify that your messages are successfully authenticated.

Quick Answer: How to Add a DKIM Record in GoDaddy

Follow these general steps:

1. Generate or retrieve your DKIM record from your email provider.
2. Sign in to your GoDaddy account.
3. Open Domain Portfolio and select your domain.
4. Select DNS to access DNS Management.
5. Click Add New Record.
6. Choose TXT or CNAME, depending on your provider.
7. Enter the exact Name and Value supplied by your email service.
8. Save the record and wait for DNS propagation.
9. Verify the record and test an outgoing email.

Important: Do not use a random DKIM value. Your email provider must generate the public key or CNAME targets that correspond to your email-signing configuration.

Table of Contents

1. What Is a DKIM Record?
2. Before Adding DKIM to GoDaddy
3. How to Add a DKIM TXT Record in GoDaddy for cPanel
4. How to Add DKIM CNAME Records for Microsoft 365
5. How to Add DKIM for GoDaddy Professional Email
6. How to Verify a DKIM Record in GoDaddy
7. Common GoDaddy DKIM Errors and Fixes
8. Frequently Asked Questions

1. What Is a DKIM Record?

DKIM stands for DomainKeys Identified Mail. It is an email authentication protocol that uses cryptographic signatures to help receiving mail servers verify that an email was signed by an authorized domain.

When an email provider sends a DKIM-signed message, it uses a private key to generate a digital signature.

The corresponding public key is published in the domain's DNS. Receiving mail servers use this public key to verify the signature.

A DKIM DNS record typically contains:

• A selector that identifies the key.
• A public key or a CNAME destination that provides access to the key.
• A DNS hostname ending in ._domainkey.

For example, a TXT-based DKIM record might use this hostname:

default._domainkey.example.com

The exact selector and public-key value depend on your email provider.

Why should you configure DKIM?

A properly configured DKIM record helps:

• Authenticate outgoing email messages.
• Verify the integrity of signed email content.
• Support DMARC authentication and alignment.
• Build a more reliable email authentication setup.
• Reduce the risk of messages being treated as unauthenticated.

DKIM does not guarantee inbox placement, but it is an important part of a professional email infrastructure.

2. Before Adding DKIM to GoDaddy

Before changing your DNS records, identify which service sends email for your domain.

The DKIM configuration differs between providers.

You should also confirm that GoDaddy is managing your domain's authoritative DNS.

If your domain uses Cloudflare nameservers, for example, you must add the DKIM record in Cloudflare instead of GoDaddy—even if you purchased the domain through GoDaddy.

GoDaddy's DNS management documentation explains that domains using other nameservers are managed through their respective DNS providers.

3. How to Add a DKIM TXT Record in GoDaddy for cPanel

If your website hosting uses cPanel and your email is handled through that hosting account, you can retrieve the DKIM record from cPanel's Email Deliverability section.

GoDaddy provides instructions for this setup.

Step 1: Log in to cPanel

Open your hosting account's cPanel dashboard.

Depending on your hosting configuration, you may access it through your hosting provider's control panel or a direct cPanel login URL.

Step 2: Open Email Deliverability

In cPanel:

1. Locate the Email section.
2. Click Email Deliverability.
3. Find the domain you want to authenticate.
4. Click Manage next to that domain.

Step 3: Find the Suggested DKIM Record

Locate the section titled:

Suggested "DKIM" (TXT) Record

You should see two important fields:

• Name: The DNS hostname where the DKIM record must be published.
• Value: The generated public-key information.

Copy both values.

Do not create a new public key manually or replace the generated value with an example from another domain.

Step 4: Open GoDaddy DNS Management

Now open GoDaddy:

1. Sign in to your GoDaddy account.
2. Open Domain Portfolio.
3. Find your domain.
4. Select the domain name.
5. Open DNS.

You should now see the existing DNS records for your domain.

Step 5: Add the DKIM TXT Record

Click Add New Record and enter the information from cPanel.

For example, a DKIM hostname may look like:

default._domainkey

The value will contain the actual public key generated by your email server.

This is only an example of the hostname format. Use the exact values displayed in your cPanel account.

Step 6: Save the Record

Click Save or Save All Records.

Your DKIM public key is now published through GoDaddy DNS, provided GoDaddy is the authoritative DNS provider for your domain.

GoDaddy notes that DNS changes commonly take effect within an hour but can take up to 48 hours to update globally.

4. How to Add DKIM CNAME Records for Microsoft 365

Microsoft 365 uses a different DKIM configuration.

Instead of adding a public key directly as a TXT record, Microsoft provides two CNAME records that point to its DKIM infrastructure.

You must generate the CNAME values through the Microsoft Defender portal.

Step 1: Open Microsoft Defender

Sign in to the Microsoft Defender portal using your Microsoft 365 administrator account.

Navigate to the DKIM configuration section and select your custom domain.

Step 2: Generate DKIM Keys

Select the option to create DKIM keys.

Microsoft generates two CNAME records, generally using these selector names:

selector1._domainkey
selector2._domainkey

Copy the complete hostname and target value for both records.

The target values are specific to your Microsoft 365 domain and tenant. Do not copy sample targets from another domain.

Step 3: Open GoDaddy DNS Management

Sign in to GoDaddy and navigate to:

Domain Portfolio → Your Domain → DNS.

Step 4: Add the First CNAME Record

Click Add New Record.

Enter the first record:

Step 5: Add the Second CNAME Record

Create another record:

GoDaddy automatically appends the domain name to the Name field in its DNS zone. Therefore, enter only the hostname portion requested by the interface rather than repeating your complete domain name.

Step 6: Enable DKIM in Microsoft 365

After the CNAME records become visible in DNS:

1. Return to the Microsoft Defender portal.
2. Open the DKIM settings for your domain.
3. Check that the records are recognized.
4. Enable DKIM signing.

Publishing the CNAME records alone does not necessarily enable DKIM signing. Complete the activation step in Microsoft 365.

5. How to Add DKIM for GoDaddy Professional Email

GoDaddy Professional Email powered by Titan has its own DKIM configuration.

In this setup, GoDaddy provides two DKIM CNAME records through the Email & Office Dashboard.

Step 1: Open Email & Office Dashboard

Sign in to your GoDaddy Email & Office Dashboard.

Under Users, locate the relevant email user and select Manage.

Step 2: Find the DKIM Records

Under Manage, select Set mail destination or use the Help me fix this option if it appears.

In the DNS instructions, locate the DKIM records.

GoDaddy provides two CNAME records, typically using these names:

secureserver1._domainkey
secureserver2._domainkey

Copy the actual target values displayed in your account.

Step 3: Add the First CNAME Record

Open your domain's DNS Management page.

Create the first record:

Step 4: Add the Second CNAME Record

Create the second record:

Save both records.

The target values must come from your own Email & Office Dashboard. Do not use guessed or copied values from another account.

6. How to Verify a DKIM Record in GoDaddy

After adding the record, verify that it is publicly available and that your email provider recognizes it.

Method 1: Check DNS Records

Use a DNS lookup tool to query your DKIM hostname.

For a TXT-based configuration, the hostname might look like:

default._domainkey.example.com

For a CNAME-based configuration, query the selector hostname and check whether it resolves to the expected target.

You can use the LeadNurturix DNS Lookup tool to inspect publicly available DNS records.

Method 2: Use a DKIM Checker

A DKIM checker can help identify:

• Missing DKIM records.
• Incorrect selector names.
• Invalid TXT record formatting.
• Incorrect CNAME targets.
• DNS resolution failures.

Use the LeadNurturix DKIM Checker to inspect your configuration.

Method 3: Send a Test Email

The most important test is to confirm that your outgoing emails are actually being signed.

Send an email to an external mailbox, such as Gmail.

In Gmail:

1. Open the received email.
2. Click the three-dot menu.
3. Select Show original.
4. Review the authentication results.

Look for:

dkim=pass

You can also inspect the DKIM-Signature header.

It contains fields such as:

d=example.com
s=default

The d parameter identifies the signing domain, while s identifies the selector.

A successful DNS lookup does not by itself prove that outgoing email signing is enabled. Check the authentication result from a real email.

7. Common GoDaddy DKIM Errors and Fixes

Error 1: DKIM Record Not Found

This can happen when the hostname is incorrect or the DNS record has not propagated.

Fix: Compare the DNS Name field with the hostname supplied by your email provider. Check that you entered the selector and _domainkey portion correctly.

Error 2: Incorrect DKIM Record Type

Some providers require TXT records, while others use CNAME records.

For example:

• cPanel hosting email commonly provides a TXT record.
• Microsoft 365 uses CNAME records.
• GoDaddy Professional Email powered by Titan uses two CNAME records.

Fix: Follow your email provider's instructions. Do not convert a CNAME into a TXT record or vice versa.

Error 3: Domain Name Appears Twice

GoDaddy automatically appends the domain name to the DNS record's Name field.

If you enter the complete domain when only a hostname prefix is expected, the resulting DNS name may be incorrect.

For example, instead of entering:

default._domainkey.example.com

you may need to enter:

default._domainkey

Fix: Follow GoDaddy's Name field format and inspect the resulting DNS hostname.

Error 4: Incorrect CNAME Target

A CNAME record must point to the exact destination supplied by the email provider.

A typo or outdated target can prevent DKIM verification.

Fix: Return to your Microsoft 365 or GoDaddy email dashboard and copy the generated target again.

Error 5: DKIM DNS Record Exists but Authentication Fails

This can happen if the email provider is not signing messages, the wrong selector is being used, or the private and public keys do not match.

Fix: Check the actual outgoing email's DKIM-Signature header and compare its selector and signing domain with the published DNS record.

Error 6: DNS Is Managed by Another Provider

Your domain may be registered with GoDaddy but use Cloudflare or another provider for DNS.

In that case, changes made in GoDaddy DNS Management will not update the authoritative DNS zone.

Fix: Check your domain's nameservers and add the DKIM record at the provider currently managing DNS.

8. Frequently Asked Questions

How do I add a DKIM record in GoDaddy?

Sign in to GoDaddy, open Domain Portfolio, select your domain, and navigate to DNS. Click Add New Record, choose the record type supplied by your email provider, enter the hostname and value, and save it.

Is a DKIM record a TXT or CNAME record?

It can be either. cPanel commonly supplies a TXT record, while Microsoft 365 and GoDaddy Professional Email powered by Titan use CNAME records in their documented configurations.

Does GoDaddy automatically generate DKIM records?

It depends on the email service. GoDaddy Professional Email provides its DKIM CNAME details through the Email & Office Dashboard. For third-party services, such as Microsoft 365 or cPanel hosting, retrieve the records from the relevant email platform.

Where can I find my DKIM record in cPanel?

Open cPanel, go to Email Deliverability, select Manage next to your domain, and find the Suggested DKIM (TXT) Record section. Copy the Name and Value fields.

How many DKIM records do I need in GoDaddy?

It depends on your email provider. A cPanel configuration may require one TXT record, while Microsoft 365 and GoDaddy Professional Email powered by Titan typically require two CNAME records.

How long does DKIM take to work after adding it?

GoDaddy says DNS changes commonly take effect within an hour but may take up to 48 hours to update globally. Verification time also depends on DNS caching and your email provider.

Can I add DKIM without changing my SPF record?

Yes. DKIM and SPF are separate authentication mechanisms. Adding a DKIM record does not normally require changing an existing SPF record.

How do I know if my GoDaddy DKIM is working?

Send a test email to an external mailbox and inspect its original headers. Look for dkim=pass in the authentication results.

Does DKIM improve email deliverability?

DKIM helps authenticate outgoing messages and supports DMARC. However, it does not guarantee inbox placement. Sender reputation, message quality, recipient engagement, SPF, and DMARC also influence email delivery.

Conclusion

Adding a DKIM record in GoDaddy is straightforward once you have the correct DNS details from your email provider.

For cPanel hosting, retrieve the TXT record from Email Deliverability. For Microsoft 365, generate two CNAME records through Microsoft Defender. For GoDaddy Professional Email powered by Titan, retrieve the two DKIM CNAME records from the Email & Office Dashboard.

Always publish the exact hostname and value supplied by your provider. After saving the DNS records, verify their availability and test an outgoing email to confirm that DKIM authentication passes.

Editorial Policy

LeadNurturix publishes educational content about email authentication, DNS configuration, and email deliverability. Technical instructions are based on provider documentation and practical configuration principles. Interface labels may vary between provider plans and account versions.

Content Transparency

This article covers multiple email configurations because the DKIM record type and generation process depend on the email service. Example hostnames are placeholders; use the actual DNS values supplied by your provider.

About the Author

Talha Rafi is an Email Deliverability Specialist and B2B Lead Generation professional with over five years of experience in email infrastructure, DNS authentication, cold email systems, and outreach optimization. Through LeadNurturix, he shares practical guidance to help businesses improve their email authentication and sending infrastructure.