Overview
This guide demonstrates how to add a root domain or subdomain to GoDaddy and configure the (sub)domain with each Mailgun DNS record. This guide assumes that you have already created your GoDaddy account.
While this guide is intended to be as helpful and comprehensive as possible, there is a small possibility that you will encounter an error or issue of some kind while configuring your DNS records within GoDaddy. If that is the case, we recommend contacting GoDaddy's Support Team as they will be able to most quickly identify and resolve the issue (or, at minimum, provide next steps).
Deciding between a root domain or subdomain
Deciding which domain to use - especially whether to use your root domain or a subdomain of that root domain - is key before proceeding any further. As this can be a challenging decision to make, we recommend reviewing the following Mailgun articles if needed:
- Choosing a domain name
- The basics of email subdomains
- Can I use the same domain name for Mailgun and my personal email account?
Nevertheless, let's briefly review two key terms: root domains and subdomains.
Examples of root domains include mailgun.com, mydnsexample.com, or google.com. Examples of subdomains include relay.mailgun.com, mg.mydnsexample.com, or mail.google.com. Notice the pattern: subdomains have an extra prefix (or sometimes multiple prefixes) before the primary domain name itself. In most cases using a subdomain with Mailgun is preferred, but we cover this topic more comprehensively in the above articles.
Finally, once a decision has been reached, add the (sub)domain to your Mailgun account, and our system will generate the various DNS records needed . We cover adding (and deleting) domains in detail within this in-depth guide.
Adding the domain
There are three methods of adding a domain or subdomain within GoDaddy:
- Method 1: Registering a new domain/subdomain with GoDaddy
- Method 2: Transferring an existing (sub)domain from another DNS provider to GoDaddy
- Method 3: Configuring an existing (sub)domain's nameservers within the Domain Registrar to reference GoDaddy rather than the current DNS provider
The first method of adding a (sub)domain within the GoDaddy Control Panel only takes 7 steps, and this is the method covered in this guide. We will list those steps below, but if desired, you can also reference GoDaddy's Adding (Buying) A Domain articles. If you already have a domain purchased and registered elsewhere, you'll need to transfer the domain to GoDaddy (see the next paragraph) or configure your nameserver records to reference GoDaddy (see the paragraph after the next paragraph).
However, the second method of adding a (sub)domain within the GoDaddy Control Panel is not covered in this article; nonetheless, GoDaddy documents how the transfer process works within their system. Transferring a domain's registration between Domain Registrars is an intricate process, and a mistake can have catastrophic impact upon your online presence. Therefore, it is our recommendation to contact the Domain Registrar if you have any questions or encounter any issues regarding with the Domain Registration and Nameserver Management processes. See also section "The Domain Registrar And Nameserver Records" of the guide for more details.
A third method, configuring an existing (sub)domain's nameservers within the Domain Registrar to reference GoDaddy rather than the current DNS provider, is partially covered in this guide. Similar to the explanation in the second method above, changes in your Domain Registrar must be carefully and precisely made. As such, working directly with the Domain Registrar may be imperative for ensuring the nameserver (NS) records are updated appropriately. Nonetheless, we cover the GoDaddy side of the equation below.
Tip: For larger images, right-click and select the option "Open Image in New Tab" (or Window).
Don't own a domain or need a new domain? (First Method)
If you need to create a new (sub)domain and have it hosted with GoDaddy, follow the below steps to register your new domain (or subdomain) with GoDaddy.
-
Login to your account.
- Enter the new domain name you wish to add (buy/purchase) from GoDaddy inside the center textbox.
-
Choose the desired domain ending (.TLD) for your domain. Then, click the Make it yours button
- If shown, choose any additional options and proceed to the next page by clicking the No Thanks button.
-
Click the shopping cart icon (located towards the top-right corner of the page).
- If shown, choose any additional options and proceed to the next page by clicking the Continue to Cart button.
-
Finalize any details or options, provide payment, and complete the domain registration process.
Already own a domain hosted somewhere else? (Third Method)
If you already own an existing (sub)domain that is registered elsewhere with another Domain Registrar, but you would like to manage the DNS at GoDaddy, this is possible by performing the following steps of adding a DNS zone:
-
Login to your account.
-
Click the waffle menu (the icon with 9 dots to the right of the GoDaddy logo) and select the Domains option.
-
Click the DNS tab towards the top of the page and select the Add DNS Hosting option.
-
Click the Add DNS Hosting button.
-
Enter your existing (sub)domain in the textbox. Then, click the Add button.
- GoDaddy displays the specific NS records you'll need to use within your Domain Registrar. You can skip this for the moment and proceed with configuring the Mailgun DNS records within GoDaddy (please save these records for later in your notes), but you will need to ensure the GoDaddy NS records are configured within your Domain Registrar before the Mailgun DNS records will propagate globally and become effective for your domain. When ready to proceed, click the Done button.
-
Click the newly added domain.
-
Enter the Mailgun DNS records for each Mailgun record by utilizing the relevant sections of our guide below.
Configuring the domain
Once the domain has been added, you may access it in the future using the following steps.
- If you're shown the My Products page upon login, click the Manage All link towards the upper-right side of the page.
-
Click the Manage DNS button towards the upper-right side of the page.
-
Enter a domain name and then click the domain name to select it.
-
View, create, or edit the desired DNS records for the domain.
Configuring SPF
SPF records help protect your domain against spoofed emails and decrease* the likelihood your emails will be flagged as spam. (* Exceptions apply: e.g. actual spam/phishing emails will still be considered as such by mailbox providers even with the presence of an SPF record.)
Additionally to our guide, GoDaddy does provide their own SPF tutorial. Interested in more extensive technical details concerning SPF records? Please reference this Mailgun article, RFC 7208, or GoDaddy's technical documentation.
Tip: For larger images, right-click and select the option "Open Image in New Tab" (or Window).
Configuring a root domain with the SPF record
Within your GoDaddy Control Panel, enter the SPF record information that is displayed in your Mailgun Control Panel. (In the Mailgun Control Panel, you'll click on the Sending option followed by the Domain settings suboption found within in the left-hand navigation pane, and then click on the DNS records tab).
Both the image above and the table below - using an example domain called mydnsexample.com - provide additional guidance for adapting certain values (such as the Hostname) into GoDaddy's system. Other DNS nuances and problematic scenarios that you may encounter are also explained in detail. Generally, the bolded-in-blue-text within the table can be copied-and-pasted for each field, unless it is noted otherwise (such as the DKIM value, which is unique for every Mailgun domain).
| Field | Enter |
|---|---|
| Type |
TXT Notes:
|
| Name |
@ Notes:
|
| Value |
v=spf1 include:mailgun.org ~all Notes:
|
| TTL (Seconds) |
600 Notes:
|
Configuring a subdomain with the SPF record
Within your GoDaddy Control Panel, enter the SPF record information that is displayed in your Mailgun Control Panel. (In the Mailgun Control Panel, you'll click on the Sending option followed by the Domain settings suboption found within in the left-hand navigation pane, and then click on the DNS records tab).
Both the image above and the table below - using an example subdomain called mg.mydnsexample.com - provide additional guidance for adapting certain values (such as the Hostname) into GoDaddy's system. Other DNS nuances and problematic scenarios that you may encounter are also explained in detail. Generally, the bolded-in-blue-text within the table can be copied-and-pasted for each field, unless it is noted otherwise (such as the DKIM value, which is unique for every Mailgun domain).
| Field | Enter |
|---|---|
| Type |
TXT Notes:
|
| Name |
mg Notes:
|
| Value |
v=spf1 include:mailgun.org ~all Notes:
|
| TTL (Seconds) |
600 Notes:
|
Configuring DKIM
DKIM records help authenticate your domain against forged emails and decrease* the likelihood your emails will be flagged as spam. (* Exceptions apply: e.g. actual spam/phishing emails will still be considered as such by mailbox providers even with the presence of an DKIM record.)
Additionally to our guide, GoDaddy does provide their own DKIM tutorial (though it is generalized for each type of record in their system). Interested in more extensive technical details concerning DKIM records? Please reference this Mailgun article or RFC 6376.
Tip: For larger images, right-click and select the option "Open Image in New Tab" (or Window).
Configuring a root domain with the DKIM record
Within your GoDaddy Control Panel, enter the DKIM record information that is displayed in your Mailgun Control Panel. (In the Mailgun Control Panel, you'll click on the Sending option followed by the Domain settings suboption found within in the left-hand navigation pane, and then click on the DNS records tab).
Both the image above and the table below - using an example domain called mydnsexample.com - provide additional guidance for adapting certain values (such as the Hostname) into GoDaddy's system. Other DNS nuances and problematic scenarios that you may encounter are also explained in detail. Generally, the bolded-in-blue-text within the table can be copied-and-pasted for each field, unless it is noted otherwise (such as the DKIM value, which is unique for every Mailgun domain).
| Field | Enter |
|---|---|
| Type |
TXT Notes:
|
| Name |
pic._domainkey Notes:
|
| Value |
k=rsa; p=MIGfMA0GCSqGSIb3DQEBAQUA Notes:
|
| TTL (Seconds) |
600 Notes:
|
Configuring a subdomain with the DKIM record
Within your GoDaddy Control Panel, enter the DKIM record information that is displayed in your Mailgun Control Panel. (In the Mailgun Control Panel, you'll click on the Sending option followed by the Domain settings suboption found within in the left-hand navigation pane, and then click on the DNS records tab).
Both the image above and the table below - using an example subdomain called mg.mydnsexample.com - provide additional guidance for adapting certain values (such as the Hostname) into GoDaddy's system. Other DNS nuances and problematic scenarios that you may encounter are also explained in detail. Generally, the bolded-in-blue-text within the table can be copied-and-pasted for each field, unless it is noted otherwise (such as the DKIM value, which is unique for every Mailgun domain).
| Field | Enter |
|---|---|
| Type |
TXT Notes:
|
| Name |
pic._domainkey.mg Notes:
|
| Value |
k=rsa; p=MIGfMA0GCSqGSIb3DQEBAQUA Notes:
|
| TTL (Seconds) |
600 Notes:
|
Configuring MX
MX records describe where emails intended for your domain should be sent.
Additionally to our guide, GoDaddy does provide their own MX tutorial (though it is generalized for each type of record in their system). Interested in more extensive technical details concerning MX records? Please reference RFC 5321 or GoDaddy's technical documentation.
Tip: For larger images, right-click and select the option "Open Image in New Tab" (or Window).
Configuring a root domain with the MX records
Within your GoDaddy Control Panel, enter the MX records information that is displayed in your Mailgun Control Panel. (In the Mailgun Control Panel, you'll click on the Sending option followed by the Domain settings suboption found within in the left-hand navigation pane, and then click on the DNS records tab).
Both the image above and the table below - using an example domain called mydnsexample.com - provide additional guidance for adapting certain values (such as the Hostname) into GoDaddy's system. Other DNS nuances and problematic scenarios that you may encounter are also explained in detail. Generally, the bolded-in-blue-text within the table can be copied-and-pasted for each field, unless it is noted otherwise (such as the DKIM value, which is unique for every Mailgun domain).
| Field | Enter |
|---|---|
| Type |
MX Notes:
|
| Name |
@ Notes: The @ symbol is used to represent a root (apex) domain (e.g. mydnsexample.com) within GoDaddy. This is why you'll use the shorter (and quite different) value instead of the longer value seen within the Mailgun Control Panel. |
| Priority |
10 Notes:
|
| Value |
mxa.mailgun.org mxb.mailgun.org Notes:
|
| TTL (Seconds) |
600 Notes:
|
Configuring a subdomain with the MX records
Within your GoDaddy Control Panel, enter the MX records information that is displayed in your Mailgun Control Panel. (In the Mailgun Control Panel, you'll click on the Sending option followed by the Domain settings suboption found within in the left-hand navigation pane, and then click on the DNS records tab).
Both the image above and the table below - using an example subdomain called mg.mydnsexample.com - provide additional guidance for adapting certain values (such as the Hostname) into GoDaddy's system. Other DNS nuances and problematic scenarios that you may encounter are also explained in detail. Generally, the bolded-in-blue-text within the table can be copied-and-pasted for each field, unless it is noted otherwise (such as the DKIM value, which is unique for every Mailgun domain).
| Field | Enter |
|---|---|
| Type |
MX Notes:
|
| Name |
mg Notes:
|
| Priority |
10 Notes:
|
| Value |
mxa.mailgun.org mxb.mailgun.org Notes:
|
| TTL (Seconds) |
600 Notes:
|
Configuring CNAME
CNAME records alias (point or direct) one domain name to another domain name, which in this case effectively associates your emails with Mailgun and allows tracking of opens and clicks.
Additionally to our guide, GoDaddy does provide their own CNAME tutorial (though it is generalized for each type of record in their system). Interested in more extensive technical details concerning MX records? Please reference RFC 1034.
Tip: For larger images, right-click and select the option "Open Image in New Tab" (or Window).
Configuring a root domain with the CNAME record
Within your GoDaddy Control Panel, enter the CNAME record information that is displayed in your Mailgun Control Panel. (In the Mailgun Control Panel, you'll click on the Sending option followed by the Domain settings suboption found within in the left-hand navigation pane, and then click on the DNS records tab).
Both the image above and the table below - using an example domain called mydnsexample.com - provide additional guidance for adapting certain values (such as the Hostname) into GoDaddy's system. Other DNS nuances and problematic scenarios that you may encounter are also explained in detail. Generally, the bolded-in-blue-text within the table can be copied-and-pasted for each field, unless it is noted otherwise (such as the DKIM value, which is unique for every Mailgun domain).
| Field | Enter |
|---|---|
| Type |
CNAME Notes:
|
| Name |
Notes:
|
| Value |
mailgun.org Notes:
|
| TTL (Seconds) |
600 Notes:
|
Configuring a subdomain with the CNAME record
Within your GoDaddy Control Panel, enter the CNAME record information that is displayed in your Mailgun Control Panel. (In the Mailgun Control Panel, you'll click on the Sending option followed by the Domain settings suboption found within in the left-hand navigation pane, and then click on the DNS records tab).
Both the image above and the table below - using an example subdomain called mg.mydnsexample.com - provide additional guidance for adapting certain values (such as the Hostname) into GoDaddy's system. Other DNS nuances and problematic scenarios that you may encounter are also explained in detail. Generally, the bolded-in-blue-text within the table can be copied-and-pasted for each field, unless it is noted otherwise (such as the DKIM value, which is unique for every Mailgun domain).
| Field | Enter |
|---|---|
| Type |
CNAME Notes:
|
| Name |
email.mg Notes:
|
| Value |
mailgun.org Notes:
|
| TTL (Seconds) |
600 Notes:
|
The domain registrar and nameserver records
A somewhat common situation we witness concerns a customer having recently migrated (or currently being in the process of migrating) from one DNS hosting provider to another; however, their Mailgun DNS records are failing to verify within their Mailgun Control Panel. Perhaps you yourself are experiencing this exact situation. If so, there is a solution: update the domain's registration information.
Whenever anyone switches DNS hosting providers (e.g. from Cloudflare to GoDaddy), they must also update their Nameserver (NS) records within their Registrar's system. Your Registrar is the company through whom you purchased the domain and with whom the domain is registered on the Internet. As a note, GoDaddy is a Domain Registrar, but they may not be your domain's Registrar.
If you need assistance identifying the Registrar for your domain, the ICANN WHOIS website can assist you in this task. Alternatively, you can use a MacOS/Linux terminal to obtain this information:
Scan the output results for the line that contains the Registrar URL information. It is this field that will identify the domain's Registrar and their website.
For more guidance on updating your registrar and the associated nameserver records to reflect your DNS hosting with GoDaddy, please review GoDaddy's nameserver documentation and registration documentation (although their documentation discusses only their system, not the systems of other Domain Registrars). Additionally, if you're experiencing a domain registration issue, it is best to reach out to the Registrar directly. Mailgun, in such a scenario, would not have any insight additional to the publicly available WHOIS information mentioned above.
Need Support?
Our Support Team here at Sinch Mailgun is happy to help! Reach out to us in the Support page of your Mailgun Control Panel, and we'll be with you shortly!