DNS TXT records help you prove you own your domain, keep your email secure, and tell other systems how to handle your email. Whether you’re trying to set up email authentication, verify your domain ownership, or just figure out why your tech team keeps talking about DNS records, you’re in the right place.
We’ll cut through the jargon and explain everything you need to know about DNS TXT records.
What is a DNS TXT record?
DNS TXT records are plain text entries up to 255 characters long that contain pretty much any text you want. While other DNS records have specific jobs like pointing to your website or handling email, TXT records can be used for all sorts of things.
DNS is kind of like a phone book for the internet, helping computers find websites and route email. A DNS TXT record is simply a text entry in that book where you can leave notes and instructions about your domain.
The basic structure is pretty simple:
name TTL record type record value
@ 3600 TXT “v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all”
The important thing to know is that TXT records let other systems check things about your domain, like:
- Whether you actually own it
- What email servers are allowed to send mail using your domain
- What should happen to potentially fake emails
- Special instructions for how to handle your domain
While you might never need to create a TXT record yourself, understanding how they work is super helpful if you manage email security or need to verify domain ownership for various services.
Why DNS TXT records matter
If you’ve ever had your domain spoofed or dealt with phishing attacks, you already know why DNS TXT records are important. These simple text entries are actually your first line of defense against email fraud and domain impersonation.
Here’s what makes them so important:
Email authentication
Most importantly, TXT records are the backbone of email authentication. They help prove that emails really came from your domain and weren’t sent by someone pretending to be you. Without proper TXT records for SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, your domain is like a house with unlocked doors—anyone can walk in and pretend they live there.
Domain ownership verification
Want to use Google Workspace, set up Microsoft 365, or verify your domain with other services? You’ll need to add a TXT record. These services use TXT records to verify you actually own the domain you’re claiming.
Security policies
TXT records let you broadcast your security policies to the world. Want to tell other mail servers how to handle suspicious emails? Need to set up special handling for your domain? TXT records make it possible.
Real-world impact
Imagine a company didn’t have proper TXT records set up, then someone spoofed their domain and sent their customers fake invoices. By the time they caught it, the damage was done. With proper TXT records in place, most of those fake emails would have been blocked before reaching anyone’s inbox.
Common uses and purposes for TXT records
While TXT records might seem simple (they’re just text, after all), these records handle some pretty important jobs. Here are the most common ways organizations use TXT records:
- Email authentication setup: These help prove emails really came from your domain by setting up SPF (allowed senders), DKIM (digital signatures), and DMARC (handling instructions for suspicious emails).
- Domain ownership verification: Need to prove you own your domain? Services like Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, and Mailchimp use TXT records as your digital proof of ownership.
- Google Postmaster Tools: Help track your domain’s sending reputation and troubleshoot delivery issues by verifying your domain with Google’s toolset.
- Site verification for search engines: Search engines like Google use TXT records to verify you control your website, giving you access to their webmaster tools and analytics.
- Third-party service verification: Many marketing tools, analytics platforms, and other services use TXT records to verify your domain before letting you use their features.
- Email security policies: Beyond basic authentication, you can set specific policies about how other servers should handle your email.
- Custom frameworks and policies: Some organizations use TXT records to distribute custom security policies or configuration information.
- BIMI setup: Want your logo to show up in supporting email clients? BIMI uses TXT records to verify your brand’s logo and display it next to your emails.
How to create and manage TXT records
Creating DNS TXT records isn’t rocket science, but it does take a little bit of know-how. Whether you’re using your domain registrar’s dashboard or your DNS provider’s control panel, the process is pretty similar.
Basic syntax rules
Every TXT record needs to follow some basic rules (think of them as grammar for DNS):
- Keep each record under 255 characters
- Use quotation marks around your text values
- Stick to standard ASCII characters (basic letters, numbers, and common symbols)
- Multiple strings need to be properly formatted
How to create a TXT record
- Log into your DNS manager: Most domain registrars (like GoDaddy or Namecheap) have a DNS management section. Look for something like “DNS Settings” or “DNS Management.”
- Find the TXT record section: Usually, you’ll see a button or option to “Add Record” and then you can select “TXT” as the record type.
- Fill in the basics:
- Host/Name: Usually @ for your root domain, or subdomain name if needed
- TTL: 3600 is a safe default (this means 1 hour)
- Record type: TXT
- Value/Content: Your actual text record (in quotes)
- Save and wait: After saving, give it some time. DNS changes can take anywhere from a few minutes to 48 hours to work their way through the internet.
7 best practices for TXT records
Think of these as the “things I wish someone had told me earlier” guide to managing TXT records. Whether you’re just getting started or managing records for a large organization, these practices will help keep things running smoothly.
1. Keep a backup of your records
Before you touch anything in your DNS settings, take a screenshot or copy your existing records somewhere safe. If something goes wrong, you can always go back to what was working.
2. Watch your character limits
DNS TXT records have a 255-character limit per string, but you can string multiple records together. If you need to go longer, break your record into multiple strings instead of trying to cram everything into one. It’s like breaking a long tweet into a thread: same message, just more digestible chunks.
3. Test before going live
Use a DNS lookup tool to verify your records before pushing them to production. Services like MXToolbox or Google Admin Toolbox can tell you if there’s something wrong with your syntax before it affects your email.
4. Document your changes
Keep a log of what you changed, when you changed it, and why. Include things like:
- Date of change
- What was modified
- Why it was changed
- Who authorized it
- Any relevant ticket numbers
5. Use consistent TTL values
Stick to a standard Time To Live value for your TXT records. While you might be tempted to use different values, consistency makes troubleshooting easier. A TTL of 3600 is usually a safe default.
6. Regularly audit your records
Review your TXT records every few months. Look for:
- Outdated records from services you no longer use
- Records that need updating
- Duplicate records that could cause conflicts
- Missing records for new services
7. Keep your tools updated
Use current versions of any tools or scripts you use to manage DNS. Older versions might not support newer record types or could have security vulnerabilities.
Automate your email authentication with Valimail
Getting DNS TXT records right is part of keeping your domain and email secure. While you can set these up manually, managing them (especially for email authentication) can get complicated fast. One missing character or incorrect setting could leave your domain vulnerable to spoofing or cause email delivery issues.
Fortunately, we can help. Here’s how Valimail’s zero-trust, anti-phishing solution prevents email impersonation attacks:
- Automatically manages your email authentication records
- Monitors your domain’s security 24/7
- Stops exact-domain phishing attacks
- Protects both internal and external email
Want to see how it works? Get a demo of Valimail and learn why leading companies trust us to handle their email authentication.
