SPF, DKIM, and DMARC in DirectAdmin
Enable DKIM signing, check your SPF record, and add a DMARC policy for domains on your DirectAdmin hosting account.
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SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are DNS records that authenticate your outgoing email. Without them, messages from your domain are more likely to land in spam-and your domain is easier to spoof. DirectAdmin supports all three.
Why these records matter
| Record | What it does |
|---|---|
| SPF | Lists which servers are allowed to send email for your domain |
| DKIM | Signs outgoing email with a cryptographic key the receiver can verify |
| DMARC | Tells receivers what to do when SPF or DKIM fail, and sends reports to you |
All three records must be in your domain's DNS zone. If nameservers point to UnderHost, manage them in DirectAdmin DNS Management. If you use external DNS, add them at your DNS provider.
Enable DKIM in DirectAdmin
DirectAdmin can generate and publish DKIM keys per domain:
- Log in to DirectAdmin
- Go to E-Mail Manager → DKIM (or Advanced Features → DKIM Manager depending on your version)
- Select the domain you want to enable DKIM for
- Click Enable or Generate Keys
DirectAdmin generates a private/public key pair and automatically adds the public key as a TXT record in the DNS zone for that domain. The DKIM selector is typically default or mail-the record name will be default._domainkey.yourdomain.com.
If your DNS is managed externally, copy the TXT record value that DirectAdmin shows and add it manually at your DNS provider.
SPF record
DirectAdmin typically creates an SPF record automatically when you set up a domain. To verify or add one:
- Go to Domain Setup → DNS Management
- Select your domain
- Look for an existing TXT record at
@starting withv=spf1
If no SPF record exists, add a TXT record:
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Name | @ (or blank for the domain root) |
| Type | TXT |
| Value | v=spf1 include:spf.underhost.com ~all |
If you also send through external services (Google Workspace, Mailchimp), add their include directives to the same SPF record. Only one SPF TXT record is allowed per domain.
Add a DMARC record
Add a TXT record in DNS Management:
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Name | _dmarc |
| Type | TXT |
| Value | v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:dmarc@yourdomain.com |
Start with p=none to monitor without affecting delivery. Move to p=quarantine then p=reject once you have confirmed your legitimate mail passes authentication. Replace the rua email address with one you actively monitor for reports.
Verify your records
Use the UnderHost Email Check tool to verify that SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records are resolving correctly for your domain. DNS changes may take up to 48 hours to propagate globally.
Related: DirectAdmin DNS records | DirectAdmin email | Email spam issues | cPanel SPF/DKIM/DMARC
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