How to connect a domain and sender address

Updated October 31, 2026 · 4 min read

In this article
  1. Why only your own domain
  2. Step 1. Add the domain
  3. Step 2. Add the DNS records
  4. Step 3. Wait for verification
  5. Step 4. Create a sender address
  6. If it did not work
  7. Delete a domain
  8. What's next

Estismail sends only from addresses on your own domain, and the domain must be verified. Add the domain under "Domains", add the DKIM or SPF record from your account to its DNS, and the domain verifies itself. Then create a sender address, for example info@company.com: no confirmation email is needed.

What you need: your own domain and access to its DNS settings, wherever it is hosted (your registrar or hosting provider).

Why only your own domain

  • Mailbox providers (Mail.ru, Gmail, Yandex) accept bulk email only from a domain that has signatures set up. They will not let a campaign through from a free mailbox address.
  • That is why addresses on gmail.com, mail.ru, yandex.ru and other free services cannot be added.
  • The address you used to sign up for Estismail does not become a sender by itself.

Step 1. Add the domain

  1. Open Sender settings → Domains.
  2. Click "Add domain".
  3. Enter the domain without www and https://, for example company.com. A subdomain for sending also works, for example news.company.com.
  4. Click "Add".

The domain appears in the list on the left with a red clock (not verified), and the DNS records appear on the right.

Step 2. Add the DNS records

Click a record row to expand it: type, name and value. Copy them as they are into your domain's DNS panel.

Record Type and name Why Required
DKIM TXT estismail._domainkey signs emails with your domain yes, either this or SPF is enough to verify
SPF TXT @ lets our servers send email from your domain yes, either this or DKIM is enough to verify
DMARC TXT _dmarc a rule telling providers what to do with unsigned email not needed for verification, but Gmail and Mail.ru expect it
FBL MX estisfbl, priority 10 complaint feedback arrives through it does not affect verification, but your account asks you to add it
Mail (MX) MX @ all mail for the domain goes to Estismail "Replies" optional, see below

How to add each record, and what to do if the domain already has SPF or DMARC:

Be careful with the "Mail (MX)" record. If the domain already has working mail (corporate mail, Yandex 360, Google Workspace and others), do not change its MX. Otherwise all mail sent to addresses on this domain will go to Estismail "Replies" instead of your mailboxes. This record is only for a domain you use for campaigns and nothing else.

Step 3. Wait for verification

The domain verifies itself as soon as at least one DKIM or SPF record appears in DNS. Estismail checks the domain every 10 minutes and every time you open its page. To check right away, use the "Check again" button.

A new DNS record is usually visible within an hour, sometimes longer, depending on where the domain is hosted.

Once the domain is verified, it gets a green "Verified" mark, and the DKIM and SPF records get green labels. Below, your account says "Records are being applied at providers, the domain is ready to send" with a time. Providers need a few hours to see new records, so campaigns from the domain start going out from that time.

Step 4. Create a sender address

  1. Open Sender settings → Sender addresses.
  2. In the "Add sender address" block, enter the sender name (recipients will see it), the part of the address before @ and pick a domain from the list.
  3. Click "Add".
  • An address on a verified domain works immediately. No confirmation email is sent: the domain verifies the address.
  • You can also create an address on a domain that is not verified yet. In the table it shows a red "Domain not verified" label, and you cannot select it in campaigns. It turns on by itself once the domain is verified.
  • The first working address becomes the default: emails go out from it when no sender is chosen. You can make another address the default with the star icon in its row (tooltip "Make default").

If it did not work

  • "Free email domains cannot be added". You need your own domain.
  • "This domain is already added". The domain is already in your list.
  • "This domain is already added in another account". Contact support and we will sort out who owns the domain.
  • The domain is not verified after more than a day. Compare the DNS records with your account: record name, type and value, without extra spaces or quotes. A common mistake is that the DNS panel appends the domain to the name itself, which gives estismail._domainkey.company.com.company.com. More in the articles on DKIM and SPF.
  • The address cannot be selected in a campaign. The address's domain is not verified yet.

Delete a domain

The "Delete domain" button at the bottom of the domain page deletes it together with all addresses on it. Before deleting, your account shows which address becomes the default, or warns that sending will stop if there are no other verified addresses. If you add the domain again later, the DKIM key will be new, and you will need to update the DKIM record in DNS.

What's next

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