Namecheap DNS email setup checker
Check the public DNS records that matter when email for a domain registered or hosted at Namecheap is not working.
Namecheap is a registrar and DNS host, not a mailbox provider by itself. Mailboxes come from a service such as Namecheap Private Email, Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, or Zoho Mail.
Use this page to confirm which DNS host actually answers for the domain before editing records, because Advanced DNS edits at Namecheap only matter while Namecheap nameservers are active.
DNS records to check first
| Record | What to check | Safe note |
|---|---|---|
| Nameservers | Confirm whether the domain uses Namecheap BasicDNS nameservers or custom nameservers such as Cloudflare or Vercel. | If nameservers point elsewhere, the Advanced DNS tab at Namecheap is ignored - edit MX, SPF, DKIM, and DMARC at the active DNS host instead. |
| MX | Confirm the MX records match the mailbox provider. Namecheap Private Email commonly uses mx1.privateemail.com and mx2.privateemail.com. | Use your mailbox provider's documented MX values. A Namecheap domain pointed at Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 needs that provider's MX records, not Private Email's. |
| SPF | Publish one SPF record that includes the actual sending service - Namecheap Private Email's documented include, or the include for whichever mailbox provider sends the mail. | Keep a single SPF record and merge all real senders; do not stack one SPF record per provider. |
| DKIM | Generate DKIM in the mailbox provider's admin console and publish the exact selector and value through whichever DNS host is active. | Do not invent DKIM selectors or keys. Namecheap cannot generate DKIM for a third-party mailbox provider. |
| DMARC | Add a DMARC record after MX, SPF, and DKIM are confirmed so receivers know how to treat failing mail. | Start with p=none monitoring until the mailbox provider passes SPF and DKIM consistently. |
Common mistakes
- Editing Advanced DNS at Namecheap while the domain's nameservers point to Cloudflare, Vercel, or a web host, so the changes never go live.
- Mixing Private Email MX records with another provider's MX records on the same domain.
- Enabling a redirect-email feature that conflicts with the custom MX records of a real mailbox provider.
- Assuming registering a domain at Namecheap includes a mailbox - email hosting is a separate service.
Boundaries
Domain Email Doctor checks public DNS records only and does not access a Namecheap account.
Nameserver changes, Advanced DNS edits, and Private Email subscriptions stay inside the Namecheap dashboard.
Mailbox-provider DKIM and verification values must come from that provider's admin console, and a passing DNS check does not guarantee inbox placement.