Mailgun Setup - GoDaddy Domain Setup

Modified on: Wed, 1 Jul, 2026 at 7:08 AM

Email Infrastructure

Mailgun + GoDaddy Domain Setup

Step-by-step DNS configuration for connecting Mailgun to a domain registered with GoDaddy.

What You'll Learn

This guide walks through signing up for Mailgun, adding your domain, and configuring the five DNS records Mailgun requires — two TXT records, two MX records, and one CNAME — inside GoDaddy's DNS editor.

It also covers how to avoid breaking your existing Google Workspace/Gmail mail delivery while adding Mailgun's records.

Table of Contents

Access DNS records in GoDaddy

Add the 1st TXT record (SPF)

Add the 2nd TXT record (DKIM)

Add the 1st MX record

Add the 2nd MX record

Add the CNAME record

Verify DNS & finish setup

Frequently Asked Questions

Video Recap

Sign up for Mailgun & add your domain

Step 1

Step 2

Sending menu with Add New Domain option in Mailgun

Step 3

If your domain is companyname.com, decide whether to set up the main domain or a subdomain with Mailgun.

Main domain: if you use the main domain, it should not also be used with Google Workspace or any other email provider — see Mailgun's guidance on sharing a domain with another email server.
Subdomain: type ANYTHING_HERE.companyname.com — for example mg.companyname.com, replies.companyname.com, or support.companyname.com.

Important

Set up the domain or subdomain under the US region — not EU.

Click Add domain.

Tip

The next screen asks you to add DNS records to your domain. Leave this screen open — you'll need it for the next step.

Mailgun DNS records screen to keep open for the next step

Access DNS records in GoDaddy

Now log in to your DNS records and add the 5 DNS records Mailgun requires.

Step 1

Step 2

Click the three dots for the Domain Edit Options next to your domain, then select Edit DNS. You may need to scroll down to see the Edit DNS option. See GoDaddy's own guide on adding a TXT record if you'd like more detail.

Edit DNS option in GoDaddy Domain Portfolio

Step 3

Click Add to add a new record. You'll repeat this for each of the 5 records below.

Add button for creating a new DNS record in GoDaddy

Add the 1st TXT record (SPF)

Fields

A. Type: select TXT from the Type menu.

B. Host: different for everyone — do not include the root domain.

mg.companyname.com → host name is mg
replies.companyname.com → host name is replies
Main domain (companyname.com) → host name is @

C. TXT Value: the same for everyone — paste v=spf1 include:mailgun.org ~all.

D. Click Save.

Add the 2nd TXT record (DKIM)

Click Add to add another new record.

Add record form for the second TXT record in GoDaddy

Fields

A. Type: select TXT from the Type menu.

B. Host: this part is a little tricky. Copy everything from the beginning of the value up until the subdomain part — do not include the root domain. Everyone's 2nd TXT record host name and value are different.

Example of the Host field for the DKIM record

Example	Host name to copy	Highlighted part
Using a subdomain	mx._domainkey.helpdesk
Using the main domain	mailo._domainkey

C. TXT Value: head back to Mailgun and copy the 2nd, much longer TXT record — highlighted in the screenshot below — and paste it here.

Mailgun screen highlighting the long DKIM TXT record to copy

D. Click Save.

Add the 1st MX record

Click Add to add a new record.

Heads Up

If you have a Google Workspace account capturing incoming email for your main domain, make sure you're using a subdomain for Mailgun instead. See Can I Use the Same Domain Name for Mailgun and for Google Apps (Or Another Email Server)?

Fields

A. Type: select MX from the Type menu.

B. Host: different for everyone —

Example of the Host field for the MX record

mg.companyname.com → host name is mg
replies.companyname.com → host name is replies
Main domain → host name is @

C. Points to: the same for everyone — paste mxa.mailgun.org.

D. Priority: 10 — the same for everyone, no matter what domain you're setting up.

E. Click Save.

Add the 2nd MX record

Click Add to add another new record.

Fields

A. Type: select MX from the Type menu.

B. Host: different for everyone —

Example of the Host field for the second MX record

mg.companyname.com → host name is mg
replies.companyname.com → host name is replies
Main domain → host name is @

C. Points to: the same for everyone — paste mxb.mailgun.org.

D. Priority: 10 — the same for everyone.

E. Click Save.

Add the CNAME record

Click Add to add a new record.

Fields

A. Type: select CNAME from the Type menu.

B. Host: different for everyone. Head back to Mailgun to copy the host name — copy everything from the beginning up until the subdomain part, do not copy the main domain.

mg.companyname.com → host name is email.mg
replies.companyname.com → host name is email.replies
Main domain (companyname.com) → host name is email

C. Points to: the same for everyone — paste mailgun.org.

D. Click Save.

Verify DNS & finish setup

Now that you've added all 5 records, go back to Mailgun and click Verify DNS Settings. If some records still aren't showing a green checkmark, click the same button again — DNS propagation can take a little time.

Next Steps

Once all records are verified, grab your Mailgun API key and add it to your email service settings.

Then send a test email to confirm everything works — see how to send a test email in the Conversation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What should I do if I run into errors during setup?

Double-check your API key and domain settings in Mailgun, confirm the DNS records are entered correctly in GoDaddy, and verify your domain is showing as verified in Mailgun's dashboard. Mailgun's support resources can help decode specific error messages.

Q: Can I use a subdomain with Mailgun, and how do I set it up?

Yes. Choose a subdomain when adding your domain in Mailgun (like mg.companyname.com), then follow the same 5 DNS records in this guide using that subdomain's host names.

Q: How do I monitor email deliverability after setup?

Use the Mailgun dashboard to track opens, clicks, bounces, and spam complaints. Reviewing these regularly helps you catch deliverability issues early.

Q: I don't see an "Edit DNS" option in my GoDaddy account — what should I check?

Make sure you're viewing the domain from the Domain Portfolio and clicking the three-dot menu next to the correct domain. If your DNS is managed elsewhere (like a separate hosting provider), you'll need to edit records there instead.

Q: Do the record values change depending on whether I use a subdomain or the main domain?

The Host field changes (mg, replies, or @ for the main domain), but the record values themselves — the SPF value, MX destinations, and CNAME target — stay the same either way.

Q: Is adding records in GoDaddy different from other registrars?

The same 5 records (2 TXT, 2 MX, 1 CNAME) are required no matter your registrar. Only the interface for adding them — like GoDaddy's Type/Host/Value/Priority fields — looks different.