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            Step-by-step guide to set up Mailgun

            Modified on: Wed, 1 Jul, 2026 at 6:48 AM

            EMAIL INFRASTRUCTURE
            Mailgun Step-by-Step Setup Guide
            Sign up for Mailgun, add your sending domain, configure your DNS records, and send your first test email.
            What You'll Learn

            This guide walks you through creating a Mailgun account, adding a sending domain, choosing between a main domain and a subdomain, publishing the required DNS records, and confirming everything works with a test email.

            1

            Sign Up for Mailgun

            Create your Mailgun account by visiting signup.mailgun.com/new/signup.

            2

            Verify Your Email Address

            Check your email inbox for a message from Mailgun and click the verification link to confirm your account.

            Mailgun signup confirmation screen
            Email verification confirmation
            3

            Add a New Sending Domain

            From your Mailgun dashboard, click Sending → Add New Domain.

            Sending menu with Add New Domain option
            4

            Choose a Main Domain or Subdomain

            If your domain is companyname.com, you can set up either the main domain or a subdomain with Mailgun.

            Option A
            Main Domain

            If you add the main domain, it should not already be in use with Google Workspace or any other email provider.

            Option B
            Subdomain

            To set up a subdomain with Mailgun, you can type anything_here.companyname.com. Examples:

            • mg.companyname.com
            • replies.companyname.com
            • support.companyname.com
            Note

            Set up the domain or subdomain under the US region, not EU. Once you've made your selection, click Add domain.

            Add domain form with US region selected
            Setup Guide
            Now let's publish the DNS records
            This is the step most setups get stuck on — follow it carefully.
            5

            Add Your DNS Records

            Log in to your DNS host based on where you registered the domain, and add the 5 DNS records Mailgun provides.

            Not Sure Where to Add the Records?
            Step 1: Look up your domain in MXToolbox

            Search your domain in MXToolbox. Only enter the domain itself — do not add "http://" in front of it.

            MXToolbox domain lookup search bar

            Once you look up the domain, the results will show your DNS hosting provider.

            MXToolbox results showing DNS hosting provider
            Step 2
            Check the "reported by" note

            MXToolbox will show a note at the bottom naming your host, e.g. "reported by wordpress.com." Once you know your provider, you can add the DNS records in that provider's dashboard. If you're not sure where to find the DNS records area, search "[provider name] DNS records."

            Based on your domain provider, use one of these step-by-step guides to add the records. If your provider isn't listed, one of these should still be a close match:

            6

            Get Your API Key & Send a Test Email

            Once all of your DNS records are added and verified, grab your key from Mailgun API Key: Where to Find It in Mailgun and Add It to the Platform.

            You're Almost Done

            Send a test email to confirm everything works. See How to Send a Test Email in the Conversation for the steps.

            7

            Frequently Asked Questions

            Q: Should I use my main domain or a subdomain?
            A subdomain (like mg.companyname.com) is usually the safer choice, since your main domain shouldn't be added if it's already in use with Google Workspace or another email provider.
            Q: Why does it matter whether I choose US or EU when adding the domain?
            The region determines which Mailgun infrastructure sends your mail. Always select US when setting up your domain or subdomain for this workflow.
            Q: I don't know who my DNS provider is — how do I find out?
            Look up your domain in MXToolbox. The results page will show a "reported by" note naming your DNS host.
            Q: My domain provider isn't in the list of guides — what should I do?
            Use one of the listed provider guides as a reference — the process of adding TXT, CNAME, and MX records is similar across most DNS hosts.
            Q: How long does it take for DNS records to verify?
            DNS propagation can take anywhere from a few minutes to 48 hours, though most records verify within an hour.
            Q: My test email didn't go through — what should I check first?
            Confirm all 5 DNS records show as verified in Mailgun, and double-check that your API key was entered correctly before sending another test.

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