Email Setup Wizard

Google Workspace + Squarespace Domains

Set up Google Workspace email on Squarespace Domains

The records Google Workspace needs, written with the field names Squarespace Domains uses (Name, Mail Server, Text, Data), in the order to add them.

  • 5 steps
  • 5 DNS records
  • Sources checked October 21, 2026

Before you start

  1. Have your Google Workspace account ready. Some values are unique to your account and come from the Google Admin console.
  2. Open DNS at Squarespace Domains: Open the domains dashboard (account.squarespace.com/domains). Click your domain. Click DNS, then DNS Settings.
  3. Keep both tabs open and add the records below one at a time.

Records to add

Copy each value with the button next to it. Rows marked “Copy from Google Admin console” are unique to your account.

Domain verification Proves you own the domain Type TXT Name @ Value Copy from Google Admin console Looks like: google-site-verification= followed by your unique code Priority n/a TTL 4 hours
MX records Where incoming email goes Type MX Name @ Value smtp.google.com Priority 1 TTL 4 hours
SPF record Which servers may send as you Type TXT Name @ Value v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all Priority n/a TTL 4 hours
DKIM A signature on every message Type TXT Name google._domainkey Value Copy from Google Admin console Priority n/a TTL 4 hours
DMARC record What to do with fakes · recommended Type TXT Name _dmarc Value v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:dmarc@yourdomain.com Priority n/a TTL 4 hours

Step by step in Squarespace Domains

Verify your domain

Your email provider needs proof that you control this domain before it accepts email for it.

Type
TXT
Name
@
Text
Copy it from Google Admin console (see below)

Where to find your value

In the Google Admin console go to Menu > Account > Domains > Manage domains, click Verify domain, then Get started. In the TXT record section, copy the Value, including google-site-verification=.

It looks like: google-site-verification= followed by your unique code

  • Leave the host blank or enter @.
  • Once Google has verified the domain, this TXT record can be safely removed. Removing it earlier makes verification fail.
  • It can take up to 72 hours for a new TXT record to be recognized.

In Squarespace Domains

  1. Scroll to Custom Records and click Add record.
  2. Re-enter your password (or confirm with two-factor authentication) if asked, then click Continue.
  3. Set Type to TXT, then fill in Name and Text.
  4. Click Save.

Point your MX records

MX records tell every other mail server where to deliver email for your domain. They must point to your provider and nowhere else.

Type
MX
Name
@
Priority
1
Mail Server
smtp.google.com
  • Remove any other MX records. Email might not work correctly if old or incorrect MX records stay in place.
  • Some domain hosts need a trailing period: smtp.google.com.
  • Accounts that started before 2023 may use older values beginning with aspmx. Those are still supported, so there is no need to change working records.
  • For TTL, use your domain host's default.

In Squarespace Domains

  1. Click Add record.
  2. Re-enter your password (or confirm with two-factor authentication) if asked, then click Continue.
  3. Set Type to MX, then fill in Name, Priority and Mail Server.
  4. Click Save. Add one record per mail server, each with its own priority.

Add the SPF record

SPF is a TXT record that lists the services allowed to send email from your domain, so receivers can spot forgeries.

Type
TXT
Name
@
Text
v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all
  • This is the record for domains that send email only through Google Workspace.
  • If other services also send email for your domain, list each one in the same record, for example: v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com include:amazonses.com ~all.
  • Google recommends ~all at the end of the record.

In Squarespace Domains

  1. Scroll to Custom Records and click Add record.
  2. Re-enter your password (or confirm with two-factor authentication) if asked, then click Continue.
  3. Set Type to TXT, then fill in Name and Text.
  4. Click Save.

Set up DKIM

DKIM publishes a public key so receivers can confirm your messages really came from you and were not changed on the way.

Type
TXT
Name
google._domainkey
Text
Copy it from Google Admin console (see below)

Where to find your value

In the Google Admin console go to Menu > Apps > Google Workspace > Gmail and click Authenticate email. Select your domain, generate a new record (2048-bit if your domain host supports it, otherwise 1024-bit) and copy the TXT record value.

  • google is Google's default selector, so the host is google._domainkey.
  • Wait 24 to 72 hours after turning on Gmail before generating the key.
  • Some domain hosts limit TXT record length. If the 2048-bit key will not fit, generate a 1024-bit key instead.
  • After the record is published, go back to Authenticate email and turn on authentication for the domain.

In Squarespace Domains

  1. Scroll to Custom Records and click Add record.
  2. Re-enter your password (or confirm with two-factor authentication) if asked, then click Continue.
  3. Set Type to TXT, then fill in Name and Text.
  4. Click Save.

Add the DMARC record (recommended)

DMARC tells receivers what to do with mail that fails SPF and DKIM, and where to send reports about it.

Type
TXT
Name
_dmarc
Text
v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:dmarc@yourdomain.com
  • Start with p=none so nothing is blocked while you read the reports. Google suggests running it for about a week.
  • Replace the report address with a mailbox or group you actually check. Google advises against a personal inbox.
  • Then tighten gradually, for example v=DMARC1; p=quarantine; pct=5; rua=mailto:dmarc@{domain}, raising pct over time.
  • Set up SPF and DKIM first. Google recommends 48 hours of authentication before turning on DMARC.

In Squarespace Domains

  1. Scroll to Custom Records and click Add record.
  2. Re-enter your password (or confirm with two-factor authentication) if asked, then click Continue.
  3. Set Type to TXT, then fill in Name and Text.
  4. Click Save.

Check your setup

Once the records are saved, run a live check. We look up your domain in public DNS and tell you what is right, missing or wrong, with the fix in Squarespace Domains’s words.

We only read public DNS records. Nothing is stored.

Common mistakes with Google Workspace on Squarespace Domains

Leaving old MX records in place

Google says email might not work correctly if old or incorrect MX records stay. Remove every MX record except smtp.google.com.

Adding a second SPF record

A domain must have only one SPF record. If you already have one, add include:_spf.google.com to it instead of creating another.

Generating the DKIM key too soon

Google asks you to wait 24 to 72 hours after turning on Gmail before generating the DKIM key.

Publishing DKIM but not turning it on

Adding the TXT record is only half the job. Go back to Authenticate email in the Admin console and turn on authentication.

Deleting the verification record too early

Removing the google-site-verification record before Google confirms the domain makes verification fail.

Squarespace Domains: Change your Squarespace login first

If you sign in to Squarespace with an address at this domain, change your account email before deleting MX records, or you could lock yourself out.

Squarespace Domains: SPF entries are merged for you

Each SPF value added as its own custom record is merged into one SPF record. Refresh the page to see the merged result. If you get a Custom records not saved error, delete the existing SPF records and add them again.

Squarespace Domains: Only one DMARC record

A domain can have only one DMARC record. Email forwarding rules add one automatically, so merge into it rather than adding a second.

Rather have someone do it for you?

Tell us your domain and we will add and verify every record for Google Workspace on Squarespace Domains, then send you the check results.

Request done-for-you setup

Google Workspace on Squarespace Domains: questions

Where do I add Google Workspace DNS records in Squarespace Domains?

Open the domains dashboard (account.squarespace.com/domains). Click your domain. Click DNS, then DNS Settings. Add each record there, one at a time.

What goes in the Name field at Squarespace Domains?

Enter @ for records on your bare domain, such as MX and SPF. For the others, enter only the part before your domain, for example google._domainkey. Squarespace Domains adds your domain automatically.

Do I need to delete my existing MX records at Squarespace Domains?

Remove any other MX records. Email might not work correctly if old or incorrect MX records stay in place. If you sign in to Squarespace with an address at this domain, change your account email before deleting MX records, or you could lock yourself out.

Where do I get my Google Workspace DKIM record?

In the Google Admin console go to Menu > Apps > Google Workspace > Gmail and click Authenticate email. Select your domain, generate a new record (2048-bit if your domain host supports it, otherwise 1024-bit) and copy the TXT record value.

Can Google Workspace add the records at Squarespace Domains for me?

Squarespace has presets that add email records for Google Workspace and Zoho Mail. Preset records can only be deleted, not edited.

How long until Google Workspace email works on Squarespace Domains?

New MX records can take up to 72 hours to be recognized. Squarespace says DNS changes can take 24 to 48 hours to update.

Sources

Every value and step on this page comes from these official pages. Dashboards change, so if something doesn’t match what you see, tell us.