How to Set Up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC on Hostinger (Step-by-Step)

Hostinger is one of the most popular web hosting providers, and its hPanel dashboard makes DNS management accessible even for beginners. This guide walks you through adding SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records in Hostinger's DNS Zone Editor, step by step.

For background on what these records do, see our Email Deliverability Guide. For the record values from your email provider, see our SPF, DKIM, and DMARC setup guide.

Before You Start

You will need:

• Access to your Hostinger hPanel account
• An active hosting plan linked to your domain (DNS Zone Editor requires an active plan)
• The SPF, DKIM, and DMARC values from your email provider

Run a free MailScore scan first to see your current email authentication status.

Step 1: Open the DNS Zone Editor

1. Log in at hpanel.hostinger.com
2. Click Domains in the top menu
3. Click Manage next to the domain you want to configure
4. In the left sidebar, click DNS / Nameservers
5. Click on the DNS Records tab

You will see a list of existing DNS records. Hostinger may have auto-created some records if you are using their email service.

Step 2: Add Your SPF Record

Important: Hostinger often auto-creates an SPF record when you activate a hosting plan. Check your existing TXT records first. If you see a record starting with v=spf1, edit it instead of adding a new one.

1. Click Add Record
2. Select TXT as the record type
3. Set Name (or Host) to @
4. In the TXT Value field, paste your SPF record
5. Leave TTL at the default (14400 seconds / 4 hours is typical)
6. Click Add Record

Example SPF value for Google Workspace:

v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all

If Hostinger already created an SPF record for its own email service (it will contain include:_spf.mail.hostinger.com), and you also use a third-party email provider like Google Workspace, you need to merge them into one record:

v=spf1 include:_spf.mail.hostinger.com include:_spf.google.com ~all

Step 3: Add Your DKIM Records

1. Click Add Record
2. Select TXT (or CNAME if your provider specifies)
3. In the Name field, enter the selector prefix. For Google Workspace, enter google._domainkey. Hostinger appends your domain automatically.
4. Paste the DKIM value into the TXT Value field
5. Click Add Record

Hostinger Email DKIM

If you use Hostinger's built-in email service, DKIM is usually configured automatically by Hostinger. You can find the status in Emails > Email Accounts in hPanel. If you use a third-party email provider instead (like Google Workspace), you need to add their DKIM records manually using the steps above.

Common DKIM Selectors by Provider

Step 4: Add Your DMARC Record

1. Click Add Record
2. Select TXT
3. Set Name to _dmarc
4. Set TXT Value to: v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:dmarc@example.com (use your own email)
5. Click Add Record

Step 5: Verify Your Setup

Hostinger DNS changes typically propagate within 1-4 hours, with full global propagation taking up to 24 hours.

1. Wait at least 30 minutes
2. Run a free MailScore scan on your domain
3. Verify that SPF, DKIM, and DMARC all show as passing

If a check is still failing after a few hours, use our SPF Checker or DMARC Checker to inspect the raw DNS records and see exactly what is published.

Hostinger-Specific Tips and Common Mistakes

• Check for auto-generated records. Hostinger automatically creates SPF and sometimes DKIM records when you activate their email service. Always check existing records before adding new ones. Having two SPF records will cause both to fail.
• Merge SPF records, do not duplicate. If Hostinger has an SPF record for its email service and you want to add Google Workspace, combine both into one record with multiple include: statements. Never have two separate TXT records starting with v=spf1.
• Hostinger auto-appends the domain. Entering _dmarc in the Name field creates _dmarc.example.com. Do not type the full domain name.
• DNS Zone Editor requires a hosting plan. If you only registered the domain through Hostinger without a hosting plan, the DNS Zone Editor may not be available. You may need to use Hostinger's nameservers or purchase a hosting plan to access DNS management.
• Switching from Hostinger email to third-party. If you are migrating from Hostinger's email to Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, remember to update the MX records (for incoming email) as well as the SPF and DKIM records (for outgoing email authentication). Remove or update Hostinger's SPF include once you stop using their email service.
• Default TTL is high. Hostinger's default TTL of 14400 seconds (4 hours) means changes take longer to propagate than providers with lower defaults. Be patient after making changes.

Keep Your Records Monitored

Email records can break silently, especially when you change email providers or add new sending services. MailScore's monitoring plans (starting at $9/month) scan your domain automatically and notify you the moment something goes wrong.