Setting up Google Workspace requires adding DNS records to authorize Google's mail servers to send and receive email for your domain. You'll need to add these records at your domain registrar or DNS provider — not in Google Admin itself.
DNS Records Required
| Type | Host | Value | TTL | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MX | @ | ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM | 3600 | Priority 1 — primary |
| MX | @ | ALT1.ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM | 3600 | Priority 5 |
| MX | @ | ALT2.ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM | 3600 | Priority 5 |
| MX | @ | ALT3.ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM | 3600 | Priority 10 |
| MX | @ | ALT4.ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM | 3600 | Priority 10 |
| TXT | @ | v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all | 3600 | SPF — authorize Google to send email |
| TXT | @ | google-site-verification=YOUR_CODE | 300 | Domain verification — replace with code from Admin console |
| CNAME | mail | ghs.google.com | 3600 | Optional: mail.yourdomain.com → Gmail |
Step-by-Step Setup
Sign in to Google Workspace Admin
Go to admin.google.com and sign in with your Google Workspace administrator account.
Verify your domain
Go to Domains → Manage Domains → Add a domain. Google will give you a TXT record to add to DNS. Add it and click Verify.
Add MX records
Remove any existing MX records from your DNS, then add all 5 Google MX records shown above. The priority values matter — add them exactly as shown.
Add SPF record
Add the TXT record for SPF. If you already have an SPF record, add include:_spf.google.com to it rather than creating a second one.
Enable Gmail
Back in Google Admin, go to Apps → Google Workspace → Gmail. Confirm Gmail is enabled for your organization.
Set up DKIM
In Gmail settings → Authenticate email → Generate new record. Add the CNAME record to your DNS. Then click Start Authentication.
Copy-ready records: Use the DNS Record Builder — select this service from the dropdown and enter your domain to get all records formatted and ready to copy.
After Adding Records
DNS changes can take anywhere from a few minutes to 24 hours to propagate. Use the DNS Propagation Checker to verify your records are live globally, then return to the service's admin console to verify domain ownership.
After adding all DNS records, email typically starts working within 1-24 hours once the MX records propagate. Use the DNS Propagation Checker to see when the MX records are visible globally.
Yes, Google recommends all 5 for redundancy. The priority values ensure mail is routed to the primary server first, with fallbacks.
If you have an existing SPF record (v=spf1 ...), add include:_spf.google.com to it. Don't create a second SPF record — only one is allowed per domain.