Google Workspace + Amazon Route 53

Set up Google Workspace email on Amazon Route 53

The records Google Workspace needs, written with the field names Amazon Route 53 uses (Record name, Value), in the order to add them.

  • 5 steps
  • 5 DNS records

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 Amazon Route 53: Open the Route 53 console and select Registered domains, then your domain. Select Manage DNS, then the hosted zone for your domain. If no hosted zone exists, create one first.
  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 Record name Leave empty Value Copy from Google Admin console Looks like: google-site-verification= followed by your unique code Priority n/a TTL Default
MX records Where incoming email goes Type MX Record name Leave empty Value 1 smtp.google.com Priority in the value TTL Default
SPF record Which servers may send as you Type TXT Record name Leave empty Value "v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all" Priority n/a TTL Default
DKIM A signature on every message Type TXT Record name google._domainkey Value Copy from Google Admin console Priority n/a TTL Default
DMARC record What to do with fakes · recommended Type TXT Record name _dmarc Value "v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:dmarc@yourdomain.com" Priority n/a TTL Default

Step by step in Amazon Route 53

Verify your domain

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

Type
TXT
Record name
Leave this field empty
Value
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.

1 more note from Google Workspace on this record

In Amazon Route 53

  1. Select Create record.
  2. Enter the Record name (leave it empty for your bare domain) and choose TXT.
  3. In Value, enter the text inside double quotes. If you already have a TXT record on that name, add the new value as another line in the same record.
  4. Select Create records.

Point your MX records

MX records tell other mail servers where to deliver your email. How MX works

Type
MX
Record name
Leave this field empty
Value
1 smtp.google.com
  • Remove any other MX records. Email might not work correctly if old or incorrect MX records stay in place.

3 more notes from Google Workspace on this record

In Amazon Route 53

  1. In the hosted zone, select Create record.
  2. Leave Record name empty, choose MX as Record type, and keep Simple routing.
  3. In Value, enter the priority, a space, then the mail server (for example 10 mail.example.com). Put each mail server on its own line in the same record.
  4. Select Create records, then delete any older MX records.

Add the SPF record

SPF lists the services allowed to send email as you. How SPF works

Type
TXT
Record name
Leave this field empty
Value
"v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all"
  • 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.

2 more notes from Google Workspace on this record

In Amazon Route 53

  1. Select Create record.
  2. Enter the Record name (leave it empty for your bare domain) and choose TXT.
  3. In Value, enter the text inside double quotes. If you already have a TXT record on that name, add the new value as another line in the same record.
  4. Select Create records.

Set up DKIM

DKIM signs your mail so receivers can trust it. How DKIM works

Type
TXT
Record name
google._domainkey
Value
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.

  • After the record is published, go back to Authenticate email and turn on authentication for the domain.

3 more notes from Google Workspace on this record

In Amazon Route 53

  1. Select Create record.
  2. Enter the Record name (leave it empty for your bare domain) and choose TXT.
  3. In Value, enter the text inside double quotes. If you already have a TXT record on that name, add the new value as another line in the same record.
  4. Select Create records.

Add the DMARC record (recommended)

DMARC tells receivers what to do with mail that fakes your domain. How DMARC works

Type
TXT
Record name
_dmarc
Value
"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.

3 more notes from Google Workspace on this record

In Amazon Route 53

  1. Select Create record.
  2. Enter the Record name (leave it empty for your bare domain) and choose TXT.
  3. In Value, enter the text inside double quotes. If you already have a TXT record on that name, add the new value as another line in the same record.
  4. Select Create records.

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 Amazon Route 53’s words.

We only read public DNS records. Nothing is stored.

Common mistakes with Google Workspace on Amazon Route 53

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.

Amazon Route 53: One TXT record per name

With simple routing, Route 53 keeps all TXT values for a name in the same record, one value per line. Add SPF next to a verification value instead of creating a second TXT record.

Amazon Route 53: Split long TXT values

A single quoted string can hold up to 255 characters. Split longer values, such as DKIM keys, into quoted pieces on one line: "part one" "part two".

3 more Google Workspace mistakes to avoid

Visit Google Workspace Visit Amazon Route 53

Google Workspace on Amazon Route 53: questions

Where do I add Google Workspace DNS records in Amazon Route 53?

Open the Route 53 console and select Registered domains, then your domain. Select Manage DNS, then the hosted zone for your domain. If no hosted zone exists, create one first. Add each record there, one at a time.

What goes in the Record name field at Amazon Route 53?

Leave it empty 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. Amazon Route 53 adds your domain automatically.

Do I need to delete my existing MX records at Amazon Route 53?

Remove any other MX records. Email might not work correctly if old or incorrect MX records stay in place.

How long until Google Workspace email works on Amazon Route 53?

New MX records can take up to 72 hours to be recognized.

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.

Amazon Route 53 steps and tips

Some of these are other email providers' official guides for Amazon Route 53. They describe the same Amazon Route 53 dashboard.

Google Workspace on other hosts

Other email providers on Amazon Route 53