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

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.

Google Workspace on Squarespace Domains: what to know

Bought Google Workspace through Squarespace Domains?

On a Squarespace domain using Squarespace’s default nameservers, the MX records are added for you. With custom nameservers, or a domain registered elsewhere, Squarespace emails you the records to add yourself.

Source: Signing up for Google Workspace (Squarespace Help)

How long changes take

Squarespace says Google can take 10 minutes to an hour to see a new TXT record, and MX changes up to 48 hours.

Squarespace says DNS changes can take 24 to 48 hours to update.

Source: Troubleshooting Google Workspace domain verification (Squarespace Help), Edit your domain's DNS records (Squarespace Help)

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.

1 more note from Google Workspace on this 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.

Point your MX records

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

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.

3 more notes from Google Workspace on this record

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

Type
TXT
Name
@
Text
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 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 signs your mail so receivers can trust it. How DKIM works

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.

  • 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 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 fakes your domain. How DMARC works

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.

3 more notes from Google Workspace on this 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.

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.

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.

3 more Google Workspace mistakes to avoid

Visit Google Workspace Visit Squarespace Domains

Google Workspace on Squarespace Domains: questions

Google Workspace won’t verify my Squarespace domain. What should I check?

Sign in to Google with your temporary password and accept Google’s terms first, because you can’t verify before that. Then remove any homepage password, re-enable a disabled homepage, and retry from Domains > your domain > Email > Manage plan > Verify Domain. If it still fails, add the Google Workspace verification preset under DNS with your verification code.

Should I cancel Google Workspace and start again if verification fails?

No. Squarespace asks you to contact them instead of canceling, because you can’t start over after canceling.

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.

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?

Squarespace says Google can take 10 minutes to an hour to see a new TXT record, and MX changes up to 48 hours. 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.

Google Workspace on other hosts

Other email providers on Squarespace Domains