Namecheap Private Email + Namecheap

Set up Namecheap Private Email on Namecheap

The records Namecheap Private Email needs, written with the field names Namecheap uses (Host, Value), in the order to add them.

  • 5 steps
  • 6 DNS records

Before you start

  1. Have your Namecheap Private Email account ready. Some values are unique to your account and come from the Namecheap account (Private Email) .
  2. Open DNS at Namecheap: Sign in to Namecheap and select Domain List in the left sidebar. Select Manage next to your domain. Open the Advanced DNS tab.
  3. Keep both tabs open and add the records below one at a time.

Namecheap Private Email on Namecheap: what to know

How long changes take

Namecheap’s default TTL is 30 minutes, so after a change other DNS servers can show the old value for up to 30 minutes.

Source: How do I set up host records for a domain? (Namecheap Knowledgebase)

Records to add

Copy each value with the button next to it. Rows marked “Copy from Namecheap account (Private Email)” are unique to your account.

MX records Where incoming email goes Type MX Host @ Value mx1.privateemail.com Priority 10 TTL Automatic
MX records Where incoming email goes Type MX Host @ Value mx2.privateemail.com Priority 10 TTL Automatic
SPF record Which servers may send as you Type TXT Host @ Value v=spf1 include:spf.privateemail.com ~all Priority n/a TTL Automatic
DKIM A signature on every message Type TXT Host privateemail._domainkey Value Copy from Namecheap account (Private Email) Priority n/a TTL Automatic
DMARC record What to do with fakes · recommended Type TXT Host _dmarc Value v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:postmaster@yourdomain.com Priority n/a TTL Automatic
Autodiscover Automatic app setup · recommended Type CNAME Host autodiscover Value privateemail.com Priority n/a TTL Automatic

Step by step in Namecheap

Point your MX records

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

Type
MX
Host
@
Priority
10
Value
mx1.privateemail.com
Type
MX
Host
@
Priority
10
Value
mx2.privateemail.com

In Namecheap

  1. In the Mail Settings section, choose Custom MX from the drop-down list. You may need to scroll the list to find it.
  2. Select Add New Record.
  3. Enter @ as the Host, the mail server as the Value, and the Priority in the box to the right of the Value.
  4. Select the check mark to save the record.
  5. Delete every other MX record with its trash icon, then confirm with Yes.
  6. Repeat for each MX record above.

Add the SPF record

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

Type
TXT
Host
@
Value
v=spf1 include:spf.privateemail.com ~all

In Namecheap

  1. In the Host Records section, select Add New Record.
  2. In the Type drop-down, choose TXT Record.
  3. Fill in Host and Value, and pick a TTL.
  4. Select the check mark, or Save All Changes, to save.

Set up DKIM

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

Type
TXT
Host
privateemail._domainkey
Value
Copy it from Namecheap account (Private Email) (see below)

Host: Subscriptions bought on or after June 2, 2026 use privateemail._domainkey; older ones use default._domainkey.

Where to find your value

In your Namecheap account open the Private Email menu, click Manage next to your domain, then click Generate under DKIM and copy the value.

  • Namecheap calls DKIM a mandatory entry for outgoing mail to work correctly.
  • Paste the whole value into one field; don't split it.
  • It normally takes about 60 minutes to take effect.

In Namecheap

  1. In the Host Records section, select Add New Record.
  2. In the Type drop-down, choose TXT Record.
  3. Fill in Host and Value, and pick a TTL.
  4. Select the check mark, or Save All Changes, to save.

Add the DMARC record (recommended)

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

Type
TXT
Host
_dmarc
Value
v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:postmaster@yourdomain.com

In Namecheap

  1. In the Host Records section, select Add New Record.
  2. In the Type drop-down, choose TXT Record.
  3. Fill in Host and Value, and pick a TTL.
  4. Select the check mark, or Save All Changes, to save.

Add the Autodiscover record (recommended)

Autodiscover lets Outlook and other mail apps find your account settings without manual setup.

Type
CNAME
Host
autodiscover
Value
privateemail.com
  • Optional. Namecheap also lists optional mail and autoconfig CNAMEs pointing to privateemail.com.

In Namecheap

  1. In the Host Records section, select Add New Record.
  2. In the Type drop-down, choose CNAME Record.
  3. Fill in Host and Value, and pick a TTL.
  4. Select the check mark to 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 Namecheap’s words.

We only read public DNS records. Nothing is stored.

Common mistakes with Namecheap Private Email on Namecheap

Using the wrong DKIM host name

Subscriptions bought before June 2, 2026 use default._domainkey; newer ones use privateemail._domainkey.

Splitting the DKIM value

Namecheap warns not to put part of the value in one field and the rest in another. Paste the full string in one field.

Namecheap: No CNAME on the bare domain

A CNAME record on the bare domain (yourdomain.com) overrides every other record for that name and breaks email.

1 more Namecheap Private Email mistake to avoid

Visit Namecheap Private Email Visit Namecheap

Namecheap Private Email on Namecheap: questions

Where do I add Namecheap Private Email DNS records in Namecheap?

Sign in to Namecheap and select Domain List in the left sidebar. Select Manage next to your domain. Open the Advanced DNS tab. Add each record there, one at a time.

What goes in the Host field at Namecheap?

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

Do I need to delete my existing MX records at Namecheap?

Yes. Sending servers pick an MX record by its priority (lowest number first) and fall back to the others, so a leftover MX record can receive some or all of your mail. Keep only the Namecheap Private Email MX records and delete the rest. A CNAME record on the bare domain (yourdomain.com) overrides every other record for that name and breaks email.

How long until Namecheap Private Email works on Namecheap?

Namecheap’s default TTL is 30 minutes, so after a change other DNS servers can show the old value for up to 30 minutes.

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.

Namecheap Private Email on other hosts

Other email providers on Namecheap