Namecheap Private Email + Squarespace Domains

Set up Namecheap Private Email on Squarespace Domains

The records Namecheap Private Email needs, written with the field names Squarespace Domains uses (Name, Mail Server, Text, Data), 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 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.

Namecheap Private Email on Squarespace Domains: what to know

How long changes take

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

Source: Edit your domain's DNS records (Squarespace Help)

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 Name @ Value mx1.privateemail.com Priority 10 TTL 4 hours
MX records Where incoming email goes Type MX Name @ Value mx2.privateemail.com Priority 10 TTL 4 hours
SPF record Which servers may send as you Type TXT Name @ Value v=spf1 include:spf.privateemail.com ~all Priority n/a TTL 4 hours
DKIM A signature on every message Type TXT Name privateemail._domainkey Value Copy from Namecheap account (Private Email) 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:postmaster@yourdomain.com Priority n/a TTL 4 hours
Autodiscover Automatic app setup · recommended Type CNAME Name autodiscover Value privateemail.com Priority n/a TTL 4 hours

Step by step in Squarespace Domains

Point your MX records

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

Type
MX
Name
@
Priority
10
Mail Server
mx1.privateemail.com
Type
MX
Name
@
Priority
10
Mail Server
mx2.privateemail.com

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.
  5. 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
Name
@
Text
v=spf1 include:spf.privateemail.com ~all

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
privateemail._domainkey
Text
Copy it from Namecheap account (Private Email) (see below)

Name: 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 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:postmaster@yourdomain.com

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 Autodiscover record (recommended)

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

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

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 CNAME, then fill in Name and Data.
  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 Namecheap Private Email on Squarespace Domains

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.

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.

1 more Namecheap Private Email mistake to avoid

Visit Namecheap Private Email Visit Squarespace Domains

Namecheap Private Email on Squarespace Domains: questions

Where do I add Namecheap Private Email 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 _dmarc. Squarespace Domains adds your domain automatically.

Do I need to delete my existing MX records at Squarespace Domains?

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. 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.

How long until Namecheap Private Email works on Squarespace Domains?

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.

Namecheap Private Email on other hosts

Other email providers on Squarespace Domains