Add email with an existing Google Workspace account

If you already have a Google Workspace account (formerly known as G Suite), follow these steps to connect it to your domain on WordPress.com.

To configure Google Workspace, it’s necessary to add pieces of information called DNS records to your domain. These records ensure you can send and receive emails using your domain’s email address.

Instead of adding each DNS record manually, you can add just one verification TXT record, and we can take care of the rest automatically.

You can add the verification TXT record using the following steps:

1. Visit the Domains section of your Hosting Dashboard.
2. Click the domain name you want to set up Google Workspace for to open its overview page.
3. Under Settings, click “DNS records“:

4. Scroll down below the existing DNS records to the “Email setup” panel and select the Google Workspace tab:

5. Copy and paste a verification TXT record into the google-site-verification=... box. The exact record you need will depend on if you have previously verified your domain with Google:
   • If your domain is already verified with Google, you can copy and paste this TXT record:
     google-site-verification=rXOxyZounnZasA8Z7oaD3c14JdjS9aKSWvsR1EbUSIQ
   • If your domain is not yet verified with Google, you can copy a specific verification TXT record from your Google Admin Console by following the steps in the Verify your domain with a TXT record Google support guide. Your verification code looks something like this:

6. This verification TXT record will automatically add all the necessary Google Workspace DNS records to your domain.
7. Click the “Set up Google Workspace” button.

In your DNS records section, you’ll now see several new records from Google — these records ensure you can send and receive email from your domain. Your email should start working within a couple of hours, but in some cases, it may take up to 24 hours for everything to work correctly.

You can add the Google Workspace DNS records manually if automatic setup didn’t work. The same records work at any DNS provider, so you can also use them if your domain is connected with A records.

To add the records in WordPress.com, take the following steps. If another provider manages your domain’s DNS, add the same records there instead.

1. Visit the Domains section of your Hosting Dashboard.
2. Click the domain name you are adding Google Workspace to, to open its overview page.
3. Under Settings, click “DNS records“.
4. Click on the “Add record” button in the upper-right corner.
5. Fill in the form with each record listed below, clicking the “Add DNS record” button to add each record to the domain.

First, add the following Google Workspace MX record:

Here is a completed example:

You should also add an SPF record to protect your email account against spoofing & phishing and prevent messages from being marked as spam. An SPF record uses the ‘TXT’ type of DNS record and typically starts with a value of “v=spf1”.

To add the SPF TXT record:

1. In the Type box, select TXT.
2. Leave the Name box empty, as it is optional.
3. In the Text box, add v=spf1 include:_spf.wpcloud.com include:_spf.google.com ~all
   • If you already have an SPF record, you just need to add include:_spf.google.com before the final ~all in the record value.
4. Click the “Add DNS record” button to save the TXT record.

Here is a completed example:

Sometimes, you may need to add a:

• DKIM record using the steps in the Turn on DKIM for your domain Google support guide.
• DMARC record using the steps in the Add your DMARC record Google support guide.

Your email should start working within a couple of hours, but in some cases, it may take up to 24 hours for everything to work correctly.

You add Google Workspace DNS records at your DNS provider when your domain is connected to WordPress.com with A records instead of WordPress.com name servers. In that setup, another company, such as Bluehost, Namecheap, or Cloudflare, manages your domain’s DNS, so records you add in WordPress.com don’t take effect.

Add the same Google Workspace MX record and SPF record listed in the manual setup steps, using your DNS provider’s settings. If Google hasn’t verified your domain yet, also add the verification TXT record from your Google Admin Console. Follow Google’s guide to verify your domain with a TXT record.

Because your domain connects to your site with A records, you also need to add the WordPress.com email records at your DNS provider. These records keep email from your WordPress.com site, such as contact form notifications, out of spam. Follow the steps for domains connected with A records in Set up email authentication for your domain. Your domain can have only one SPF record, so combine the Google and WordPress.com SPF values into a single record.

Tip: The exact steps to add DNS records vary by provider. Look for “DNS Management” or “DNS Settings” after you log in, or contact your provider’s support team.

If you need to restore default Google Workspace DNS records:

1. Visit the Domains section of your Hosting Dashboard.
2. Click the domain name the Google Workspace email is associated with to open its overview page.
3. Under Settings, click “DNS records“.
4. Click the three dots at the top of the page.
5. Select “Restore default email records” from the menu:

If you don’t see the “Restore default email records” option:

• Your email records are set up correctly, so you don’t need to do anything!
• Your DNS is not managed through WordPress.com. Follow the steps to set up Google Workspace with another DNS provider.