Verify your domain with a TXT record
Tip: Print the verification steps to refer to as you go through the process.
Why verify?
After you verify that you own your domain, you can start using Gmail, Google Drive, and all the other services included with your Google Apps account.
How do I verify?
Google Apps gives you a verification record to add to your domain’s DNS settings. You sign in to your domain host (typically where you purchased your domain) to add the record. The verification record won’t affect your website or email.
Don’t have access to your domain host account? If you can edit your domain’s website HTML code, you can verify your domain by adding a verification code to your website.
Need help with verification? Contact Google Support for fast, free, personalized help.
Add a TXT verification record (host-specific steps)
See step-by-step instructions for some popular domain hosts. If you don’t see your host in the list, add your TXT verification record using the generic steps.
Add a TXT verification record (generic steps)
After you sign up for Google Apps, the Setup Wizard guides you through setting up your Apps account, including domain verification.
If you’re still in the Setup Wizard, skip to step 3. Otherwise, start with step 1.
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Sign in to your Google Admin console.
Sign in using your administrator account (does not end in @gmail.com).
- At the top of the Admin console dashboard, click the Start Setup or Verify Domain buttons to get started.
- On the Verify your domain page, you should see the Log in to your domain host’s website section. If you don’t, click Choose a different method and select Add a domain host record (TXT or CNAME).
- Check the following boxes:
- I have successfully logged in.
- I have opened the control panel for my domain.
- In the Create a new TXT record section, copy the contents of the Value/Answer/Destination field. This is your verification record.
- In a second browser window or tab, sign in to your domain host account. Help me find my host.
- Go to your domain’s DNS records. The page might be called something like DNS Management, Name Server Management, Control Panel, or Advanced Settings.
- Select the option to add a new record.
- For the record type, select TXT.
- In the Name/Host/Alias field, enter @ or leave it blank. Your other DNS records may indicate which you should use.
- In the Time to Live (TTL) field, enter 86400 or leave the default.
- In the Value/Answer/Destination field, paste the verification record provided by the Google Apps Setup Wizard.
- Save the record.
Note: If you see a warning message about changing your DNS settings, disregard it. Adding the TXT record won’t damage your website or DNS settings
- Return to the Setup Wizard in the first browser window.
- Check the I saved the TXT verification record or the I have saved the TXT record box.
- Continue following the steps in the Setup Wizard, or if you completed all the steps, click Verify.
TXT record changes can take up to 72 hours to go into effect, but it usually happens much sooner.
Need help or want to verify your change? See Troubleshoot TXT records. If you still need help after that, or if you can't access your domain's DNS records, contact your domain host directly for assistance.
Verification of a partner-hosted domain
If you purchased your domain from a Google partner while signing up for your Google Apps account, your domain was automatically verified. To view the DNS records for your domain, see Access DNS records from a partner host.
Next steps
Now it’s time to set up Gmail with Google Apps. Keep the Setup Wizard and domain host site tabs or windows open in your browser. In a new tab or window, open detailed instructions for setting up Gmail with your host.