Resource records provide information about the underlying components of your domain, such as your web host or email provider.
When someone goes to your website, or uses your domain name to send or receive email, resource records ensure all pieces connect and the website works properly. Resource records can also improve website security and authenticate domain name ownership.
When you add a resource record in Google Domains, you must complete the following fields:
- Host name
- Type
- Time-To-Live (TTL)
- Data
For details on what to include, refer to the service provider referenced in the record. For example, email servers entered as part of an MX record are defined by your email service provider, such as Google Workspace.
Learn about records for web hosting
AInternet Protocol (IP) addresses are numeric addresses for devices connected to the internet, such as servers and computers. When you create a website, an A or AAAA record defines the IP address of the web host.
There are 2 versions of IP addresses on the internet: IPv4 and IPv6. “A records” only hold IPv4 addresses. “AAAA records” only hold IPv6 addresses. To determine what IP address to use in an A record, contact your web host.
Here’s an example of how to format an A record in Google Domains:
Host name |
Type |
TTL |
Data |
|---|---|---|---|
@ |
A |
1H |
123.123.123.123 |
@ indicates the resource record applies to your domain name, such as example.com. For more information on the “Host name” field, visit Manage resource records.Internet Protocol (IP) addresses are numeric addresses for devices connected to the internet, such as servers and computers. When you create a website, an A or AAAA record defines the IP address of the website.
There are 2 versions of IP addresses on the internet: IPv4 and IPv6. “AAAA records” only hold IPv6 addresses. “A records” only hold IPv4 addresses. To determine what IP address to use in an AAAA record, contact your web host.
Here’s an example of how to format an AAAA record in Google Domains:
Host name |
Type |
TTL |
Data |
|---|---|---|---|
@ |
AAAA |
1H |
2002:db80:1:2:3:4:567:89ab |
@ indicates the resource record applies to your domain name, such as example.com. For more information on the “Host name” field, visit Manage resource records.Whereas A and AAAA records provide a direct link between a domain or subdomain and a web host IP address, CNAME (Canonical Name) records indicate how to find a host IP address by pointing to another resource record. In this way, a CNAME record acts like an alias.
In this example, you have a domain name example.com with the following A record:
Host name |
Type |
TTL |
Data |
|---|---|---|---|
@ |
A |
1H |
123.123.123.123 |
Important: The @ indicates the resource record applies to your domain name, such as example.com. For more information on the “Host name” field, visit Manage resource records.
If you want to make sure the same IP address is used when www.example.com is looked up on the internet, create the following CNAME record:
Host name |
Type |
TTL |
Data |
|---|---|---|---|
www |
CNAME |
1H |
example.com. |
wwwis interpreted as a prefix for a domain name, such as example.com. For more information on the “Host name” field, visit Manage resource records.- The “.” at the end of
example.comisn't a mistake. It provides a fully-qualified domain name.
Learn about records for email
MXWhen you use your domain name in email addresses, such as you@example.com, an MX (Mail Exchange) record specifies the email server that handles these messages. For example, if you use Google Workspace to manage email for your company, MX records are used to connect the 2 services and allow your emails to be sent and received. To determine what information to provide in the “Data” field of an MX record, contact your email service provider.
Here’s an example of how to format an MX record in Google Domains:
Host name |
Type |
TTL |
Data |
|---|---|---|---|
@ |
MX |
1H |
mailhost1.example.com. |
@indicates that the resource record applies to your domain name, such as example.com. For more information on the “Host name” field, visit Manage resource records.- The “.” at the end of
mailhost1.example.comisn't a mistake but is necessary to provide a fully-qualified domain name.
Multiple MX records can be set up for a domain. This is done to make sure that if there’s a problem with access on one mail server, the other servers can make sure you still can send and receive email.
When you include multiple MX records, you should indicate your preference for which to try first, second, and so on. This is called setting a priority. The lower the number, the higher the priority. For example, 1 has higher priority than 10.
Google Domains does not provide a separate field for the priority number. To specify a priority number, enter the value in the “Data” field, then the email host.
Here’s an example of how to format multiple MX records with priorities in Google Domains:
Host name |
Type |
TTL |
Data |
|---|---|---|---|
@ |
MX |
1H |
1 mailhost1.example.com. |
@ |
MX |
1H |
2 mailhost2.example.com. |
In the example above, if mail can't be delivered with mailhost1.example.com (higher priority), then mailhost2.example.com (lower priority) is used.
The Sender Policy Framework (SPF) provides a way to authenticate email sent from your domain name. When a mail server gets mail from your domain, it refers to SPF records to verify the mail is from you.
In Google Domains, use a Text (TXT) record type to define your SPF records. The “Data” field should include the SPF tag v=spf1 and other SPF qualifiers, mechanisms, and modifiers.
Here’s an example in Google Domains:
Host name |
Type |
TTL |
Data |
|---|---|---|---|
@ |
TXT |
1H |
v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all |
@ indicates the resource record applies to your domain name, such as example.com. For more information on the “Host name” field, visit Manage resource records.Learn about records for name servers
NSAn NS (Name Server) record indicates where to find other resource records for your domain name. When you buy a domain name through Google Domains, name servers are provided without additional cost and are automatically set up.
You can also set up custom name servers. When you use custom name servers, you manage and modify most of your resource records through your name server provider. Learn how to manage domain name servers.
A SOA (Start of Authority) record stores information about your domain. It helps manage traffic between name servers, such as the administrator’s email address and the domain’s last update.
When you buy a domain name through Google Domains, name servers are provided for you without additional cost. SOA records are automatically set up for you.
Learn about records for security
A CAA (Certification Authority Authorization) record lets you control who can issue SSL/TLS certificates for your website. CAA records can help secure certificate issuance against those who try to impersonate your domain name.
Here’s an example of a CAA record that restricts certificate issuance to Let’s Encrypt, a Certificate Authority (CA):
Host name |
Type |
TTL |
Data |
|---|---|---|---|
@ |
CAA |
1H |
0 issue letsencrypt.org |
@ indicates the resource record applies to your domain name, such as example.com. For more information on the “Host name” field, visit Manage resource records.- Facilitate Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC).
- Prevent fake resource records from being inserted when information is exchanged between devices.
A PTR (Pointer) record is the opposite of an A or AAAA record. Whereas A and AAAA records provide the IP address associated with a domain name, a PTR record provides the domain name associated with an IP address. PTR records are used in reverse DNS lookups, often to double-check that information provided by a domain name is trustworthy.
Usually, you don't manage PTR records through Google Domains. PTR records are typically set by the owner of your IP address (your Internet Service Provider or ISP). But the owner of your IP address may delegate the responsibility to manage reverse DNS lookups to you. In this case, you would have to add a corresponding PTR record in Google Domains.
In this example, you have an A record:
Host name |
Type |
TTL |
Data |
|---|---|---|---|
www |
A |
1H |
111.222.33.4 |
And the owner of your IP address delegates reverse DNS lookup responsibility to you with a CNAME record.
Important: The order of the 4 numbers comprising the IP address are reversed.
Host name |
Type |
TTL |
Data |
|---|---|---|---|
4.33.222.111.in-addr.arpa. |
CNAME |
1H |
ptr_www.example.com. |
After this is done, set the following PTR record In Google Domains:
Host name |
Type |
TTL |
Data |
|---|---|---|---|
ptr_www |
PTR |
1H |
www.example.com. |
ptr_www.example.com and www.example.com isn't a mistake. It provides a fully-qualified domain name.A Secure Shell Fingerprint (SSHFP) record verifies the trustworthiness of the machines you connect to through Secure Shell (SSH).
Here’s an example of how to format an SSHFP record in Google Domains:
Host name |
Type |
TTL |
Data |
|---|---|---|---|
@ |
SSHFP |
1H |
2 1 123456789abcdef67890123456789abcdef67890 |
@ indicates the resource record applies to your domain name, such as example.com. For more information on the “Host name” field, visit Manage resource records.Learn about other record types
A TXT record can be used to record human or machine readable notes. Although text records can contain arbitrary notes, they can also serve more active purposes, like to verify domain name ownership.
Here’s an example of how to format a TXT record in Google Domains:
Host name |
Type |
TTL |
Data |
|---|---|---|---|
@ |
TXT |
1H |
This is my domain |
@ indicates the resource record applies to your domain name, such as example.com. For more information on the “Host name” field, visit Manage resource records.