### [Adding DNS Records for WP Mail SMTP in cPanel](https://wpmailsmtp.com/docs/adding-dns-records-for-wp-mail-smtp-in-cpanel/)

**Published:** November 23, 2023
**Author:** David Ozokoye

**Excerpt:** Learn how to add DNS records for your WP Mail SMTP mailer setup in cPanel.

**Content:**

Would you like to add DNS records for your WP Mail SMTP mailer connection in cPanel? Most mailers require users to add DNS records to their domain host during setup to verify domain ownership and improve email deliverability.

In this tutorial, we’ll show you how to add DNS records for WP Mail SMTP if your domain host uses cPanel.

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Before getting started, make sure WP Mail SMTP is [installed and activated](https://wpmailsmtp.com/docs/how-to-install-the-wp-mail-smtp-plugin/) on your WordPress site.

### Understanding How DNS Records Work in SMTP

The Domain Name System (DNS) is like the internet’s address book. [DNS](https://wpmailsmtp.com/docs/how-to-add-dns-records-for-wp-mail-smtp-setup/#what) provides a means to map a domain name (e.g., `example.com`) to its corresponding IP address (e.g., `123.123.80.20`). Just like how you store a person’s phone number with their name on your smartphone to easily remember them.

DNS records act as a storage system for the settings needed to map a domain name to its corresponding IP address. This means each domain has its unique set of DNS records.

Most [mailers in WP Mail SMTP](https://wpmailsmtp.com/docs/a-complete-guide-to-wp-mail-smtp-mailers/) use DNS records as a means to verify your domain on their platform. In some cases, it can be used to improve email deliverability, as in the case of adding [SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records](https://wpmailsmtp.com/dmarc-spf-dkim/).

In the next sections, we’ll cover the steps for adding DNS records for sites hosted on cPanel.

### Accessing the DNS Settings in cPanel

To start, you’ll first need to log in to your hosting dashboard.

Once you’ve logged in to your cPanel dashboard, scroll down to the **Domains** section and select the **Zone Editor** option.

![Select zone editor](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/select-zone-editor.png "Select Zone Editor")

This will direct you to a page where you can manage DNS records for all the domains on your account.

Alternatively, you can access this page by entering ‘zone editor’ in the search box and selecting the **Zone Editor** option.

![Search for zone editor](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/search-for-zone-editor.png "Search For Zone Editor")

On the Zone Editor page, you’ll see your domain(s) listed under the **Domains** section.

![Domain zone editor](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/zone-editor-cpanel.png "Domain Zone Editor")

### Adding Your DNS Records

Under the **Actions** column, you can quickly create an **A Record**, **CNAME Record**, or **MX Record** from the **Domains** overview page.

To do this, locate the domain you want to add DNS records for and select the record type you’d like to add. As an example, we’ll add one of the CNAME records [SendLayer](https://wpmailsmtp.com/docs/how-to-set-up-the-sendlayer-mailer-in-wp-mail-smtp/#authorize-domain) provides.

![Add new DNS record](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/add-cname-record-cpanel.png "Add New DNS Record")

In the overlay that appears, enter your DNS record values. The **Name** field in cPanel corresponds to the **Hostname**, while the **CNAME** field corresponds to the **CNAME Value** generated by your SMTP service provider.

**Note:** The way DNS record names appear may vary depending on the mailer you’re using and their specific naming convention. If you’re at all unsure of where to paste each record’s value, we suggest contacting your web hosting support for additional help.

Once you’ve entered the details, click the **Add A CNAME Record** button to save your changes.

![Add cname record](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/add-cname-record.png "Click the Add A CNAME Record button")

If you want to add other DNS records, such as TXT records, click the **Manage** button to view the DNS settings page for your domain.

![Manage DNS records](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/manage-dns-records-cpanel-1.png "Manage DNS Records")

In this Manage Zone page, you’ll see all the DNS records specific to your domain. To add a new record, click the **+ Add Record** button.

![Click Add record](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/add-record.png "Click the Add Record button")

This will open up the form where you can add the DNS record value. Start by selecting the record type you’d like to add from the **Type** dropdown.

![Select record type](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/select-record-type.png "Select Record Type")

After that, you’ll need to copy the hostname and record value from your mailer and paste each value into its corresponding field. The hostname corresponds to the **Name** field in cPanel.

![Enter DNS Hostname](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/dns-hostname.png "Enter DNS Hostname")

The Value from your mailer should be added in the **Record** field in cPanel.

![Record value](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/record-value.png "Enter Record Value")

If your mailer provides a Time To Live (TTL) value, you’ll need to enter the corresponding value in cPanel. You can use the default value if your mailer doesn’t provide TTL for the DNS record.

![TTL Value](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/ttl-value.png "TTL Value")

**Note:** TTL value in cPanel is in seconds. So, if your mailer provides this value in minutes, you’ll need to convert it to seconds before entering the value.

Once you’ve finished entering the values for the DNS record, go ahead and click the **Save Record** button.

![Save record](https://wpmailsmtp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/save-record.png "Save DNS Record")

You’ll need to repeat this process until you’ve added all the DNS records provided by your mailer.

**Note:** It can take up to 24-48 hours for DNS changes to propagate.

### Verifying Your DNS Records

After adding DNS records to support WP Mail SMTP, we recommend verifying that they’ve been implemented correctly. This step helps ensure optimal email deliverability by confirming that your outgoing emails are authenticated.

There are a couple of ways to verify your DNS records:

- **Sending a test email:** Utilize WP Mail SMTP’s built-in tool for sending a test email. If there’s an issue with your DNS records, an error notification will pop up.
- **Using the Site Health tool:** The WordPress Site Health tool can help identify any DNS verification problems. If there’s a verification issue with your DNS records, you’ll see a message that provides actions you can take to help resolve it.

For a thorough walkthrough on how to use these tools, be sure to check out our complete guide to [verifying your DNS records](https://wpmailsmtp.com/docs/how-to-verify-your-sending-domains-dns-records/ "verifying your DNS records").

**Note:** It can take several hours for changes to your DNS records to apply. If you’ve added your mailer’s DNS records to your settings and still can’t authenticate your domain, you may need to wait and try again later.

That’s it! Now you know how to add DNS records on domains hosted in cPanel.

Next, would you like to set up a backup connection that will be a fallback if your primary mailer connection fails to send emails? See our guide on [configuring a backup connection](https://wpmailsmtp.com/docs/configuring-backup-connection/) for more details.

**Categories:** DNS Records

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