Domain status and health in AliasFleet describe whether a custom domain is ready to forward mail. The status badge states the setup state of the domain, and the health indicator states whether its DNS records remain intact. This page explains each badge and indicator, the action each one requires, and how to check a domain that stops forwarding.
Checking status requires a custom domain already added to the account and access to the Domains list. Restoring a missing record requires access to the DNS provider for that domain.
How is a domain status checked?#
- Open the Domains list. The list shows each custom domain on the account and the status badge beside it.
- Read the status badge. The badge gives the setup state: Active, DNS Pending, Setup Required, or Suspended.
- Read the health indicator. On an active domain, the indicator states whether its DNS records remain intact.
- Match the badge and indicator against the tables below. Each row states what one state means and what action it requires.
- Carry out the action for the state shown. A domain with a missing record needs that record restored at the DNS provider before forwarding returns to normal.
What does each status badge mean?#
The status badge reports the setup state of the domain. A domain carries one badge at a time.
| Status badge | Meaning | Action required |
|---|---|---|
| Active | DNS records are verified and the domain forwards mail. | No action. |
| DNS Pending | The domain has been added and its DNS records have been set, but verification has not completed. This state is normal immediately after records are added. | Wait for propagation, then check the status again. This badge alone does not call for a record change. |
| Setup Required | DNS records have not been added, or setup was started and left unfinished. | Resume setup, starting with Continue Setup. |
| Suspended | The domain is suspended, most often because of a policy issue. | Contact support if the suspension was unexpected. |
How does each status appear in the Domains list?#
Each Domains list entry shows the badge text exactly as listed in the table above: Active, DNS Pending, Setup Required, or Suspended. Beside an active domain, the health indicator shows one of three texts: All DNS records verified, Some records missing, or MX record missing. Only the All DNS records verified indicator is described here as green text. No colour is stated for the other two indicators, so the indicator text is the reading to rely on. When a domain that was working stops forwarding, the health indicator is the first check, because it usually identifies the fault.
What does each health indicator mean?#
The health indicator appears once a domain is active. It states whether the domain's DNS records are still intact.
| Health indicator | Meaning | Action required |
|---|---|---|
| All DNS records verified | All records are in order. | No action. |
| Some records missing | One or more of SPF, DKIM, or DMARC has disappeared or changed. Mail may still forward, because delivery depends on MX, but deliverability and reply features may be affected. | Check the DNS settings and restore the changed or missing record. |
| MX record missing | The most serious state. Without the MX record, no mail can be delivered to the domain, and forwarding stops for every alias on it. | Restore the MX record at the DNS provider, then check the status again. |
How is a fixed domain verified?#
Verification means reading the same two indicators again. After a missing record is restored at the DNS provider, open the Domains list and check again. An Active badge together with an All DNS records verified indicator confirms the domain is verified and working, and aliases on it forward normally. If the badge still reads DNS Pending after records were added, the DNS verification guide and the troubleshooting guide for records that do not verify give the next checks: DNS verification and DNS records not verifying.
Why do DNS records go missing?#
DNS records disappear in four ways:
- A record deleted by accident while another change was being made.
- A domain transfer in which the DNS records did not carry over.
- A nameserver change, where the new provider started with a blank zone.
- A reset of records by a third-party DNS manager.
Restore a missing record at the DNS provider, not in AliasFleet. The DNS provider settings show the current records, and any record that differs from the values given during setup is the record to correct. If forwarding has stopped rather than verification failing, the alias forwarding guide also applies: Alias not forwarding.
Where does domain status fit in custom domain setup?#
Status and health are checks inside the wider custom domain setup, not a separate setup. Adding and verifying a domain comes first, and status is the reading that confirms the result. The setup guide gives the full sequence from adding a domain to creating aliases on it: How to set up email aliases on a custom domain.