Each failure mode below covers why your DNS records fail verification and how to fix it. If you have not added any records yet, follow the normal path first in DNS Verification, which walks through the four records and where each one goes, then come back here if anything stays red.
Verification fails when the records you added do not exactly match what AliasFleet expects, or when the change has not finished spreading. Wait 30 minutes, paste each value in again with no stray spaces or missing dots, look for duplicate SPF records, and click Verify DNS again. Most failures clear at that point.
Custom domains need a Pro or Business account, and you need administrator access to wherever your domain's DNS is managed: your registrar (Namecheap, GoDaddy) or a DNS provider (Cloudflare, Route 53). Keep the domain setup page open: in the dashboard sidebar open Domains, click Continue Setup on your domain, and copy each record value from there.
How do I run the verification check?#
- Open Domains: in the dashboard sidebar, click Domains.
- Open the domain setup: find your domain in the list and click Continue Setup.
- Run the check: click Verify DNS. AliasFleet queries your domain's live DNS records and compares each one to the expected values.
Records that pass show a green checkmark. Records that fail show a red mark, usually with a short note about what is wrong or missing. You can run the check as often as you like: it is free and safe to re-run after every change.
Is it just propagation?#
Timing causes more failed checks than anything else. If you added the records less than 30 minutes ago, wait before changing a thing. DNS changes can take up to 48 hours to spread worldwide, although Namecheap and GoDaddy usually update within an hour and Cloudflare is typically near-instant.
To see what the rest of the world sees, look up your domain on a public propagation checker such as whatsmydns.net, or run dig TXT yourdomain.com from a terminal. If public lookups show your new records but AliasFleet still fails, the record content is wrong, not the timing. If public lookups do not show them yet, give it more time and check again.
Are the record values copied exactly?#
The setup page shows the exact name, type, and value for each record. Paste from there rather than typing values out by hand. These mistakes cause most failures that are not down to propagation:
- An extra space at the start or end of a value. You cannot see it in most DNS consoles, but it changes the record.
- A missing trailing dot on a hostname value. Some providers (GoDaddy, Namecheap) add the dot themselves; others (Route 53) expect you to type it. If verification fails, try the other format.
- The wrong record type: a TXT record where an MX was expected, or the other way round.
- The name field holding the full domain (for example
_dmarc.yourdomain.com) when the provider only wants the prefix (_dmarc). Cloudflare wants just the prefix; some registrar panels want the full hostname. If your first attempt fails, try the other format.
Why does my SPF record fail?#
SPF causes more confusion than any other record. A domain can only have one SPF TXT record: a single record starting with v=spf1. If you used to send mail through Google Workspace or another service and never removed their SPF record, you now have two, and SPF checks fail permanently.
The fix is to merge the rules into a single record. Fold the include: mechanisms from both records into one v=spf1 string (keep the exact AliasFleet mechanism from your domain setup page), delete the old record, and click Verify DNS again. If the old service is fully retired, just swap its record out for the AliasFleet one.
Are there duplicate or leftover records?#
If you attempted setup before, then changed something and added the records again, your DNS zone may hold duplicates: two DKIM CNAME entries with the same name, or two MX records pointing in different directions. AliasFleet compares each record against the expected value, so a stale duplicate can fail the check even when one of the records is right.
Open your DNS management console and look up each record name. There should be exactly one entry per name. Delete the outdated entries, then click Verify DNS again.
Why does verification fail on Cloudflare?#
When your domain's DNS sits on Cloudflare, proxying is the usual culprit. The orange cloud (proxied) has to be switched off for mail-related records: set your MX records and any CNAME records to DNS only (the grey cloud icon). Email traffic has to reach AliasFleet's mail servers directly, and proxying breaks both verification and delivery. SPF, DKIM and DMARC TXT records carry no traffic, so they work fine either way.
One more Cloudflare-specific catch: if you moved your nameservers to Cloudflare recently, that change alone can take a few hours to spread. Confirm your domain resolves on Cloudflare's nameservers before digging into the records.
Did I add the MX record at the right level for a subdomain?#
For a subdomain such as mail.yourdomain.com, the MX record name must be the subdomain label on its own: mail. Records set at the root (name @) only cover yourdomain.com and do not apply to subdomains, so an MX record at the root will not verify a subdomain setup. When you set up a subdomain, you only need the records for that subdomain; you leave the root domain's DNS alone.
What should I send support if nothing works?#
If every record matches the setup page, public DNS lookups show the records, and Verify DNS still fails after 24 hours, contact support with this information:
- Your domain name.
- Your DNS provider (Namecheap, GoDaddy, Cloudflare, Route 53).
- A screenshot of the records as they appear in your DNS management console.
- How long ago you added or last changed the records.
That is all it takes to spot the problem without a long back-and-forth.
What should I read next?#
- DNS Verification: the normal path. The four records, where to add them, and how verification works.
- How to Set Up Email Aliases on a Custom Domain: the full worked example of putting aliases on a domain you own.