How to Set Up DKIM for Google Workspace - Step-by-Step Guide
lemwarm
March 4, 2024
|4 min read
DKIM can boost your open rates. š
How?
DKIM authenticates emails, so that email servers can verify the email's origin and confirm that it really came from the claimed domain.
If you only send authenticated emails, youāll build trust with email service providers. This helps build your sender reputation.
With a better sender reputation, avoiding the spam folder is easier.
In short, anybody doing email outreach needs to set up their DKIM.
Hereās how to set up DKIM for Google Workspace. ā¬ļø

What Is DKIM?
The DKIM authentication revolves around two keys: a public key and a private key.
When you add your DKIM, a public key is added to your domainās DNS records.
This public key is shared with email servers whenever you send an email.
The server then checks your public key against the private key and if thereās a match the email gets authenticated and delivered to your recipients.
If authentication fails, the email then either gets delivered regularly, sent to the spam folder, or rejected altogether.
What happens to unauthenticated emails depends on the DMARC settings.
Setting Up Your DKIM Record in Google Workspace šļø
Getting your DKIM key in Google Admin Console šļø
- In the Google Admin Console, go to menu.
- Now go to Apps > Google Workspace > Gmail
- Click on Authenticate email
- In the Selected domain menu, select your domain
- Click on Generate New Record
- Choose your DKIM key settings on the Generate new record page
- Click generate - the string under the TXT record value should now update to a new key
- Copy the values in the Authenticate email windows. You need to add this to your domain providerās DNS setting.
Adding your DKIM to your domain providerās DNS records
After generating the DKIM in Googleās Admin Console, itās now time to add it to your domainās DNS records.
- Log in to your domain providerās account
- Look for a setting called āDNS settingsā, āDNS managementā, or similar
- Once inside, you should see a list of DNSs that have already been configured. Look for a button called āAdd DNS recordā or similar. Click on it.
- In the form, for āhostā or āhostnameā and enter your TXT record name there
- Then, in the āvalueā field, paste your DKIM record
- Click Save
Turning on DKIM signing šļø
Almost ready.
Letās go back to Googleās Admin Console to turn on DKIM signing.
- Go to Apps > Google Workspace > Gmail
- Click on āAuthenticate emailā
- In the āSelected domainā menu, select your domain
- Now click on āStart authenticationā
- If all is well, you should now see the status at the top of the page changing to āAuthenticating emailā
Validating your DKIM
- Send an email to a Gmail address that isnāt your own
- In the recipientās inbox, locate the message header. To find it, click on the āMoreā button and then āShow originalā.
- Look for the āAuthentication-Resultsā. Now look for a line that says DKIM = pass or DKIM = OK. If thereās no mention of DKIM, that means the process failed.
If everything went well, you should now have your DKIM record set up.
If the process failed, repeat the steps and ensure you didnāt add extra spaces or characters.
Completing Your Technical Setup āļø
Setting up DKIM is but one step in completing your technical setup.
Here are other essential components of your technical setup. Completing them all increases your chances of avoiding the spam folder.
- SPF records ā
- MX Records ā
Lastly, if your sending domain is new, you must warm up your email.
Warming an email manually would be a lengthy and tedious process.
Thatās why email warm-up services exist.
lemwarm warms up your email by gradually increasing sending volume and frequency while also ensuring that your emails get replies.
By doing so, it builds up your sender reputation so more of your emails land in the inbox.