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    Direct Mail:Verify DNS configuration for your email domain

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    Direct Mail:Verify DNS configuration for your email domain

    Last Updated:May 27, 2026

    Verify that your email domain DNS records (ownership, SPF, DKIM, DMARC, MX) are correctly configured using the Alibaba Cloud DNS check tool, Windows nslookup, or Linux/macOS dig. Examples use example.com as the root domain.

    Example: sub.example.com in the China (Hangzhou) region

    sub.example.com is a subdomain of example.com with the prefix sub.

    Note

    • Before running these queries, configure the required DNS records at your domain name service provider. Find the record values in the Direct Mail console under Email Domains > Configure.

    • When you run queries, replace the example domain name with your own domain name.

    1. Query using the Alibaba Cloud DNS check tool

    1. Ownership verification

    • Purpose: Proves domain ownership by adding a TXT record provided by the service provider.

    • Domain to query: aliyundm.sub.example.com

    • Record type: TXT

    image

    2. SPF (Sender Policy Framework)

    • Purpose: Prevents sender spoofing by specifying which servers can send email for your domain.

    • Domain to query: sub.example.com

    • Record type: TXT

    image

    Note

    1. You can have only one SPF record. If you have multiple outbound IP addresses, merge them into a single record.

    Example of value parsing syntax:

    Domain + Domain: v=spf1 include:spf.qiye.aliyun.com include:spf1.dm.aliyun.com -all

    Domain + IP address: v=spf1 include:spf.qiye.aliyun.com ip4:x.x.x.x -all

    Domain + IP range (use with caution): v=spf1 include:spf.qiye.aliyun.com ip4:x.x.x.x/24 -all

    Note: Use ip4, not ipv4.

    2. Do not use a domain shared with a corporate mailbox for Direct Mail — this may disrupt corporate email delivery. Use a subdomain instead.

    3. DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail)

    • Purpose: Uses a digital signature to verify email integrity and prevent tampering in transit.

    • Domain to query: aliyun-cn-hangzhou._domainkey.sub.example.com (host record + root domain)

    • Record type: TXT

    Note

    The selector value (e.g., aliyun-cn-hangzhou) varies by region.

    Older domains may not include the 1024 or 2048 key length identifier in the host record. Always use the exact host record shown on the Email Domains > Configure page.

    • Original:

      • China (Hangzhou): aliyun-cn-hangzhou._domainkey.sub.example.com

      • Singapore: aliyun-ap-southeast-1._domainkey.sub.example.com

      • US: aliyun-us-east-1._domainkey.sub.example.com or aliyun-ap-southeast-2._domainkey.sub.example.com (for some older domains)

      • Germany: aliyun-eu-central-1._domainkey.sub.example.com

    • 1024-bit:

      • China (Hangzhou): aliyun-cn-hangzhou-1024._domainkey.sub.example.com

      • Singapore: aliyun-ap-southeast-1-1024._domainkey.sub.example.com

      • US: aliyun-us-east-1-1024._domainkey.sub.example.com

      • Germany: aliyun-eu-central-1-1024._domainkey.sub.example.com

    • 2048-bit:

      • China (Hangzhou): aliyun-cn-hangzhou-2048._domainkey.sub.example.com

      • Singapore: aliyun-ap-southeast-1-2048._domainkey.sub.example.com

      • US: aliyun-us-east-1-2048._domainkey.sub.example.com

      • Germany: aliyun-eu-central-1-2048._domainkey.sub.example.com

    image

    4. DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance)

    • Purpose: Defines how to handle emails that fail SPF or DKIM checks and enables authentication reporting.

    • Domain to query: TXT record of _dmarc.sub.example.com

    • Record type: TXT

    image

    5. MX (Mail Exchange) record

    • Purpose: Specifies the mail server that accepts email for your domain.

    • Domain to query: sub.example.com

    • Record type: MX

    image

    2. Other query methods

    1. nslookup (Windows)

    • Ownership verification, SPF, DMARC, and MX records:

      nslookup -type=TXT aliyundm.sub.example.com # Ownership record
nslookup -type=TXT sub.example.com        # SPF record
nslookup -type=TXT _dmarc.sub.example.com # DMARC record
nslookup -type=MX sub.example.com         # MX record

    • DKIM example:

      # Query using the corresponding region.

# Original:
# China (Hangzhou):
nslookup -type=TXT aliyun-cn-hangzhou._domainkey.sub.example.com
# Singapore:
nslookup -type=TXT aliyun-ap-southeast-1._domainkey.sub.example.com
# US:
nslookup -type=TXT aliyun-us-east-1._domainkey.sub.example.com
nslookup -type=TXT aliyun-ap-southeast-2._domainkey.sub.example.com
# Germany:
nslookup -type=TXT aliyun-eu-central-1._domainkey.sub.example.com

# 1024-bit:
# China (Hangzhou):
nslookup -type=TXT aliyun-cn-hangzhou-1024._domainkey.sub.example.com
# Singapore:
nslookup -type=TXT aliyun-ap-southeast-1-1024._domainkey.sub.example.com
# US:
nslookup -type=TXT aliyun-us-east-1-1024._domainkey.sub.example.com
# Germany:
nslookup -type=TXT aliyun-eu-central-1-1024._domainkey.sub.example.com

# 2048-bit:
# China (Hangzhou):
nslookup -type=TXT aliyun-cn-hangzhou-2048._domainkey.sub.example.com
# Singapore:
nslookup -type=TXT aliyun-ap-southeast-1-2048._domainkey.sub.example.com
# US:
nslookup -type=TXT aliyun-us-east-1-2048._domainkey.sub.example.com
# Germany:
nslookup -type=TXT aliyun-eu-central-1-2048._domainkey.sub.example.com

    Query the ownership record: nslookup -qt=TXT aliyundm.your-configured-domain

    image

    Query the SPF record: nslookup -qt=TXT your-configured-domain

    image

    Query the MX record: nslookup -qt=MX your-configured-domain

    image

    2. dig (Linux/macOS)

    • Ownership verification, SPF, DMARC, and MX records:

      dig TXT aliyundm.sub.example.com # Ownership record
dig TXT sub.example.com           # SPF record
dig TXT _dmarc.sub.example.com    # DMARC record
dig MX sub.example.com            # MX record

    • DKIM example:

      # Query using the corresponding region.

# Original:
# China (Hangzhou):
dig TXT aliyun-cn-hangzhou._domainkey.sub.example.com
# Singapore:
dig TXT aliyun-ap-southeast-1._domainkey.sub.example.com
# US:
dig TXT aliyun-us-east-1._domainkey.sub.example.com
dig TXT aliyun-ap-southeast-2._domainkey.sub.example.com
# Germany:
dig TXT aliyun-eu-central-1._domainkey.sub.example.com

# 1024-bit:
# China (Hangzhou):
dig TXT aliyun-cn-hangzhou-1024._domainkey.sub.example.com
# Singapore:
dig TXT aliyun-ap-southeast-1-1024._domainkey.sub.example.com
# US:
dig TXT aliyun-us-east-1-1024._domainkey.sub.example.com
# Germany:
dig TXT aliyun-eu-central-1-1024._domainkey.sub.example.com

# 2048-bit:
# China (Hangzhou):
dig TXT aliyun-cn-hangzhou-2048._domainkey.sub.example.com
# Singapore:
dig TXT aliyun-ap-southeast-1-2048._domainkey.sub.example.com
# US:
dig TXT aliyun-us-east-1-2048._domainkey.sub.example.com
# Germany:
dig TXT aliyun-eu-central-1-2048._domainkey.sub.example.com

    Query the ownership record: dig txt aliyundm.your-configured-domain

    image

    Query the SPF record: dig txt your-configured-domain

    image

    Query the MX record: dig mx your-configured-domain

    image