DKIM Records in Bluehost

This guide is part of our Setup & Configuration resources.

If you host your domain with Bluehost and need to set up DKIM email authentication, you are in the right place. This guide walks you through the entire process of adding a DKIM TXT record in your Bluehost account, from generating your keys to verifying everything works. No technical background required. For a broader overview of DKIM, start with our complete DKIM guide.

Why DKIM Matters for Your Bluehost Domain

DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) adds a digital signature to every email you send. When a recipient's mail server receives your message, it checks that signature against a public key stored in your domain's DNS records. If the signature matches, the email is verified as legitimate.

Without DKIM, your emails are more likely to land in spam folders or get rejected entirely. Setting it up takes about ten minutes, and the benefits are immediate: better deliverability, stronger sender reputation, and protection against email spoofing.

DKIM Creator generates your key pair entirely in your browser. Nothing is stored on a server, and no account is needed.

What You Need Before Starting

Before you log in to Bluehost, gather these items:

Bluehost account access - You need to be able to manage DNS records for your domain
A DKIM key pair - A public key (for DNS) and a private key (for your mail server)
A selector name - A short label that identifies your key, such as default, mail, or google. See DKIM selectors explained if you need help choosing one

If you do not have a key pair yet, use DKIM Creator to generate one for free. Choose your selector name, pick your key size (2048-bit is recommended), and you will get both keys instantly.

Generate your DKIM keys first

Create a key pair in your browser in seconds. No signup, no server processing.

Generate Keys

Adding a DKIM Record in the Bluehost Dashboard

Bluehost has updated its interface over the years. Most accounts now use the newer Bluehost dashboard, which has a simplified DNS editor. If your account still uses cPanel, skip ahead to the cPanel section below.

Log in and go to Domains

Sign in to your Bluehost account at my.bluehost.com. From the left sidebar, click Domains. You will see a list of all domains in your account.

Select your domain

Find the domain you want to add DKIM to and click Manage next to it. This opens the domain management area.

Open the DNS tab

Click the DNS tab at the top of the domain management page. This shows all existing DNS records for your domain, including any A, CNAME, MX, and TXT records already in place.

Add a new TXT record

Click the Add Record button. In the record type dropdown, select TXT. You will see fields for Host, Value, and TTL.

Enter your DKIM record details

Fill in the fields using the values from your generated DKIM key pair. For reference on the correct format, see DKIM record examples. The table below shows exactly what goes where.

Save the record

Click Save to add the record. Bluehost will confirm the record has been created. DNS propagation typically takes between 15 minutes and a few hours.

Field Values for the TXT Record

Field	What to Enter
Host/Name	`selector._domainkey` (e.g., `mail._domainkey`)
Type	TXT
Value/Content	Your full DKIM record from DKIM Creator (starts with `v=DKIM1;`)
TTL	3600 (1 hour) or leave at default

Bluehost automatically appends your domain name to the Host field. Enter only selector._domainkey - not selector._domainkey.yourdomain.com. If you include the full domain, your record will end up at selector._domainkey.yourdomain.com.yourdomain.com, which will not work.

Adding a DKIM Record via cPanel (Legacy Accounts)

Some Bluehost plans still provide cPanel access. If your account uses cPanel, you can add the DKIM record through the Zone Editor instead.

Open cPanel

Log in to Bluehost and click Advanced in the left sidebar to open cPanel. Alternatively, go directly to your cPanel URL if you have it bookmarked.

Open Zone Editor

In the cPanel dashboard, scroll to the Domains section and click Zone Editor.

Find your domain and add a record

Locate your domain in the list and click Manage. Then click Add Record and choose Add TXT Record.

Enter the record details

In the Name field, enter selector._domainkey.yourdomain.com. (with a trailing dot). In the Record field, paste your full DKIM public key value. Click Save Record.

In cPanel's Zone Editor, you typically need the full hostname including your domain, unlike the newer Bluehost dashboard which appends it automatically. Pay attention to which interface you are using.

Bluehost Dashboard vs. cPanel: Key Differences

Detail	Bluehost Dashboard	cPanel Zone Editor
Host field format	`selector._domainkey` (domain appended automatically)	`selector._domainkey.yourdomain.com.` (full name with trailing dot)
Where to find it	Domains → Manage → DNS tab	Advanced → Zone Editor
Availability	All current Bluehost accounts	Legacy plans and some Pro plans
Ease of use	Simpler interface, fewer options	More detailed, shows all record types

Verifying Your DKIM Record

After saving your record, wait at least 30 minutes for DNS propagation before testing. Then verify the record is live:

Use a DNS lookup tool - Query selector._domainkey.yourdomain.com as a TXT record. You should see your DKIM public key value in the results.
Send a test email - Send a message to a Gmail address, open it, click the three dots, and select "Show original." Look for dkim=pass in the Authentication-Results header.
Check Bluehost DNS - Go back to the DNS tab in Bluehost and confirm the TXT record appears in the list with the correct values.

If the record does not appear after a few hours, double-check the Host field. The most common issue on Bluehost is the domain name being duplicated because it was entered manually when Bluehost already appends it.

Common Bluehost DKIM Issues

Record not found after adding it Bluehost appended the domain to your Host entry, creating a doubled hostname. Edit the record and remove the domain portion so only selector._domainkey remains.

Value is truncated or cut off Some older Bluehost interfaces have character limits on TXT record values. If your 2048-bit key is being cut off, try wrapping the value in double quotes. If the issue persists, consider using a 1024-bit key as a temporary workaround. See DKIM record too long for more detail on this problem.

Changes not showing up Bluehost DNS changes can take up to 48 hours in rare cases. Most propagation happens within one to two hours. Clear your local DNS cache and test again before making further changes.

Using the wrong interface If you entered the full domain name in the Bluehost dashboard (not cPanel), your record hostname is likely wrong. The dashboard appends the domain automatically, so you only need the selector._domainkey prefix.

Next Steps After DKIM

Once your DKIM record is live and verified, round out your email authentication setup:

SPF - Authorize which servers can send email for your domain
DMARC - Set a policy that tells receivers how to handle emails that fail DKIM or SPF checks
Key rotation - Plan to rotate your DKIM keys periodically, at least once a year

Together, DKIM, SPF, and DMARC give your domain the strongest possible email authentication, which translates directly to better inbox placement and stronger protection against phishing.

References

RFC 6376 — DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) Signatures
RFC 1035 — Domain Names — Implementation and Specification
Bluehost — DNS management documentation

Your Bluehost domain is just a few clicks away from better email deliverability. Generate your keys and add the record today.

Generate DKIM keys for your Bluehost domain

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