Adding DKIM Records in Hostinger: DNS Setup Guide

This guide is part of our Setup & Configuration resources.

If you host your domain with Hostinger, adding a DKIM record is straightforward. Hostinger uses hPanel, their custom control panel, which keeps DNS management simple and beginner-friendly. This guide walks you through finding the DNS editor, adding your DKIM TXT record, and verifying that everything is working. If you are new to DKIM, our complete DKIM guide covers the fundamentals before you dive into provider-specific steps.

What You Need Before Starting

Before you open hPanel, make sure you have these ready:

• Your DKIM public key - the DNS record value that starts with v=DKIM1;
• Your selector name - the label for your key (e.g., default, mail, or a name provided by your email service). If you are unsure which selector to use, see how to find your DKIM selector
• Access to hPanel - your Hostinger account login

Hostinger Email vs. Third-Party Email

How you handle DKIM depends on which email service you use with your Hostinger domain. Some providers use TXT records while others use CNAME records -- see TXT vs CNAME for DKIM if you are unsure which applies to you.

If you are using Hostinger's own email or Titan Email, check your email settings in hPanel first. DKIM may already be active and no manual DNS changes are needed. For any third-party email service, you will need to add records manually using the steps below.

Adding a DKIM Record in hPanel

Follow these steps to add your DKIM TXT record through the Hostinger DNS editor.

DNS Record Reference

Use this table to double-check the values you entered in hPanel.

Verifying Your DKIM Record

After saving the record in hPanel, wait at least one to two hours for DNS propagation before testing. Here is how to confirm everything is set up correctly.

Check the DNS Record

You can verify the record was published by looking it up. Search for your selector and domain using a DKIM lookup tool or run the following command if you have access to a terminal:

dig TXT selector._domainkey.yourdomain.com +short

You should see a response containing your v=DKIM1; k=rsa; p=... value.

Send a Test Email

The best way to confirm DKIM is working end to end:

1. Send an email from your domain to a Gmail address
2. Open the email in Gmail and click the three dots, then Show original
3. Look for dkim=pass in the Authentication-Results header

If you see dkim=pass, your DKIM record is active and your emails are being signed correctly.

Common Issues with Hostinger DKIM Setup

Record not found after saving DNS propagation takes time. Wait at least one to two hours and try again. If the record still does not appear, make sure your domain is actually using Hostinger's nameservers. If you are pointing nameservers to another provider like Cloudflare, you need to add DKIM records there instead.

Wrong hostname format A common mistake is entering the full domain in the Name field. Hostinger adds the domain suffix automatically, so entering mail._domainkey.example.com would create a record at mail._domainkey.example.com.example.com. Just enter mail._domainkey.

Long TXT record gets cut off 2048-bit DKIM keys produce long values. Hostinger's DNS editor handles long TXT records well, but make sure you paste the complete value without any line breaks or extra spaces. Copy the full record directly from DKIM Creator to avoid truncation. For more on this topic, see DKIM record too long.

DKIM already configured by Hostinger Email If you are using Hostinger's built-in email, a DKIM record may already exist. Adding a second record for the same selector will cause conflicts. Check your existing DNS records before adding a new one.

Pairing DKIM with SPF and DMARC

DKIM works best as part of a complete email authentication setup. Once your DKIM record is live in Hostinger, consider adding:

• SPF - Specifies which servers can send email for your domain
• DMARC - Tells receiving servers how to handle emails that fail DKIM or SPF checks

All three records are managed as TXT records in the same hPanel DNS editor you used for DKIM.

References

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

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Your Hostinger domain is just a few clicks away from authenticated email. Start with your DKIM keys.