What is a TXT Record?

TXT is an abbreviation for text. It lets sources outside of your domain know what text information you have. The text can be either human or machine-readable and can be used for a variety of purposes. It permits the domain administrator to add text to the DNS zone. You may wonder, "Why would the administrator need to enter text?" Because TXT records are frequently used to verify domain ownership and assure email security. Usually, it has general information about the domain name and useful information for email validation and domain name verification.

Common Uses for TXT Records

SPF Record

TXT is commonly used for adding SPF records. This is necessary for authorizing the email server that is permitted to send emails on behalf of your domain. And with the deprecation of the normal SPF records, the usage of TXT records has been raised dramatically as all SPF records must be added as TXT SPF records presently.

DKIM Records

A Domain Keys Identified Mail (DKIM) record is a TXT record that has been changed. This record type stores domain-specific public keys and is used to digitally sign emails. DKIM records serve as a security safeguard because they ensure that e-mails are not altered in transit.

DMARC Records

Another sort of DNS TXT record is the Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance (DMARC) record. A DMARC record is used to tell servers whether or not to quarantine, refuse, or deliver a communication. It can also be used to deliver reports to a list of email addresses.

Domain Site Verification Records

Text records can also be used to establish that you own your domain. Many providers, such as Google, Office 365, and others, require a specific verification code to be added to your DNS zone via a TXT record. In that manner, you can demonstrate that you are the legitimate owner of the domain name. This type of TXT record configuration allows providers to query your server and verify ownership. Another technique to verify ownership is by adding a TXT file with a verification string to the root directory of your web server.

Updating a TXT Record

To learn more about updating your nameserver through our dashboard, please see How to Update TXT and SPF Records - DNS Management

DNS Records Explained - Domain Name System Management
How to Update DNS Records - DNS Management

What is a TXT Record?