DNS Guide: Route 53 (AWS)

Steps

1. Log in to the AWS Management Console
2. Navigate to Route 53, then select Hosted Zones
3. Click on your domain’s hosted zone
4. Click Create Record for each record AgentMail requires

Adding a TXT Record (SPF)

Adding a CNAME Record (DKIM)

CNAME values should not be wrapped in quotes.

Adding an MX Record (Receiving)

Route 53 MX records use the format priority server separated by a space (e.g., 10 inbound.agentmail.to). Do not wrap MX values in quotes.

If you want to receive emails on a subdomain to avoid conflicts with your existing email provider, enter the subdomain in the Record name field instead of leaving it blank.

Verification

After adding all records, go back to the AgentMail Console and click Verify Domain.

Route 53 name servers typically pick up changes within 60 seconds, but full propagation to all DNS resolvers may take longer depending on TTL and resolver caching. In practice, most changes are visible within a few minutes.

Common Route 53 Issues

• TXT records must be quoted: Unlike most DNS providers, Route 53 requires double quotes around TXT record values. If your SPF or other TXT records are missing quotes, they won’t validate.

• CNAME at root domain: Route 53 does not allow CNAME records on the root domain (zone apex). If you need to set up DKIM, the selector (e.g., agentmail._domainkey) is a subdomain, so this is typically not an issue. However, if you run into conflicts, consider using a subdomain for sending.

• Existing SPF record: If you already have a TXT record starting with v=spf1, add include:agentmail.to before the ~all or -all in that existing record. Do not create a second SPF TXT record.

• Routing policy: When creating records, use Simple routing unless you have a specific reason to use weighted, latency, or other routing policies. Other policies can cause unexpected DNS behavior for email records.

• Multiple values in one record: Route 53 lets you add multiple values to a single record. If you need to add a second MX entry, add it as a new line in the same MX record rather than creating a separate record.