# Add DNS records · Namecheap

<!-- external-screenshot: Namecheap → Domain List → Manage → Advanced DNS → Add New Record -->

When you add a sending domain to Bird, the domain's detail page in the Bird dashboard lists every DNS record to publish, each with a copyable host and value. Keep that page open in one tab and Namecheap in another — every value below is copied straight from Bird, never typed by hand.

![A domain's DNS Records page in the Bird dashboard, showing the verified DKIM record with copyable name and value, and the return-path and DMARC sections below](/images/docs/dashboard-email-domain-detail.png)

## The records you'll add

| Type  | Host                                | Value (copy from Bird)     |
| ----- | ----------------------------------- | -------------------------- |
| TXT   | `<selector>._domainkey.example.com` | Your DKIM key              |
| CNAME | `send.example.com`                  | `<region>.bounce.bird.com` |
| TXT   | `_dmarc.example.com`                | Your DMARC policy          |
| CNAME | `links.example.com` (optional)      | `<region>.links.bird.com`  |

The tracking CNAME (`links`) is optional — it only enables branded open and click tracking, not sending itself.

## Add the records in Namecheap

1. Log in to [Namecheap](https://www.namecheap.com) and open **Domain List** in the left sidebar.
2. Click **Manage** next to your domain, then open the **Advanced DNS** tab.
3. Under **Host Records**, click **Add New Record**.
4. For the DKIM record: choose **TXT Record** as the type, enter the host's subdomain part (everything before your domain, for example `<selector>._domainkey`) in **Host**, paste the DKIM value from Bird into **Value**, and leave **TTL** on **Automatic**. If Namecheap won't take the full value in one field, the [DNS record splitter](/tools/dns-record-splitter) breaks it into chunks that fit. Click the green checkmark to save.
5. Click **Add New Record** again. For the return-path record: choose **CNAME Record**, enter `send` in **Host**, paste the target from Bird (for example `<region>.bounce.bird.com`) into **Value**, and save.
6. Click **Add New Record** again. For the DMARC record: choose **TXT Record**, enter `_dmarc` in **Host**, paste the DMARC value from Bird into **Value**, and save.
7. If you want branded tracking, add the optional tracking record the same way as step 5: **CNAME Record**, **Host** `links`, **Value** `<region>.links.bird.com`, and save.

## Namecheap-specific gotchas

- **Host is the subdomain only.** Namecheap appends your domain to whatever you enter, so type `send`, not `send.example.com` — the full name publishes `send.example.com.example.com`. Use `@` only for records at the domain root (none of Bird's records need it).
- **"Automatic" TTL is 30 minutes.** Namecheap's default TTL means a corrected record can take up to half an hour to be seen; if you want faster turnaround on fixes, pick a shorter TTL from the dropdown before saving.
- **Advanced DNS only works on Namecheap BasicDNS.** The Host Records table only takes effect when the domain's **Nameservers** setting (on the **Domain** tab) is **Namecheap BasicDNS**. If the domain points at custom nameservers — Cloudflare, your host, anywhere else — add the records at that provider instead; anything you enter here is ignored.

## After you publish

Bird checks your DNS automatically — verification usually completes within minutes of the records going live, and you can trigger an immediate re-check from the domain's detail page. If the domain stays pending longer than expected, see [Verification delays](/docs/knowledge-base/dns-and-domains/verification-delays).

## Next steps

- [Sending domains](/docs/guides/email/sending-domains)
- [DKIM, SPF & DMARC](/docs/guides/email/dkim-spf-dmarc)
- [Verification delays](/docs/knowledge-base/dns-and-domains/verification-delays)