Add DNS records · Namecheap
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.
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
- Log in to Namecheap and open Domain List in the left sidebar.
- Click Manage next to your domain, then open the Advanced DNS tab.
- Under Host Records, click Add New Record.
- 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. Click the green checkmark to save.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.