# Send from your own domain

Source: https://gokarla.io/docs/guides/notify/sender-domain

# Send from your own domain

By default, Karla [email flows](/docs/guides/notify/email-flows) are sent
from the Karla default sender. On the **enterprise** email tier you can send
from your own domain instead, so customers see an address like
`shipping@yourshop.com` in their inbox and your emails are authenticated
under your name.

You'll find the **Custom sending domain** card in the
[Karla Portal](https://portal.gokarla.io) under
**Notify → Email templates → Settings**. On other tiers the card shows an
**Enterprise** badge and a **Contact us** button.

:::note What this affects
The custom sending domain only changes the sender of emails Karla itself
sends — your [email flows](/docs/guides/notify/email-flows). Emails sent by
an integrated tool like Klaviyo or Brevo are configured in that tool, not
here.
:::

Before you start, make sure:

- You have the shop **admin** role in the portal — registering, activating,
  and deactivating the sender are admin-only.
- You can edit your domain's DNS records at your domain provider.

## 1. Register your domain

Enter your domain in **Your domain** — the domain your customers know,
without `@` or `https://`, for example `yourshop.com` — and click
**Register domain**. Karla confirms with "Domain registered. Add the DNS
records below." and generates the DNS records for you to publish.

## 2. Publish the DNS records

Each record is listed with its purpose, type, name/host, and value, ready to
copy into your DNS provider:

| Record                     | Type  | Requirement | What it does                                                                                                                         |
| -------------------------- | ----- | ----------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| **DKIM authentication**    | CNAME | Required    | Signs your emails so inbox providers can verify them — records like `<token>._domainkey.yourshop.com` → `<token>.dkim.amazonses.com` |
| **Bounce handling (MX)**   | MX    | Recommended | Routes bounce reports back to Karla — `mail.yourshop.com` → `feedback-smtp.<region>.amazonses.com`, priority 10                      |
| **Bounce handling (SPF)**  | TXT   | Recommended | Authorizes the bounce subdomain — a TXT record on `mail.yourshop.com` with `v=spf1 include:amazonses.com ~all`                       |
| **Ownership verification** | TXT   | Required    | Proves you control the domain — a TXT record on `_karla-sender.yourshop.com` with a `karla-verification=…` value unique to your shop |

Keep in mind:

- Activation only needs the **Required** records — the recommended ones
  improve deliverability once verified.
- No changes to your domain's existing SPF record are needed — the SPF
  record above lives on the `mail.` subdomain.
- Using Cloudflare? Set these records to **DNS only** (grey cloud) so
  verification can see them.
- Keep the records published for as long as your custom sender is active.

## 3. Check the verification status

DNS changes can take up to a few hours to propagate. Click **Check status**
to refresh — Karla reads the state live on every check. Three badges track
progress: **DKIM**, **Bounce handling**, and **Ownership**, each shown as
**Pending**, **Verified**, or **Failed**.

Registered the wrong domain? **Use a different domain** resets the form so
you can start over.

## 4. Activate your sender address

Once **DKIM** and **Ownership** are verified, choose the address your emails
are sent from: type the part before the `@` into **Send emails from** (for
example `shipping`) and click **Activate sender**. The portal confirms with
"Custom sender activated." — from now on, your email flows are sent from that
address.

## While your sender is active

The card shows "Emails are sent from `shipping@yourshop.com`" with an
**Active** badge and the verification badges. **View DNS records** reopens
the record list — useful when moving DNS providers, since the records must
stay published while the sender is active.

To switch back to the Karla default sender, click **Deactivate custom
sender** and confirm. Karla confirms the deactivation and your emails use
the Karla default sender again.