DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) is an email authentication system that allows the recipient to confirm that an email was sent and approved by the owner of the domain. This is accomplished through the use of a digital signature in the email. This DKIM signature is added to the message as an encrypted header. This helps to improve the email’s security and deliverability.

Check out this video tutorial.

To set up DKIM in BoldDesk, please follow the steps below:

1. Navigate to Admin > Emails > DKIM Settings.

2. You will see a list of the domains that you are currently using. Expand the domain for which you want to generate DKIM keys.
   

   
   
   

3. Copy these generated keys and go to your DNS provider to complete this process by adding these CNAME records.
   
   

   
   
   

4. Once you’ve added it to your domain records, you can check the above page and click the “Check Status” button to see if it’s verified or not.
   
   

   
   
   

5. Things to keep in mind:

   • Domain records may take up to 72 hours to reflect.
   • You cannot generate DKIM keys for free email domains that you do not own, such as Gmail or Yahoo.
   • If you do not have any custom support emails configured in BoldDesk, no domain will be listed on this page.
   • DKIM is already configured for BoldDesk default support email addresses that end in bolddesk.com, so you can’t configure that.
   • CNAME records should not be used for root domains—only subdomains.
   • You can only have one CNAME record per subdomain.

DNS Records Misconfiguration and DKIM Setup Issue

When DKIM fails, it means the email’s digital signature could not be verified using the public key published in the sender’s DNS records. The possible root cause of this issue is that when you configure these DKIM records in your domain provider, some providers autofill the domain part.

To resolve this issue, ensure that you do not include your domain in the name field when updating the record. Instead, add only the subdomain portion, as illustrated below.

Required Format for the DKIM Record Name

When adding DKIM records, do not include your domain (for example, .example.com) after the _domainkey value. Keep only the gray (default) portion shown in the DNS record and remove the orange-highlighted section.
Correct format (example only): az7wfrq52echrymduyqozjb3fazrte64._domainkey
Incorrect: az7wfrq52echrymduyqozjb3fazrte64._domainkey.example.com

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Where do administrators configure DKIM in BoldDesk?
Go to Admin > Emails > DKIM Settings.

2. Why don’t any domains appear on the DKIM Settings page?
No domains appear if the BoldDesk account does not have any custom support emails configured.

3. Can DKIM be generated for Gmail or Yahoo addresses?
No. DKIM keys cannot be generated for free/public email domains that the organization does not own (for example, Gmail or Yahoo).

4. How long does DKIM verification take after adding DNS records?
DNS updates can take up to 72 hours to propagate. Verification can succeed only after DNS records are visible publicly.

5. Why does DKIM verification fail even after adding the CNAME record?
A common cause is that the DNS provider auto-appends the domain. In that case, the DKIM record name is entered incorrectly (for example, including .example.com when the provider already adds it).

6. Can DKIM be configured for BoldDesk default bolddesk.com support emails?
No. DKIM is already configured for BoldDesk default support email addresses ending in bolddesk.com, and additional configuration is not available from the DKIM Settings page.

7. Can DKIM CNAME records be created at the root domain?
BoldDesk indicates CNAME records should not be used for root domains, only subdomains.

8. Can multiple CNAME records be added to the same subdomain for DKIM?
BoldDesk indicates you can have only one CNAME record per subdomain.

Related Articles

1. Secure Your Email Domain with DMARC: Enhancing Email Security
2. Fix Custom Domain Issues in BoldDesk Using a CNAME Record