How to Set Up DMARC for Zendesk

Publish a DMARC record to protect your domain when sending support email through Zendesk.

Quick Answer — The Record You Need

Record Type

TXT

Host / Name

_dmarc

Value

v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:[email protected]; ruf=mailto:[email protected]; fo=1

Ensure Zendesk SPF and DKIM are configured before enforcing DMARC.

Step-by-Step Setup

Configure SPF and DKIM for Zendesk

Set up both SPF (include:mail.zendesk.com) and DKIM (zendesk1/zendesk2 CNAME records) before adding DMARC.

Verify authentication

Send a test support email from Zendesk and check email headers for SPF and DKIM pass.

Create the DMARC record

Add a TXT record at _dmarc.yourdomain.com.

v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:[email protected]; ruf=mailto:[email protected]; fo=1

Monitor and analyze reports

Review DMARC reports to verify Zendesk emails are passing. Look for any alignment issues.

Gradually enforce

Move from p=none to p=quarantine and finally p=reject.

Common Gotchas

Zendesk may not achieve SPF alignment by default because the envelope sender may differ from your From domain. DKIM alignment is more reliable for DMARC with Zendesk.
If you use Zendesk email forwarding, the original sender's authentication may break. Test thoroughly before enforcing DMARC.
Ticket notifications and proactive emails from Zendesk all need to pass DMARC. Test different email types.

Verify Your Setup

After adding your DNS records, use our free DMARC checker to verify everything is configured correctly. DNS changes typically propagate within minutes, but can take up to 48 hours.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Zendesk support DMARC alignment?

Zendesk supports DKIM alignment through its CNAME-based DKIM setup. SPF alignment depends on your email configuration.

Will DMARC enforcement affect Zendesk ticket notifications?

If SPF and DKIM are properly configured, no. But if either is missing, enforced DMARC may cause ticket emails to be rejected.

Do I need a separate DMARC record for Zendesk?

No. One DMARC record per domain covers all email, including Zendesk.