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How to set up Google Workspace: verify your domain and add MX records
Sign up for Google Workspace, prove you own your domain with a TXT record, switch email to Gmail with the MX record, and add users from the Admin console.
By Nur Islam- 5:14 video
- 8 steps
- 1.3K views
Jump to a step (8)
A business that wants email on its own domain has to deal with DNS records, which feels risky if the domain already runs a website. Get the MX records wrong and email stops arriving.
This walkthrough sets up a new Google Workspace account on a domain that already has a website at another host (Hostinger in the video). The website stays where it is. You only add a TXT record to verify the domain and change the MX record so email goes to Gmail.
At the end you get a quick tour of the Admin console and a tip on using a separate Chrome profile for the work account.
What you need
- A domain name you own
- Access to the DNS settings where the domain is hosted
- A credit card for the 14-day trial
- Your business name and contact details
Step by step
0 of 8 done-
01
Choose a Google Workspace plan
Google Workspace has four plans: Business Starter, Business Standard, Business Plus and Enterprise. Scroll down the pricing page to compare features. Prices depend on your country.
The video picks Business Standard for three reasons: 2 TB of storage per user (Starter has 30 GB), appointment booking pages in Google Calendar (no need for a separate scheduling tool), and Google Meet recordings saved to Google Drive.
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02
Enter your business details
Click to get the plan. Enter your business name, choose the number of employees (just you is fine, you can add users later), confirm the region and click Next. Fill in your contact information.
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03
Add your domain and first user
When asked for a domain, choose the option that you already have one and enter it. If you do not have a domain, buy one from any registrar first. Confirm you want to set up the business with this domain.
Create your username on that domain (for example
you@yourdomain.com) and a password. Sign in with the new account when asked and accept the terms. -
04
Start the trial and add payment
Choose the 14-day trial. Enter your business address, select Credit card as the payment method and add your card. In some regions only monthly billing is offered, so the price shown can be a little higher than the annual price.
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05
Verify domain ownership with a TXT record
In the setup, click Protect and select I'm ready to protect my domain. Google shows the steps and a TXT record value.
Open your DNS host (in the video, the DNS Zone Editor in Hostinger). Add a new record:
- Type:
TXT - Name:
@ - Value: the TXT value Google gave you
- TTL: keep the default
Save the record, go back to Google and click Protect domain. Verification can take a few moments.
- Type:
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06
Activate Gmail with the MX record
Skip adding more users for now. Click Activate and select I'm ready to activate Gmail.
Google may show steps for your registrar, but if your DNS is managed at a web host, add the record there. Search for "Google Workspace MX records" and open the section for accounts signed up in 2023 or later. It lists a single MX record:
smtp.google.comwith priority1. Add it in your DNS zone.Delete the host's default MX records, because they would still send email to the old provider. Then click Activate Gmail and wait until Google confirms the new record.
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07
Manage users in the Admin console
The Admin console opens when setup is done. The trial includes 10 user licenses. From Users you can set or reset a password, update a user, or click Add new user to create another account.
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08
Use a separate Chrome profile
Create a new Chrome profile for the Workspace account so your work and personal data stay apart. Sign in to Gmail in that profile. You can open the Admin console any time from the Google apps menu to manage users and billing.
Tips and common problems
- Adding the TXT and MX records does not affect a website on the same domain. Only change the record types Google asks for.
- Remove the old MX records from your host after adding Google's. If they stay, some email can keep going to the old mailbox.
- Accounts that signed up in 2023 or later use one MX record, smtp.google.com. Older setups used five records, so make sure you read the right section of Google's help page.
- One user can have several email aliases, such as sales@ and info@, delivered to the same inbox without paying for extra users.
Share contacts without Workspace
Google Workspace lets a team share contacts. If you only need to share contacts between regular Google accounts, see how to share contacts between Google accounts.
Questions
Can I use Google Workspace email if my website is hosted somewhere else?
Yes. Keep the website where it is and add Google's TXT record and MX record in the DNS zone at your web host or registrar. Only email moves to Gmail.
What is the MX record for Google Workspace?
For accounts created in 2023 or later, it is a single MX record pointing to smtp.google.com with priority 1.
What is the difference between Google Workspace Business Starter and Standard?
In the video, Standard gives 2 TB of storage per user instead of 30 GB, plus appointment booking pages in Google Calendar and Google Meet recordings saved to Drive.
