DNS domain verification unlocks the ability to send bulk emails to groups of 250 or more leads directly from Playground. This article walks enterprise admins through what DNS verification is, why it matters, and how to complete the setup.
💡 DNS domain verification is available to enterprise clients only. If you're on a single-site user and are interested in this feature, please reach out to our support team.
What Is DNS Verification
DNS stands for Domain Name System. Think of DNS like a return address on an envelope. Every time you send an email, DNS records tell the recipient's email provider who sent it and whether that sender can be trusted.
When your domain is verified, email providers recognize your messages as authentic. That means better deliverability, a stronger sender reputation, and fewer emails landing in spam.
When is DNS Required?
In Playground, DNS verification serves a specific purpose: it authorizes your organization's domain to send bulk marketing emails to large groups of leads.
Without DNS verification, bulk emails are limited to groups of fewer than 250 leads. Once your domain is verified, that cap is lifted and you can reach your full lead list at once.
Here's how it breaks down:
Bulk Email Group Size | DNS Verification Required? |
Under 250 leads | No |
250 or more leads | Yes |
Set Up DNS Domain Verification
Before you start the setup, it helps to understand what you're actually doing. Your organization's domain (ex: happyhands.com) is managed through a domain provider such as GoDaddy, Cloudflare, or Namecheap. That provider acts as the home base for your domain's settings, including the DNS records that tell email providers who is allowed to send emails on your behalf.
When you set up DNS verification in Playground, the system generates a small set of records with specific values. You don't create these yourself. Playground builds them for you. Your job is to hand those records off to whoever manages your domain (your IT team, web host, or the person who set up your website) so they can paste them into your domain provider's settings.
Once the records are added, Playground checks your domain to confirm everything is in place. When all checks pass, your domain is verified and you're cleared to send bulk emails to more than 250 leads at a time.
The setup itself takes about 10 minutes on your end. The only variable is how long it takes your IT team to add the records and how long your domain provider takes to process them, which can be anywhere from a few minutes to 48 hours.
💡 You will only need to do this once. After your domain is verified, it stays verified and you won't need to repeat the process.
From your CRM dashboard, navigate to the Settings tab and click Connections.
Scroll down to the Domains section and click Add.
The Authorized domain DNS configuration flow will open. On Step 1, enter your domain details:
Domain: Enter your organization's domain name.
This is what comes after the @ in your business email address (e.g., happyhands.com).
Subdomain: Enter the subdomain you want to use for sending emails.
A subdomain sits in front of your main domain and acts as a separate section of it (e.g., mail is the subdomain in mail.happyhands.com). Playground uses a subdomain to keep your bulk marketing emails separate from your day-to-day emails. That way, if any marketing emails bounce or get marked as spam, it doesn't affect the reputation of your main domain.
Authorized emails: Add the email address(es) that will send bulk emails from this domain (e.g., [email protected]). Click Add email to include additional addresses.
When ready, click Next: Domain status in the top right corner.
Step 2 will display your Domain status and a list of Required DNS records. All checks will show as Pending until the records are added to your DNS provider.
Share the DNS records with your IT team or domain administrator. They'll need to add each record to your DNS provider. The records include:
OWNERSHIP (TXT)
DKIM (TXT)
SPF (TXT)
FEEDBACK (MX)
MX (MX)
Once your IT team has added all the records, return to this screen and click Verify DNS records. Each check will update from Pending to verified once the records are detected. Below you will find links to DNS instructions for some of the most common providers:
When all checks pass, click Done to complete the setup.
💡 You can click Download to export all records as a file to share with your IT team, or use the Copy button next to each individual record.
🚨 DNS changes can take anywhere from a few minutes to 48 hours to propagate across the internet. If verification is still showing as pending after your IT team adds the records, wait a bit and try Verify DNS records again.
FAQs
Who needs to complete DNS verification?
DNS verification is for enterprise clients who want to send bulk emails to groups of 250 or more leads. If you're on a single-site plan and are interested in this feature, contact support to learn about upgrading.
What if I'm not sure who manages my domain?
Your IT team or the person who manages your organization's website is typically the right contact. If you're not sure, check with your director or operations manager — they'll usually know who set up your website or email accounts.
How do I know when DNS verification is complete?
When all five checks on the Domain status screen show as verified (not Pending), your domain is fully set up. You'll then be able to send bulk emails to groups of 250+ leads without any restrictions.
Why is my verification still showing as Pending?
DNS changes don't take effect instantly. After your IT team adds the records, it can take up to 48 hours for the changes to propagate. Return to Settings > Connections > Domains and click Verify DNS records again after some time has passed. If it's been more than 48 hours and verification is still failing, double-check that the records were entered correctly and contact support if needed.
Can I add more than one domain?
Yes — you can add multiple domains if your organization sends emails from more than one domain. Repeat the setup process for each domain you want to authorize.
Can I add multiple authorized email addresses to one domain?
Yes. During the domain setup flow, click Add email on Step 1 to include as many authorized email addresses as you need under that domain.
What happens if I skip DNS verification?
You can still send bulk emails in Playground, but you'll be limited to groups of fewer than 250 leads per send. DNS verification is required to lift that limit.