Setting up email authentication for MailerLite

MailerLite sends your newsletters on shared infrastructure until you authenticate your domain — and the DKIM record it needs differs depending on whether you're on the new MailerLite or Classic.

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The one-paragraph version

MailerLite authenticates a sending domain with an SPF include of _spf.mlsend.com and a DKIM record whose host depends on your version: the new MailerLite adds a CNAME at litesrv._domainkey pointing to litesrv._domainkey.mlsend.com, while MailerLite Classic used a TXT record at ml._domainkey. Add whichever your account shows, then let DMARC align to your From domain. Source: mailerlite.com/help · verified 2026-07-15

The full checklist

Step 1. Complete domain authentication inside the service (see above) and paste the DNS records it generates.
Step 2. Make sure your SPF record includes this service — and count your lookups: the limit is 10 and every service adds some.
Step 3. Publish DMARC with p=none and a rua address, watch reports for a week, confirm this sender shows 100% pass.
Step 4. Only then tighten the policy — quarantine, then reject.

Frequently asked

Will this change break my current sending?

No. Adding SPF includes and DKIM records only adds authentication — it never blocks existing mail. The only risky step is tightening your DMARC policy, and that comes later, after reports confirm everything passes.

How do I know it worked?

Send yourself a test email and inspect the headers for spf=pass, dkim=pass and dmarc=pass — or just watch your DMARCKeeper dashboard: the sender's pass rate should hit 100% within a day or two.

Do I still need DMARC if SPF and DKIM are set up?

Yes. SPF and DKIM authenticate mail; DMARC is what tells receivers to BLOCK mail that fails, and it's the piece Gmail, Yahoo and Outlook now check for explicitly.

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