Domain verification keeps failing

[sarahghe]

Hello, I bought my domain on Shopify. However, the verification keeps failing. Also, when I want to redirect my email I used to sign up to a formal one, or add Zoho to my email service, it also fails, stating the domain cannot be used for this purpose, event though I bought everything through Shopify. Please can you help me with this issua

[sarahghe]

Or can I talk with someone? It's so difficult to find a real person to talk to on Shopify

[LitExtension]

Hi,

For the domain verification issue, double-check your DNS settings under Online Store > Domains in Shopify. It might take a few hours for changes to take effect.

For the email redirect or Zoho setup, ensure that you’ve added the correct MX records from Zoho to your DNS settings. Go to Online Store > Domains and update them accordingly.

If this was helpful, hit the like button and accept the solution.
Thanks

[Kudosi-Carlos]

Hello @sarahghe, 

These are two common issues so don't worry too much: Shopify’s built‑in email forwarding only works if your DNS is fully managed by Shopify, and full mailbox hosting (like Zoho Mail) requires adding the right MX/TXT/CNAME records yourself.

Here’s how to get both working:

1. Make sure Shopify is your DNS host
In Shopify Admin go to Online Store → Domains and click your domain.
Under DNS Settings, you should see Shopify’s default A record (23.227.38.65) and CNAME (shops.myshopify.com).

If you’ve pointed the domain somewhere else (Cloudflare, GoDaddy, etc.), switch back so Shopify’s DNS controls it. Email forwarding and verification won’t work otherwise.

2. To send forwarded email (Shopify’s free option)
In Domains → your domain → Email forwarding, add the address you want (e.g., info@yourdomain.com) and the destination inbox (e.g., your Gmail).
No extra DNS changes needed—just wait a few minutes for Shopify to provision it.

3. To host mailboxes via Zoho
Once Shopify is your DNS host, add these records under Domains → DNS Settings → Add custom record:

MX Records

Priority 10 → mx.zoho.com

Priority 20 → mx2.zoho.com

Priority 50 → mx3.zoho.com

TXT Record (SPF)

Host/name: (leave blank or @)

Value: v=spf1 include:zoho.com ~all

CNAME Record (Zoho Verification)

Name: whatever Zoho gives you (e.g., zb12345)

Target: also from Zoho (e.g., zb12345.zoho.com)

After you save, go back to your Zoho admin console and click “Verify.” It can take anywhere from 5 minutes up to an hour to propagate, but then you’ll be able to send and receive mail with your custom domain.

[richardcobain]

If your domain verification is failing on Shopify, it’s often due to missing or incorrect DNS records — double-check your DNS settings under “Domains” in your Shopify admin. To use email services like Zoho, you'll need to manually add MX, TXT, and CNAME records provided by Zoho to your domain’s DNS through Shopify's admin. If it still fails, contact Shopify Support directly, as there may be a propagation delay or backend issue with how your domain is provisioned