SPF for GoogleWorkspace + Shopify (DMARC issues -- surprise!)

Shopify Discussion

Topic summary

Users are troubleshooting SPF and DMARC configuration issues when using both Google Workspace and Shopify email services. The problem intensified when Shopify began sending emails from no-reply@shopifyemail.com on January 24.

Key Technical Challenge:

  • Google Domains automatically creates a DKIM record when starting Google Workspace, but Shopify only works with DKIM 1024 (not the auto-generated DKIM 2048)
  • Domains can only have ONE SPF record, requiring both Google and Shopify includes in a single entry

Working Solution Shared:

  1. Create DKIM 1024 manually in Google Workspace (under Apps > Gmail > Authenticate Email)
  2. Delete auto-generated DNS records under Google Workspace header in Google Domains
  3. Create new DKIM record using the 1024 key
  4. Start authentication in Google Workspace (takes ~20 minutes)
  5. Add new MX records with Google’s mail servers
  6. Create SPF record: v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com include:shops.shopify.com ~all
  7. Add DMARC record

Community Sentiment:
Multiple users express frustration with inadequate support documentation from both Shopify and Google. One user shared an external guide from EcomBack for additional reference. The discussion remains active as others attempt to implement the solution.

Summarized with AI on November 11. AI used: claude-sonnet-4-5-20250929.
5

update two: this is what’s worked for us (so far…anyway)

  • create DKIM 1024 in google workspace (under apps, workspace, gmail, authenticate email)

  • in google domains, delete DNS records just under the google workspace header (mx, spf x 2, dkim) (the only option for us was to delete–when we clicked on manage, it just went to the email tab)

  • still in google domains, create a new DKIM record using the info from that DKIM 1024 you just created in google workspace

  • go back to google workspace where you created the DKIM and click on start authentication…they say it may take 24-48 hours but was pretty quick for us…after a about 20 minutes and refreshing page, the status changed to “email authenticating”

  • return to google domains and create new MX record – below is what google domains gave us:

  • Host name: leave it blank

  • Type: MX

  • TTL: 3600

  • Data: 1 aspmx.l.google.com

  • Click “Add more to this record” four times and add these values under Data:- 5 alt1.aspmx.l.google.com

  • 5 alt2.aspmx.l.google.com

  • 10 alt3.aspmx.l.google.com

  • 10 alt4.aspmx.l.google.com
    Click Save.
    If there’s a prompt, click “Yes, replace records.”

  • then create your SPF as txt (we have other providers beside google and shopify but for just those two, we used
    “v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com include:shops.shopify.com ~all”

  • then add your DMARC

If anybody from shopify is out there and any of this is incorrect, would be great if you’d chime in…

We sympathize with everybody having a heck of a time dealing with this given shopify’s extremely lacking DMARC support.

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