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What is DKIM?

DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) is an email authentication protocol that adds a digital signature to every email you send. This signature lets the recipient’s mail server verify two things:
  1. The email actually came from the claimed domain
  2. The email content wasn’t modified in transit
Think of it like a tamper-proof seal on a package. If anyone opens the package and changes the contents, the seal breaks.

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How DKIM works

DKIM uses public key cryptography. There are two keys:
  • Private key — kept secret on SendKit’s servers. Used to sign each email.
  • Public key — published in your DNS as a TXT record. Used by recipients to verify the signature.
Here’s what happens when you send an email:
1

You send an email through SendKit

SendKit creates a hash of the email headers and body.
2

Signing

The hash is encrypted with your domain’s private key, and the encrypted hash (signature) is added to the email header.
3

Recipient receives the email

The recipient’s mail server looks up the public key in your DNS at sendkit._domainkey.yourdomain.com.
4

Verification

The server decrypts the signature using the public key and creates its own hash of the received email.
5

Result

If the hashes match — DKIM pass. If they don’t — DKIM fail (the email was tampered with in transit).

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The DKIM signature header

When DKIM signs an email, it adds a DKIM-Signature header. Here’s what it looks like:

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DKIM with SendKit

When you add a domain in SendKit, we generate a unique DKIM key pair for your domain. You publish the public key as a DNS record: The sendkit part is the selector. It tells receiving servers which public key to use when verifying the signature. A domain can have multiple selectors for different services.
The public key is unique to your domain and generated by SendKit. Always copy it from the domain detail page — don’t try to create your own.

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Selectors

A selector is a label that points to a specific DKIM key. It’s part of the DNS record name:
Selectors allow you to have multiple DKIM keys for the same domain. For example: Each service has its own key pair and selector. They don’t interfere with each other.

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Key rotation

DKIM keys should be rotated periodically to maintain security. If a private key is ever compromised, an attacker could sign emails that pass DKIM verification. Key rotation involves:
  1. Generating a new key pair
  2. Publishing the new public key in DNS (with a new selector or same selector)
  3. Switching to the new private key for signing
  4. Removing the old public key after a transition period
SendKit handles key management for you. If key rotation is needed, we’ll notify you with instructions to update your DNS record.

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Common DKIM issues

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DNS record formatting issues

Some DNS providers have trouble with long TXT records. DKIM public keys are long strings, and some providers:
  • Truncate the value — make sure the full key is saved
  • Add quotes incorrectly — the value should not include extra quotes beyond what your provider requires
  • Split into multiple strings — some providers automatically split long TXT records. This is fine as long as the full value is preserved

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FAQ

No. DKIM signs your emails — it proves authenticity and integrity. It does not encrypt the content. For encryption in transit, see TLS.
Technically yes, but it’s not recommended. Each domain should have its own key pair for better security and isolation. SendKit generates a unique key for each domain you add.
You need to re-add the DKIM TXT record at your new DNS provider. The record name and value stay the same — just copy them from the SendKit domain detail page.