From the Domains page, click "Connect Domain(s)" and enter the domain(s) you own (yourcompany.com, no https://). The recommended setup is to change that domain's nameservers to the ones Winnr gives you — Winnr then manages every record (MX, SPF, DKIM, DMARC) for you. If your DNS is on Cloudflare you can instead provide a Cloudflare API token, and a manual record-by-record option is available as a last resort. The domain goes Active once the change propagates, usually well under an hour.
Three ways to connect, in order of preference
- Change your nameservers to Winnr's (recommended). At your registrar, replace the domain's nameservers with the ones Winnr shows you. Winnr then hosts the zone and creates and maintains every record — MX, SPF, DKIM, DMARC — automatically. Works with any registrar, and nothing to keep in sync afterward.
- Cloudflare API token (for Cloudflare-registered domains). Domains registered at Cloudflare can't change their nameservers, so Winnr detects that case and asks for a scoped Cloudflare API token instead. Winnr writes the email records into your existing Cloudflare zone and leaves everything else untouched.
- Manual (last resort). Winnr lists the records and you create them yourself in your DNS panel. Only pick this if you're on Cloudflare and won't share a token, or you specifically want manual control — the app itself flags it as "not the preferred method," because a wrong record fails mail silently and you have to update records yourself if server details change.
Detail on each: DNS providers reference.
Connect in subdomain format (keep your apex untouched)
The Connect Domain flow also offers a subdomain format option: instead of turning the domain itself into a sending domain, Winnr sets up to 5 subdomains under it (5 mailboxes each) and leaves the apex completely alone — no MX, SPF, or any other record is added at your main domain. Your website and any existing mail (Google Workspace, Microsoft 365) keep working untouched, which makes this the right choice for a live business domain.
Tick the checkbox in the Connect Domain dialog, pick your subdomain names, and connect via the manual method (the records are grouped per subdomain, with a CSV you can hand to whoever manages your DNS) or a Cloudflare API token. The nameserver method is deliberately not available in subdomain format — the whole point is that Winnr never takes over your zone. Full details: Subdomain Strategy.
When to connect vs. purchase
- Connect if: you already own the domain, or you have a specific brand domain you want to send from.
- Purchase if: the domain is only for cold outreach, you want the fastest setup, or you'd rather Winnr register and configure it for you. Domains bought through Winnr are a one-time cost — no renewals to manage.
Most customers do both — connect their main brand domain, purchase a handful of dedicated sending domains.
Records Winnr manages
When Winnr controls the zone (nameserver or Cloudflare-token method) it creates and maintains these for you. If you go manual, these are the records you'll copy:
| Type | Name | Value |
|---|---|---|
| A | inbound | Winnr inbound host (points at the mail server) |
| MX | @ | 10 inbound.yourdomain.com (priority 10) |
| TXT | @ | SPF (v=spf1 include:amazonses.com … -all) |
| TXT | dkim._domainkey | DKIM public key (v=DKIM1; k=rsa; p=…) |
| TXT | _dmarc | DMARC policy (v=DMARC1; p=reject; rua=… by default) |
The exact values are unique to your domain and shown in the Connect Domain flow. Don't copy from other help articles or third-party guides — always use what Winnr shows you.
What's next
Step-by-step
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1. Open the Domains page
Sidebar → Domains. The "Connect Domain(s)" button sits next to "Purchase Domain(s)" in the top right.
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2. Enter the domain(s) you own
Type one domain per line — apex only (yourcompany.com), no https:// and no paths. Winnr generates a DNS zone for each and gives you the nameserver (NS) records to set at your registrar.
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3. Point the domain at Winnr
The standard method is to change your nameservers at your registrar to the ones Winnr shows you — it works with any registrar and lets Winnr manage the whole zone. One exception: if your domain is registered at Cloudflare (where nameservers can't be changed), Winnr detects that automatically and asks for a Cloudflare API token instead, then writes the records into your Cloudflare zone.
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4. (Fallback) Set the records manually
Only if you're on Cloudflare and won't share an API token, or you specifically want manual control: Winnr lists the 5-6 records to create yourself (A, MX, SPF, DKIM, DMARC). Copy each exactly. This is the last-resort path — a single wrong record can make mail fail silently, and you're responsible for updating records if Winnr's server IPs ever change.
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5. Wait for Active status
Once your nameserver change (or the token/manual records) propagates, the domain flips to Active and you can create mailboxes on it. Nameserver changes usually propagate in minutes but can take up to an hour.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to transfer the domain to Winnr?
No. You keep the domain registered at your current registrar. Winnr only needs to manage the DNS — not ownership. This is the "bring your own domain" (BYOD) model.
Can I still use the domain for my main website?
If you point the whole domain's nameservers at Winnr, Winnr becomes the DNS host, so any existing website or email records need to be recreated in the Winnr-managed zone (or use the Cloudflare-token method, which leaves your existing records in place and only adds the email ones). Either way, the standard connect changes the MX record to route mail to Winnr — so if you already run Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 on this domain, do NOT connect it the standard way, or you'll break your existing mail. For an active brand domain, connect in subdomain format instead — Winnr then adds records only at the subdomain level and never touches your apex, website, or existing mail.
What is the subdomain format option?
A checkbox in the Connect Domain flow that connects your domain as a [Subdomain Strategy](/help/domains/subdomain-strategy.html) domain — up to 5 subdomains, each a full sending domain with 5 mailboxes, while your main domain's own DNS (website, MX, SPF) stays exactly as it is. It works with the manual method (records grouped per subdomain, CSV export included) or a Cloudflare API token. The nameserver method isn't offered in subdomain format, because handing over the whole zone is exactly what this option avoids.
What if I already have SPF or DMARC records?
Winnr's SPF record is a full replacement — you can't have two SPF records on one domain (that's an RFC violation and breaks authentication). If you're currently sending from this domain via another service, coordinate carefully. It's usually simpler to use a fresh domain for cold sending.
How long does it take to go Active?
With the nameserver method, it's down to nameserver propagation — often minutes, occasionally up to an hour, depending on the old records' TTLs and DNS caching. The Cloudflare-token method is typically near-instant once the token is connected.
Verification is stuck. What's wrong?
See [DNS verification failing](/help/troubleshooting/dns-verification-failing.html). The usual causes are nameservers not fully switched over at the registrar, a high TTL on the old records slowing propagation, or (on the manual path) a record added to the wrong name or with a typo.