How to Set Up a DKIM in OVH - Step-by-Step Guide

Truth: You cannot do effective email outreach without setting up a DKIM record.

Setting up this authentication mechanism helps you build trust with email service providers, which leads to better open rates.

DKIM authenticates both the sending domain and the email’s content to prevent spoofing and other cyber crimes.

If OVH is your domain provider, below you'll find a step-by-step guide on how to set up DKIM. ⬇️

Generating a DKIM Record ⬇️

To be able to add a DKIM record to your OVH DNS records, you first need to generate one.

This is usually done through your email service provider’s interface. They are the ones who will add the DKIM signatures to your emails.

1. Log in to your email service provider
2. Look for “Domain settings” or similar
3. Navigate to “Email Authentication” or  “Domain.” Ask your email service provider if you can’t find it!
4. Click on “DKIM settings,” “DomainKeys,” “DKIM,” or similar
5. Here, you should find a button called something like “Generate DKIM keys.” If your DKIM is customizable, follow your ESP’s instructions. Click on the button to generate your DKIM.
6. Copy the generated DKIM and save it in a text file. You’re going to need it in a minute.
7. Do the same for the DKIM selector. The selector should be visible after generating your DKIM record.
8. If there’s an enable button, do not click it yet
9. Open a new browser tab and leave this one open

Adding Your DKIM Record to OVH ⬇️

1. In your new browser tab, log in to your OVH Control Panel
2. Go to “My Products and services”
3. Next to the domain list, select the “See all” option
4. Then click on your domain
5. Click on the “DNS zone” tab
6. Now for “Type” choose “CNAME”
7. In “Subdomain”, enter your DKIM selector (not your record). It should look like this: s145._domainkey
8. For “TTL”, leave the value as default
9. In “Target”, paste your DKIM record
10. Click next to save your record

Enabling Your DKIM Record

As a final step, go back to the browser tab with your email service provider.

If you hadn’t found it yet, look for the “Enable” or “Enable DKIM” button and click it!

Validating Your DKIM Record ☑️

While it can take up to 48 hours for your DKIM to propagate, usually, it’s a matter of a few hours.

To check the status of your DKIM record, run a DNS check through our free deliverability tester.

It’ll tell you everything you need to know about your technical setup.