The StretchMail Production Setup Checklist

Why there's a setup checklist

StretchMail sends and receives mail on your own domain, which means a few things must be configured before real mail flows. The Setup view (and the Engine card on the Dashboard) bundles these into one guided checklist so you always know what's done and what's left. Work through it top to bottom.

The checklist, in order

1. Verify a sending domain

Go to Domains → Add domain and enter your domain. StretchMail generates a set of DNS records:

• a verification TXT record (host _stretchmail) that proves you own the domain;
• an SPF record that authorizes StretchMail to send for you;
• a DKIM record (host stretchmail._domainkey) that cryptographically signs your mail;
• a DMARC record (host _dmarc) that tells receivers how to handle failures;
• MX and mail A records so inbound mail can route to StretchMail.

Add them at your DNS host, then click Verify. Each record shows its own status and the domain moves from pending → verifying → active. See Verifying your sending domain for the detailed walkthrough.

2. Confirm inbound routing

Inbound mail (replies and messages people send to your addresses) only lands in your Inbox once the MX record resolves and inbound routing is enabled on the domain. On the Dashboard, the Engine card reports inbound provider health. If it shows Setup, inbound routing is still being provisioned.

3. Confirm outbound sending is active

Outbound delivery runs through StretchMail's governed send route. The Engine card and campaign send results tell you whether sending is enabled:

• If sending is enabled, campaigns and replies are delivered and each recipient is marked sent or failed.
• If sending is not yet enabled, your campaigns still queue safely — nothing is lost — but they won't leave until sending is switched on. You'll see the Queued counter rise on the Dashboard.

If sending stays disabled, contact your workspace administrator to finish provisioning delivery.

4. Create at least one mailbox

On the verified domain, open Mailboxes → New mailbox and create a send/receive address such as hello@yourcompany.com. A mailbox is required to receive inbound mail and to act as the identity behind your inbox replies. Set a display name and, if you like, a storage quota (the default is 1024 MB).

5. Add aliases you need

Create aliases for the extra addresses your team uses — for example support@, sales@, or billing@. An alias can point at a mailbox or forward to any target address, so several public addresses can land in one place.

Worked example

Riverbend Studio wants hello@riverbendstudio.com for general mail and bookings@ for its calendar:

1. Adds riverbendstudio.com under Domains, pastes the five DNS records, and clicks Verify — the domain goes active after propagation.
2. Confirms the Engine card shows inbound routing ready and sending enabled.
3. Creates the mailbox hello@riverbendstudio.com with display name Riverbend Studio.
4. Adds an alias bookings@riverbendstudio.com forwarding to the hello@ mailbox.
5. Sends a test campaign to a personal address and confirms it arrives — setup complete.

Tips

• DNS changes take time to propagate — usually minutes, occasionally up to a few hours. If Verify fails right after you add records, wait and try again.
• Do the checklist once per domain. Additional mailboxes and aliases on an already-verified domain are instant.
• Green counters aren't the same as green delivery. A campaign can be queued while sending is still off; confirm the Engine card before you rely on delivery.

Troubleshooting

• Domain won't verify. Double-check you pasted records at the correct host names and that your DNS host didn't append your domain twice (e.g. _stretchmail.yourcompany.com.yourcompany.com). See Fixing sending and delivery problems.
• Inbox stays empty. Inbound needs the MX record live and a mailbox created. No mailbox means nowhere for mail to land.
• Campaigns queue but never send. Sending isn't enabled yet — check the Engine card and contact your administrator.