Standard email setup for other providers

Connect your email to Commslayer using the recommended Standard setup. This works with Zoho, Fastmail, ProtonMail, cPanel email, and any other email provider.

Time required: About 10 minutes

Before you start

You'll need:

Access to your domain's DNS settings (GoDaddy, Namecheap, Cloudflare, Shopify, etc.)
Access to your email provider's settings to set up forwarding
An email address on your domain (like support@yourstore.com) with a mailbox you can forward from — not a free @gmail.com address

Step 1: Create your inbox in Commslayer

Go to Settings → Inboxes and click Add inbox
Select Email
Choose Standard setup (the recommended option)
Enter your support email address (e.g., support@yourstore.com)
Give your inbox a name (e.g., "Support" or your store name)
Click Create inbox

Step 2: Add DNS records

Commslayer will show you two DNS records to add. These let us send emails on your behalf.

Add the DKIM record

Log in to your domain registrar (where you bought your domain)
Find DNS settings or DNS management
Add a new TXT record:
- Name/Host: Copy from Commslayer (looks like xxxxxxxx._domainkey)
- Value: Copy the long string from Commslayer
- TTL: Leave as default
Save the record

Add the Return-Path record

Add a new CNAME record:
- Name/Host: Copy from Commslayer (looks like pm-bounces)
- Value: Copy from Commslayer
- TTL: Leave as default
Save the record

Verify your records

Click Verify in Commslayer. Records usually verify within a few minutes, but can take up to 48 hours to propagate.

Step 3: Set up email forwarding

Set up forwarding in your email provider to send incoming emails to Commslayer.

Log in to your email provider's settings or control panel
Find forwarding, email routing, or email rules
Create a rule to forward all incoming email to the address shown in Commslayer
Save and enable the rule

Important: Many providers send a confirmation email to verify the forwarding address. This email arrives in your Commslayer inbox — check there, find the confirmation email, and click the link. Forwarding won't work until you do this.

Tips:

Use forward or redirect (not "send as" or "reply to")
Forward all messages, not just specific ones
Keep a copy in your original inbox if you want a backup

Step 4: Test your setup

Send a test email to your support address from a different email account. It should appear in your Commslayer inbox within a minute or two.

Only new forwarded emails will appear in Commslayer - historical emails are not imported.

Common issues

Forwarding not working

Check your Commslayer inbox for a confirmation email from your email provider — you must click the link before forwarding activates. This is the most common issue.

DNS records not verifying

Wait up to 48 hours for propagation
Check whatsmydns.net to see propagation status
Make sure you didn't include your domain twice in the Name field
Copy values exactly - no extra spaces

Emails not appearing in Commslayer

Verify forwarding is enabled and active
Check that the forwarding address is correct (copy it fresh from Commslayer)
Look for any filters or rules that might be intercepting emails

Provider blocking external forwarding

Some providers block forwarding to external addresses by default. Check your provider's documentation or contact their support to enable it.