The address Instant sends from has two parts: the part before the @ (the prefix, for example support) and the part after the @ (your sending domain, for example send.yourdomain.com). Which part you want to change decides where you go and whether any DNS work is involved.

Before you start: which part are you changing?

  • The part before the @ (the prefix, your sender name, or your reply-to address). Change this in Email Settings. No DNS changes are needed.
  • The part after the @ (your sending domain, including the subdomain or the root domain). This means adding a new domain and adding DNS records, then verifying it. Follow the domain steps further down.

Tip: You only need to authenticate a domain once. After that, your prefix, sender name, and reply-to address are all freely configurable in Email Settings without touching your DNS again.

To change the part before the @ (prefix, sender name, or reply-to):

  1. Click the Settings cog in the bottom-left corner of your Instant AI dashboard
  2. Select Email Settings
  3. Open the Brand tab
  4. Update any of the following:
    • From address to change the prefix before the @ (for example, change support to sales)
    • Sender name to change the name that shows in your customers’ inbox
    • Reply-to address to change where replies go when a customer replies to any of your Instant AI emails
  5. Click Save Changes

The domain shown after the @ on the From address field is fixed to your active sending domain. To change that part, you need to add and activate a new domain using the steps below.

Note: Changing the prefix, sender name, or reply-to address takes effect straight away and does not require any DNS changes or verification.

To add a new sending domain:

You need to create new domain records for any change to the part after the @, whether that is a new subdomain (for example, moving from send.yourdomain.com to mail.yourdomain.com) or a different root domain.

  1. Go to Settings > Domain
  2. Click + New domain
  3. Enter the Subdomain and Domain you want to send from (for example, mail and yourdomain.com)
  4. Check the preview to confirm the full domain reads correctly, for example mail.yourdomain.com
  5. Click Continue
  6. Instant generates a set of DNS records (CNAME records) for you to add
  7. Log in to your DNS provider (this is where your domain is registered, such as Cloudflare, GoDaddy, or Shopify) and add each record, copying the host name and value exactly as shown

To verify a domain:

  1. Go to Settings > Domain
  2. Find the domain in the Sending domains table
  3. Click the ⋯ menu on that row
  4. Select Verify DNS records

Note: Verification can take a few hours. DNS records need to propagate across the internet, which is outside Instant’s control, and can take up to 48 hours. You will usually see records start to connect within the first hour. If verification fails soon after you add the records, wait about an hour and try Verify DNS records again.

If it keeps failing, check that every value matches exactly what Instant shows. A single typo, a missing dot, or an extra character will stop a record from connecting.

Understanding domain statuses

Each sending domain shows a status in the Sending domains table:

  • Active means this is the domain currently sending all your email
  • Connected means the domain is verified and ready, but not currently sending
  • Failed means verification did not pass, usually because a DNS record is missing or incorrect

You can hold several Connected domains at once, but only one can be Active.

To switch your active sending domain:

  1. Go to Settings > Domain
  2. Find the domain you want to send from in the Sending domains table
  3. Click the ⋯ menu on that row
  4. Select Set as active
  5. Review the confirmation message, then click Activate

Once you activate a domain, all email from Instant starts sending through it immediately.

Note: If you set a domain as active before it has been authenticated, Instant shows a warning and your email sending will stop, because we cannot send from an unauthenticated domain. Only set a domain as active once its status shows Connected.

Tip: You can view your records again at any time. Click the ⋯ menu on the domain and select View DNS records.

FAQ

I only want to change the part before the @. Do I need a new domain? No. If you are changing the prefix (for example, from support to sales), your sender name, or your reply-to address, do it in Settings > Email Settings > Brand. No new domain or DNS changes are needed.

Can I have more than one sending domain? Yes. You can add and verify as many sending domains as you like. Only one is active and sending at a time, and you choose which one from the ⋯ menu.

How long does verification take? It can take up to 48 hours for DNS records to propagate, though records usually start connecting within the first hour. If verification fails soon after you add the records, wait an hour and try again.

What happens to email already sending when I switch? The switch takes effect immediately. All new email from Instant sends through the newly activated domain from that point on.

My domain shows Failed. What do I do? A Failed status means one or more DNS records did not verify. Click the ⋯ menu and select View DNS records to check the records against what is saved with your DNS provider. Look for typos, a missing dot, or an extra character, correct any differences, then run Verify DNS records again.

Why would I switch my sending domain? Common reasons include moving to a new brand domain, changing DNS providers, or replacing a domain that is no longer authenticating correctly.