How to Verify All Subdomains in Google Search Console with DNS TXT

Want to verify every subdomain at once? A DNS TXT record is the best way to verify your whole domain in Google Search Console. We used to verify QOT by uploading an HTML file to the server, and avoided the meta tag because it is visible to everyone. When we switched to DNS verification in 2012, all our subdomains and subdirectories were verified in one go. Today that idea is built into Search Console’s Domain property, which covers every subdomain, http and https in a single property.

Quick answer: In Google Search Console, click Add property, choose Domain, enter your domain without https or www, and copy the TXT record Google shows. Add it as a new TXT record at your DNS provider (registrar, Cloudflare or hosting control panel), wait for it to propagate, then click Verify. Keep the record in place permanently.

Why use a Domain property with DNS TXT verification?

• One property for everything: www and non-www, http and https, and every subdomain such as blog., shop. or m. are included automatically.
• Works for sites you cannot edit: forums, job boards or help desks hosted elsewhere through a CNAME are covered without adding tags or files to each one.
• Nothing visible on your pages: unlike the meta tag, the verification code lives only in DNS.
• Survives redesigns: theme changes or deleted files cannot break verification.

How to verify your domain with a DNS TXT record

1. Open Google Search Console (external site) and click Add property.
2. Choose Domain and type your domain, for example example.com (no https://, no www).
3. Copy the TXT record that starts with google-site-verification=.
4. Sign in to your DNS provider and add a new record:
   • Type: TXT
   • Name/Host: @ (or leave blank, or your domain followed by a dot, depending on the provider)
   • Value: the full google-site-verification string
   • TTL: the default, or 300 seconds to speed things up
5. Save, wait a few minutes, then click Verify in Search Console. DNS changes can take up to 48 hours, but often work within an hour.

Where to add the TXT record

• Cloudflare: DNS, then Records, then Add record, type TXT.
• GoDaddy, Namecheap, Hostinger and other registrars: look for DNS, DNS zone or Advanced DNS on your domain.
• cPanel or WHM: Zone Editor (cPanel) or Edit DNS Zone (WHM). This is how we added it on our own server back in 2012.

Use the DNS provider your domain’s nameservers point to. If you use Cloudflare, add the record in Cloudflare, not at the registrar. Some registrars appear in Search Console’s provider list with an automatic setup option.

Troubleshooting DNS verification

• Verification failed: check that you copied the whole value without extra spaces or quotes added twice.
• Wrong host: some providers add your domain automatically, so entering example.com as the host creates example.com.example.com. Use @ instead.
• Check the record: use Google’s Admin Toolbox Dig (external site) to look up TXT records for your domain.
• Multiple TXT records are fine. Keep existing SPF and other records; just add a new one.

Domain property vs URL-prefix property

A URL-prefix property covers only one exact protocol and host, such as https://www.example.com/, and can be verified with an HTML file, meta tag, Google Analytics or Tag Manager. Use URL-prefix properties when you only control part of a site, and a Domain property when you own the whole domain. You can have both. If you manage old subdomains, see how we handled link juice from deleted subdomains, and our list of free Google SEO tools.

FAQ

Does DNS verification cover all subdomains?

Yes. A Domain property verified by DNS includes every subdomain and both http and https.

Can I delete the TXT record after verifying?

No. Google checks periodically, and removing it can make you lose verification.

Does the TXT record affect my website or email?

No. A verification TXT record does not change how your site or email works.