Finish the website address first
Open Dashboard > Settings > Email only after the custom domain in Website Address is active. Domain-branded email depends on the domain’s DNS and should not be announced while inbound status is pending.
Plan availability: Domain-branded email is Scale in the active production matrix. Pro can provide a hosted Cottage CMS mailbox, while the standard Free address remains available. Legacy Lifetime retains platform features, but external domain and registrar costs remain separate.
Configure receiving and sending
- Review the displayed inbound DNS records and add them at the authoritative provider when the domain is not managed automatically.
- Choose Catch-All Email Routing when any address at the domain should route into Cottage CMS.
- Choose Create New Email Address when you want specific addresses such as hello, orders, or support.
- Set Default From: Address to the identity customers should recognize.
- Wait for inbound status to show active, then send a test from an outside mailbox and reply back.
What customers see
Customers see a branded sender and can reply to the address you publish. They should not see a half-configured address that accepts sending but loses replies.
Common problems
- Catch-all prevents new addresses. Catch-all routing takes precedence; individual addresses may be ignored while it is enabled.
- Existing MX or DMARC records conflict. Replacing them can interrupt another mailbox. Read the warning and decide which provider should own receiving.
- Email domain is pending. Verify every required DNS record and wait for propagation; do not repeatedly toggle setup.
- The website works but email does not. Web SSL/routing and inbound email status are separate checks.
Next steps
Keywords
domain-branded email, Scale, Email Settings, MX, DMARC, catch-all, Create New Email Address, Default From, inbound DNS