> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://resend.com/docs/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Resend Forge > Send and receive your email through Resend's new infrastructure. Resend Forge is Resend's next-generation email infrastructure. It's faster than the old engine on every percentile and has best-in-class delivery rates. It's fully managed by Resend, using our own IPs and our own sending and receiving engine, with no third party in the middle. That gives us full visibility into every hop, so we can better help you with any deliverability or support request. You can read the [full announcement](https://resend.com/features/forge) on our website. > [!NOTE] > > Your domain keeps sending at all times while we verify the new DNS record, and > nothing else changes: your API calls, SMTP credentials, and webhooks all stay > the same. ## Activate Resend Forge Activating Forge requires one CNAME record for sending domains. In the case of receiving, you will need to update one MX record. No code changes are required in either case. **1. Open the activation page** 1. Go to [Domains](https://resend.com/domains) and select your domain. 2. Under **Configuration**, click **Activate Resend Forge**. ![The Activate Resend Forge section in the domain's Configuration tab](https://mintcdn.com/resend/vVB0a1rP7wPQimDb/images/resend-forge-configuration.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=vVB0a1rP7wPQimDb\&q=85\&s=51074ad46b034f9d9580debd2fa48f47) **2. Choose the Return-Path** > [!NOTE] > > Receiving-only domains don't need a Return-Path, so you will only see the > record updates your domain needs. Forge uses a new subdomain as the Return-Path (e.g. `mail.yourdomain.com`). We suggest an available one by default. You can type a different one, and the field checks that the subdomain is free before you continue. Click **Activate Forge**. ![The Return-Path step of the Activate Resend Forge page](https://mintcdn.com/resend/vVB0a1rP7wPQimDb/images/resend-forge-return-path.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=vVB0a1rP7wPQimDb\&q=85\&s=d17023e3ae83a156ca79cd752aef9405) **3. Add the CNAME record** If your DNS provider supports [Domain Connect](#domain-connect), click **Auto configure** and authorize Resend to add the record for you. The domain verifies on its own after that. Otherwise, click **Manual setup** and add the CNAME record shown on the page at your DNS provider, then click **I've added the records**. Your existing DNS records stay untouched. Don't remove them. ![The DNS Records step showing the CNAME record to add at your DNS provider](https://mintcdn.com/resend/vVB0a1rP7wPQimDb/images/resend-forge-dns-record.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=vVB0a1rP7wPQimDb\&q=85\&s=ac176de76f2f24545a7437bec9c4ca68) > [!WARNING] > > Pay attention to the record's proxy status. If you use Cloudflare, set the > record to **DNS only**, not proxied (the cloud icon is gray, not orange). > Proxied records don't resolve as CNAMEs, so verification will fail. **4. Verify** Once the record verifies, the Forge section of your domain's page shows an **Enabled** tag and your email starts going through Forge. Your domain keeps sending as usual until then. ## Domain Connect [Domain Connect](https://www.domainconnect.org/) lets Resend add the Forge records to your DNS for you. If your domain's DNS provider supports it, the DNS Records step shows an **Auto configure** button. 1. Click **Auto configure**. 2. Sign in to your DNS provider in the window that opens and authorize the change. 3. Resend adds the CNAME record and starts verifying it. You're sent back to your domain's page. Domain Connect is only available on this page for domains that already existed before activating Forge. If you prefer to add the record yourself, click **Manual setup**. ## Troubleshooting If the Forge record doesn't verify, these are some common troubleshooting methods. > **My DNS provider rejects the CNAME record.** > > A CNAME can't coexist with other records at the same name. If the subdomain > you chose already has records (e.g., an A, TXT, or MX record), pick a > different Return-Path: under **Configuration**, click **Finish Forge > setup**, then click **Change** next to the Return-Path and choose another > name. > **I added the record but it never verifies.** > > DNS changes can take up to 72 hours to propagate, though they're usually much > faster. Check that the record name and value match exactly what the Dashboard > shows, and rule out copy and paste errors. Some DNS providers auto-append > your domain name to record values; if the record value shows your domain > twice, add a trailing period to the value. > > If you use Cloudflare, check the record's proxy status: it must be **DNS > only**, not proxied (the cloud icon is gray, not orange). Proxied records > don't resolve as CNAMEs, so verification will fail. > > Also confirm you added the record at the DNS provider that actually controls > your domain's DNS. If your DNS is managed in multiple places (e.g., your > registrar and Cloudflare), run a nameserver lookup with a tool like > [dns.email](https://dns.email) to see which provider to use. > **The record shows as failed. How do I restart verification?** > > 1. Open your domain's page. Under **Configuration**, click **Finish Forge setup**. > 2. The page shows your CNAME record again. Confirm it matches what's in your DNS provider and click **I've added the records** to restart verification. > > Unless you change the Return-Path, the record stays the same. You're > re-verifying the existing record and don't need to change anything at your DNS > provider. > **The Activate Resend Forge button is disabled.** > > Hover over the button to see the reason. Your domain doesn't meet one of the > [requirements](#requirements) below. ## Requirements * Domains on a Dedicated IP can't activate Forge. Contact [support@resend.com](mailto:support@resend.com). * Open and click tracking aren't supported on Forge yet. You can activate Forge on a domain that has tracking turned on, but its email keeps going through the current infrastructure until you turn tracking off. ## FAQ > **What happens if Forge has an incident or can't deliver an email?** > > Your email still goes out. If Forge can't complete a delivery, we route it > through the engine Resend has used for years. The fallback is automatic and > you don't need to do anything. > **How long does Forge retry a delayed email?** > > When the receiving server asks to try again later, for example with > greylisting or a temporary rate limit, Forge keeps retrying for up to 48 > hours. Other temporary failures go back to the engine Resend has used for > years, which retries for up to 14 hours. An email that still isn't accepted > when its retry window ends is marked as `bounced`. > **Do I need to change my code, SMTP settings, or webhooks?** > > No. Forge sits behind the same send path, so your API calls, SMTP > credentials, and webhook events keep working exactly as today. > **Why does Forge need a new Return-Path subdomain?** > > The Return-Path is the address receivers use to return bounces and to check > SPF. Forge delivers from infrastructure Resend owns, so the CNAME points > that subdomain at Forge. This keeps SPF aligned with your domain and lets us > process bounces. Your existing DNS records stay as they are. > **Which region does Forge send from and receive at?** > > Forge runs only in North Virginia (`us-east-1`). Data residency is the same > as for every other region. See [Data > Residency](/docs/dashboard/domains/regions#data-residency) for details.