DNS management interfaces may reject changes to TXT records with an error stating that records of the same name and type must have the same TTL value. This issue commonly surfaces when configuring DMARC, SPF, DKIM, or domain verification TXT records.
This article explains:
Why the error occurs even when records appear unrelated
How DNS architecture treats TXT records internally
How to accurately identify and resolve TTL mismatches
Best practices to prevent recurrence
This applies to shared hosting, VPS, and dedicated servers using common DNS control panels.
System Type: DNS Zone Management
Record Type: TXT
Affected Platforms:
cPanel / WHM
Plesk
DirectAdmin
Cloud DNS providers (partial enforcement)
TXT records are used for:
SPF (Sender Policy Framework)
DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance)
DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail)
Domain ownership verification
TTL (Time To Live) defines how long a DNS resolver caches a record.
TTL = cache lifetime in seconds
According to DNS standards (RFC 1034 / 1035):
All DNS records with the same Name and Type must share the same TTL.
This rule applies even when:
TXT values differ
Records serve different purposes (SPF, verification, etc.)
The DNS engine internally groups records by:
If any TXT record in that group has a different TTL, the zone is invalid.
Adding a DMARC record when SPF already exists
Google/Microsoft verification TXT records added earlier
Mixing TTLs like 3600 and 14400 on root (@) TXT entries
Migrated domains with legacy DNS entries
Filter DNS zone records by TXT.
Be aware that the following are equivalent:
@
blank name
example.com
They represent the same DNS name.
Look for identical names with different TTLs:
| Name | Type | TTL |
|---|---|---|
| example.com | TXT | 3600 |
| example.com | TXT | 14400 |
❌ Invalid configuration
Recommended during configuration:
Ensure every TXT record with the same name uses the same TTL.
Save individual records
Click Save All Records
| Error Message | Root Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Mismatched TTL values | TXT records with same name use different TTLs | Normalize TTL |
| Cannot save DMARC | Existing TXT with different TTL | Update all TTLs |
| DNS zone validation failed | Legacy TXT entries | Clean up duplicates |
Incorrect TXT records may:
Break SPF/DMARC enforcement
Cause email spoofing risks
Reduce mail deliverability
Partial DMARC deployment can lead to false positives
Duplicate or malformed TXT entries weaken policy enforcement
Use 3600 TTL during setup and testing
Increase TTL only after configuration stabilizes
Maintain one DMARC record only
Keep SPF within one TXT record
Periodically audit DNS zones
Document DNS changes with timestamps
The “mismatched TTL” TXT record error is not a DMARC-specific issue, but a DNS standards enforcement mechanism. It occurs when any TXT records sharing the same name use different TTL values.
By normalizing TTLs across identical TXT names, DNS zones can be saved successfully and email authentication records will function as expected.
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