Gmail shows "via" and another domain next to your name when your email was sent or signed by a domain that doesn't match the one in your From address, usually because a newsletter tool, CRM or website sent it under its own name. The fix is to turn on domain authentication in that service, so its DKIM signature uses yourbusiness.com instead of its own domain.
Recipients can't hide it, and Google suggests that a "via" they don't recognize could mean spam. That makes it worth fixing.
What Gmail means by "via"
Google's help says Gmail adds "via" and a website name next to the sender in two cases:
- the domain the email was sent from doesn't match the domain in the From address
- the email was sent to a Google Group from a domain whose DMARC policy is p=quarantine or p=reject
The first case is the one you can fix. Google's own example is an email from a Gmail address that was really sent through a social networking site.
Why it happens: whose name is on the signature
When you send a newsletter from hello@yourbusiness.com through an email service, two things can name a different domain:
- DKIM: a digital signature that proves the email came from a domain and wasn't changed on the way. Unless you set it up, the service signs with its own domain.
- SPF: a DNS record that lists the servers allowed to send email for a domain. SPF checks the hidden bounce address, which often belongs to the service, not the From address you see.
If the signature belongs to the service, Gmail shows its domain after "via". Mailchimp, for example, says some email clients show "via mailchimpapp.net" or "on behalf of mcsv.net" until you authenticate your From address.
This is the same mismatch DMARC cares about. DMARC is a DNS record that tells receivers what to do with email that fails SPF and DKIM, and it only counts a pass for the domain in your From address. That match is called alignment.
| What you see | Usual cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| via an email marketing service's domain | The service signs with its own domain. | Turn on domain authentication in that service. |
| via a CRM, helpdesk or booking app | The app sends as you, signed with its own domain. | Connect or authenticate your sending domain in the app. |
| via your web host's server name | Your website or store sends email through the host. | Send through an authenticated email service, or set up DKIM for yourbusiness.com with your host. |
| Your Name via Group-Name | Email to a Google Group, with your DMARC at quarantine or reject. | Nothing. This is expected. |
Check what Gmail sees
Send an email to a personal Gmail account and open it on a computer. Below the sender's name, click the Down arrow. Google's help says an authenticated email shows a "Mailed by" line with a domain and a "Signed by" line with the sending domain.
If "Signed by" shows yourbusiness.com, DKIM is signing as you. If it shows another company's domain, that is usually where your "via" comes from.
How to remove "via"
Google's help gives three steps for email not sent through Gmail: include your sending services in your SPF record, sign with a DKIM key for your domain, and make sure your From domain matches the domain you authenticate with.
Step 1: find out what sent the email
Send an email from the same service to your private test address. The report names the sending service and shows which domain SPF and DKIM passed for, and whether either matched your From address.
Step 2: turn on domain authentication in that service
Most services: turn on DKIM signing for yourbusiness.com in the service that sends this email, and add the DKIM record it gives you to your DNS. Most services call this "domain authentication".
Mailchimp: in Mailchimp go to Account & billing → Domains. If yourbusiness.com isn't listed, add and verify it first (Mailchimp emails a code to an address at yourbusiness.com). Then click "Start authentication" and follow the steps: Mailchimp can add the records for you, or you add the two CNAME records below and a DMARC record yourself. Mailchimp checks the records automatically, which can take up to 48 hours.
| Type | Name | Value |
|---|---|---|
| CNAME | k2._domainkey.yourbusiness.com | dkim2.mcsv.net |
| CNAME | k3._domainkey.yourbusiness.com | dkim3.mcsv.net |
Google Workspace: if the test shows your everyday email isn't signed for yourbusiness.com either, in the Google Admin console go to Apps → Google Workspace → Gmail → Authenticate email. Generate a DKIM key for yourbusiness.com, add the TXT record it shows at google._domainkey.yourbusiness.com, then click "Start authentication".
Step 3: add the service to SPF if it asks
If the service gives you an include: value, add it to your existing SPF record rather than creating a second one. Some services also offer a custom bounce (return-path) domain, such as bounce.yourbusiness.com, which makes SPF match your domain too.
Step 4: send another test
DNS changes can take a while to be picked up. Send a fresh test. When DKIM passes for yourbusiness.com, the "via" should disappear from new email in Gmail. Emails that already arrived won't change.
Checked against: Gmail Help, Extra info next to sender's name · Gmail Help, Check if your Gmail message is authenticated · Gmail Help, Email sender guidelines · Mailchimp, My email From name shows "mailchimpapp.net" or "mcsv.net" · Mailchimp, Set up email domain authentication · Google Workspace Admin Help, Set up DKIM.