Managing Multiple Domains in Google Workspace: A Step-by-Step Setup Guide

Running multiple domains under a single Google Workspace account isn't just possible—it's actually pretty straightforward once you know the process. When I first looked into this, I assumed I'd need separate Google Workspace accounts for each domain. Turns out, there's a much cleaner way to handle it.

Two Ways to Handle Multiple Domains

After reaching out to Google Workspace support, I learned there are essentially two approaches for managing multiple domains:

Option 1: Create separate Google Workspace accounts for each domain
Option 2: Link multiple domains to one Google Workspace account

In Google Workspace terminology, these translate to managing separate primary domains versus managing primary and secondary domains under one account. The second approach is what I went with, and it's worked beautifully for consolidating domain management while keeping everything under one billing umbrella.

If you're considering centralizing your domain management, 👉 explore how Google Workspace simplifies multi-domain administration with its flexible account structure.

The Official Documentation

Google provides clear guidance on this process in their support documentation at support.google.com/a/answer/7502379. While I'll walk through my specific experience here, checking their official page ensures you have the most current information for your setup.

Adding Your Secondary Domain

The first step is navigating to your domain settings. Head to Account Settings → Domains → Domain Management in your Google Workspace admin console. When you click to add a domain, you'll see two options presented side by side.

Choose the left option labeled "Secondary domain setup" to proceed. This is the path that lets you manage multiple domains within the same account structure rather than creating entirely separate workspaces.

Setting Up the TXT Record Verification

Once you select secondary domain setup, Google Workspace will generate a TXT record that you need to add to your DNS settings. This is their way of verifying that you actually own or control the domain you're trying to add.

For domains managed through Onamae.com (one of Japan's popular registrars), here's how to add that TXT record:

Navigate to your DNS settings menu and look for the DNS record configuration option. You'll want to add a new record with these parameters:

• TYPE: Set to "TXT"

• VALUE: Paste the verification string provided by Google Workspace

After adding the record, save your changes and wait for DNS propagation. This can take anywhere from a few minutes to several hours depending on various factors, so don't panic if verification doesn't happen immediately.

Enabling Gmail for Your Secondary Domain

Here's where I initially hit a snag. After adding the domain and assigning licenses to new user accounts, I could send emails just fine, but incoming messages weren't arriving. The missing piece? I hadn't explicitly enabled Gmail for the secondary domain.

This step is clearly documented in Google's setup process, but it's easy to overlook. In your domain management settings, you'll find an option to "Activate Gmail" for your secondary domain. This triggers the need for MX record configuration.

Configuring MX Records

MX records tell other mail servers where to deliver emails for your domain. For Google Workspace, the specific MX records you need depend on when you registered your account.

Important: Google changed their MX record requirements in April 2023. If you registered before March 2023, you'll use one set of values. If you registered April 2023 or later, you'll use a different set.

Onamae.com's support documentation at help.onamae.com/answer/20389 provides the exact values you need based on your registration date. In my case, working with a pre-March 2023 account, I added the corresponding MX records through Onamae.com's DNS management interface.

The configuration involves setting multiple MX records with different priority values. Each record points to a Google mail server, and the priority numbers determine the order in which mail servers are contacted.

Testing Your Setup

After the MX records propagated, everything clicked into place. I could create user accounts using either my primary or secondary domain, and Gmail worked perfectly for both sending and receiving messages across all domains.

For businesses managing multiple brands or projects, 👉 Google Workspace's multi-domain capabilities provide the flexibility to keep everything organized under one administrative roof while maintaining distinct domain identities.

The entire process took about an hour of active configuration time, plus waiting for DNS propagation. Now I can manage user accounts, email, and all Google Workspace services across multiple domains from a single admin panel—exactly what I was hoping for when I started this project.