# Custom Tracking Domain — Brand Your Open & Click Links in AcelleMail

> By default your open- and click-tracking links route through the platform's own domain. Point them at your own subdomain (e.g. track.yourdomain.com) so every link recipients hover looks like yours. This guide walks the real Tracking Domains screen, both setup methods (Auto-SSL and Host Redirect), and how to switch a campaign over to it.

- Canonical URL: https://acellesend.com/kb/articles/custom-tracking-domain
- Author: Lena Hart, Email Deliverability Editor
- Category: DNS & Domain Setup — SPF, DKIM, DMARC, BIMI, domain verification, MX records, Return-Path
- Content type: tutorial · Difficulty: intermediate
- Tags: Acellemail
- Published: 2026-07-04 · Last updated: 2026-08-15
- Reading time: 6 min
- Publisher: AcelleMail Knowledge Base, https://acellesend.com/kb

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## What this is for

Every link in your campaign gets rewritten at send time so the platform can count opens and clicks before forwarding the recipient to the real URL. Out of the box, that rewritten link uses the platform's own domain — so when a recipient hovers a link, they see a domain that isn't yours.

A **custom tracking domain** swaps that out for a subdomain you own, like `track.yourdomain.com`. Same tracking mechanics, but every link looks like it belongs to your brand. That's better for recipient trust and keeps your sending domain and link domain aligned.

This is the full setup walkthrough. If you just want the short version of why it matters, see [Custom tracking domain for click URLs](https://acellesend.com/kb/articles/custom-tracking-domain-for-click-urls).

## Before you start

- Pick a subdomain you don't already use for anything else — `track.yourdomain.com`, `click.yourdomain.com`, and `links.yourdomain.com` are all common. It'll be dedicated to tracking.
- You'll need access to your DNS provider (Cloudflare, Route 53, Namecheap, etc.) to add a record.
- The verify screen shows one of two setup methods depending on how your install is configured. Read both sections below and follow the one your screen shows — you don't choose; the app picks based on the install.

## Step 1 — Open Tracking Domains

In the left sidebar under **Sending**, click **Tracking Domains**. The page is titled **Tracking Domains** with the subtitle "Use custom domains for open and click tracking links."

If you have none yet, you'll see an empty state ("No tracking domains yet"). Click the green **Add tracking domain** button in the top right.

## Step 2 — Enter your subdomain

On the **Add Tracking Domain** form:

- **Scheme** dropdown — choose `http://` or `https://`. Pick `https://` if your tracking host serves over TLS (recommended).
- **Domain** field — enter the hostname only, no path. For example: `track.yourdomain.com`. The on-screen help says it directly: *"Enter the hostname only — no path (e.g. track.yourdomain.com)."*
- **Port** — leave blank. It's optional and only needed for non-standard setups.

Click **Save and continue**. You'll see the flash *"Tracking domain added — please complete setup below"* and land on the **Setup & Verify** screen. The status badge reads **Unverified** (orange) until you finish.

## Step 3 — Complete setup (the screen tells you which method)

The verify screen shows ONE of the two setups below. Do whichever one your screen displays.

### Method A — Auto-SSL (Caddy)

If your install runs the auto-SSL setup, you'll see a card headed **Auto-SSL Setup (Caddy)** with a small DNS table. It tells you to point your tracking subdomain at the server hostname shown:

| Host name | Type | Value |
|---|---|---|
| `track.yourdomain.com.` | A / CNAME | *(the server hostname shown on screen — there's a copy button)* |

At your DNS provider, add an **A record or CNAME** for your tracking subdomain pointing to that value. The screen notes: *"Point your domain to this server using an A record or CNAME. SSL will be provisioned automatically."* You don't manage a certificate yourself in this mode — it's issued for you once DNS resolves.

### Method B — Host Redirect

If your install uses the host-redirect setup, you'll see a card headed **Host Redirect Setup** with four numbered steps. This is for when your tracking subdomain points at a web server you control:

1. **Download the tracking script** — click **Download tracking script (.zip)**. The zip contains two files: `index.php` and `.htaccess`.
2. **Upload to the document root** — upload **both** files to the document root of your tracking host. Don't put them in a subfolder.
3. **Nginx servers only — add a rewrite rule** — Apache reads the included `.htaccess` automatically; Nginx doesn't, so the screen gives you a small `location` block to paste into your server config. (Skip this step entirely if you're on Apache.)
4. **Verify the setup** — once the files are in place, you're ready to verify.

Either way, give DNS a few minutes. The screen reminds you: *"DNS changes can take 5 minutes to a few hours to propagate."*

## Step 4 — Click Verify now

When DNS has propagated and (for Method B) the script is uploaded, click the **Verify now** button. The app checks that your tracking host is reachable and responding correctly.

On success you'll see *"Domain verified successfully"* and the card flips to the verified state: *"Your tracking domain is active. All campaign links will now use this domain for open and click tracking."* The status badge turns **Verified** (green).

Not ready? Click **I'll do this later** — the domain stays Unverified and you can come back to the Setup / Verify action from the list anytime.

## Step 5 — Use it on a campaign

A verified tracking domain doesn't apply automatically — you select it per campaign. In the campaign wizard, open the **Setup** step and find the **Advanced Settings** section ("Tracking, DKIM signing, and delivery options").

There's a **Tracking domain** dropdown. By default it's set to **None (use default)**. Open it, search if you have several, and pick your verified domain (it shows as the full URL, e.g. `https://track.yourdomain.com`). Send the campaign.

From that send onward, the open- and click-tracking links in that campaign use your branded domain. You can confirm it on the campaign overview, which shows the selected **Tracking domain** in its stats panel.

## Common issues

| What you see | What to do |
|---|---|
| Status stays **Unverified** after you click **Verify now** | The message is: *"Verification failed — make sure the tracking script is uploaded to the document root and the server is reachable, then try again."* For Method B, re-check both files are in the document root (not a subfolder). For both methods, give DNS more time, then click **Verify now** again. |
| Domain shows **Verified** but campaign links still use the default | The tracking domain is selected per campaign. Open the campaign's **Setup → Advanced Settings → Tracking domain** dropdown and pick your domain (it defaults to "None (use default)"). |
| You don't see a **Tracking Domains** item in the sidebar | Your plan may not grant tracking domains. This menu only appears when your plan allows at least one. |
| You edited an already-verified domain | Editing resets it to Unverified (*"Tracking domain updated — please re-verify below"*). Run **Verify now** again. |

## What to do after

- Send a quick test campaign with the new tracking domain selected, then hover a link in the received email to confirm it shows your subdomain.
- If you run multiple campaigns, remember the tracking domain is chosen per campaign — set it each time, or it falls back to the default.
- Tightening up the rest of your sending identity? See [How to set up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records](https://acellesend.com/kb/articles/how-to-set-up-spf-dkim-and-dmarc-records).

## Related articles

- [Custom tracking domain for click URLs](https://acellesend.com/kb/articles/custom-tracking-domain-for-click-urls)
- [Complete DNS setup for email sending](https://acellesend.com/kb/articles/complete-dns-setup-for-email-sending)
- [DNS propagation explained](https://acellesend.com/kb/articles/dns-propagation-explained)
- [How to set up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records](https://acellesend.com/kb/articles/how-to-set-up-spf-dkim-and-dmarc-records)

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