Create DNS records at any DNS hosting provider for Office 365
To set up the records yourself, these are the records to add. Note that your verification record and MX record are unique to your domain. To set them up, you'll need to get and use a specific "token" value for your domain. The steps below explain how to do that.
Important
The exact name of the boxes or fields you type or paste the information into, to create each type of DNS record, are different for each DNS host. Your DNS host may have Help on their website to assist you in mapping the instructions we show here to the exact fields on their website.
Note
Typically it takes just a few minutes for DNS changes to take effect. However, it can occasionally take longer for a change you've made to update across the Internet's DNS system. If you're having trouble with mail flow or other issues after adding DNS records, see Find and fix issues after changing your domain name or DNS records.
Add a TXT or MX record for verification
Note
You will create only one or the other of these records. TXT is the preferred record type, but some DNS hosting providers don't support it, in which case you can create an MX record instead.
Before you use your domain with Office 365, we have to make sure that you own it. Your ability to log in to your account at your domain registrar and create the DNS record proves to Office 365 that you own the domain.
Note
This record is used only to verify that you own your domain; it doesn't affect anything else. You can delete it later, if you like.
Find the area on your DNS hosting provider's website where you can create a new record.
-
Sign in to your DNS hosting provider's website.
-
Choose your domain.
-
Find the page where you can edit DNS records for your domain.
Create the record.
- Depending on whether you are creating a TXT record or an MX record, do one of the following:
- If you create a TXT record, use these values:
- If you create an MX record, use these values:
- Save the record.
Now that you've added the record at your domain registrar's site, you'll go back to Office 365 and request Office 365 to look for the record.
When Office 365 finds the correct TXT record, your domain is verified.
-
In the admin center, go to the Setup > Domains page.
-
On the Domains page, select the domain that you are verifying.
-
On the Setup page, select Start setup.
-
On the Verify domain page, select Verify.
Note
Typically it takes about 15 minutes for DNS changes to take effect. However, it can occasionally take longer for a change you've made to update across the Internet's DNS system. If you're having trouble with mail flow or other issues after adding DNS records, see Troubleshoot issues after changing your domain name or DNS records.
Add MX record to route email
Add an MX record so email for your domain will come to Office 365. When you update your domain's MX record, all new email for anyone who uses your domain will now come to Office 365. Any email you already have will stay at your current email host, unless you decide to migrate email and contacts to Office 365 to Office 365.
Task
Find the page where you can create records for your domain.
-
Sign in to your DNS host's website.
-
Choose your domain.
-
Find the page where you can edit DNS records for your domain.
The MX record you'll add includes a value (the Points to address value) that looks something like this: <MX token>.mail.protection.outlook.com, where <MX token> is a value like MSxxxxxxx.
-
On your DNS host's website, add a new MX record.
Now you'll get the information for the MX record from Office 365.
-
For the MX record (in the step above), copy the Points to address value.
You'll use this value in the record you're creating on your DNS host's site, as described in the next step.
-
In the new MX record on your DNS host's site, make sure that the fields are set to precisely the following values:
-
Record Type: MX
-
Priority: Set the priority of the MX record to the highest value available, which is typically 0.
For more information about priority, see What is MX priority?
-
Host Name: @
-
Points to address: Paste the Points to address value that you just copied from Office 365 here.
-
TTL: Set this value to 1 hour or to the equivalent in minutes ( 60 ), seconds ( 3600 ), etc.
- Save the record.
Remove any other MX records.
If you have any MX records for this domain that send email to someplace other than Office 365, delete them all.
Add three CNAME records
Follow the steps below to add the three CNAME records that are required for Office 365. If additional CNAME records are listed in Office 365, add those following the same general steps shown here.
On your DNS host's website, you'll create three new CNAME records, typically one at a time.
- In the boxes for each new record, type or copy and paste the following values. After you add each of the first three new records, choose to create another CNAME record.
Note
For TTL: Set this value to 1 hour or to the equivalent in minutes ( 60 ), seconds ( 3600 ), etc. > These records do not apply to Exchange, Lync, or Skype for Business hybrid deployments.
- When you've finished, save the records.
Add two CNAME records for Mobile Device Management (MDM) for Office 365
Important
If you have Mobile Device Management (MDM) for Office 365, then you must create two additional CNAME records. Follow the procedure that you used for the other four CNAME records, but supply the values from the following table. > (If you do not have MDM, you can skip this step.)
Add a TXT record for SPF to help prevent email spam
Important
You cannot have more than one TXT record for SPF for a domain. If your domain has more than one SPF record, you'll get email errors, as well as delivery and spam classification issues. If you already have an SPF record for your domain, don't create a new one for Office 365. Instead, add the required Office 365 values to the current record so that you have a single SPF record that includes both sets of values.
On your DNS host's website, edit the existing SPF record or create a new TXT record for SPF.
- In the boxes for the new record, type or copy and paste the set of values below that apply to your situation.
For TTL: Set this value to 1 hour or to the equivalent in minutes ( 60 ), seconds ( 3600 ), etc.
-
When you've finished, save the record.
-
To validate your SPF record, use one of these SPF validation tools
Add two SRV records
On your DNS host's website, you'll create two new SRV records, typically one at a time. That is, after you add the first SRV record at the website, choose to create another SRV record.
- In the boxes for each new record, type or copy and paste the following values. (See the notes below for creating SRV records when your DNS host doesn't have all of these as separate fields.)
