Connect your DNS records at IONOS to Microsoft 365
Check the Domains FAQ if you don't find what you're looking for.
If IONOS is your DNS hosting provider, follow the steps in this article to verify your domain and set up DNS records for email, Skype for Business Online, and so on.
Before you begin
You have two options for setting up DNS records for your domain:
Use Domain Connect If you haven't set up your domain with another email service provider, use the Domain Connect steps to automatically verify and set up your new domain to use with Microsoft 365.
OR
Use the manual steps Verify your domain using the manual steps below and choose when and which records to add to your domain registrar. This allows you to set up new MX (mail) records, for example, at your convenience.
Use Domain Connect to verify and set up your domain
Follow these steps to automatically verify and set up your IONOS domain with Microsoft 365:
In the Microsoft 365 admin center, select Settings > Domains, and select the domain you want to set up.
Select the three dots (more actions) > choose Start setup.
On the How do you want to connect your domain? page, select Continue.
On the Add DNS records page, select Add DNS records.
On the IONOS login page, sign in to your account, and select Connect, and Allow.
This completes your domain setup for Microsoft 365.
Create DNS records with manual setup
After you add these records at IONOS, your domain will be set up to work with Microsoft services.
Caution
Note that IONOS doesn't allow a domain to have both an MX record and a top-level Autodiscover CNAME record. This limits the ways in which you can configure Exchange Online for Microsoft. There is a workaround, but we recommend employing it only if you already have experience with creating subdomains at IONOS. If despite this service limitation you choose to manage your own Microsoft DNS records at IONOS, follow the steps in this article to verify your domain and to set up DNS records for email, Skype for Business Online, and so on.
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 Find and fix issues after adding your domain or DNS records.
Add a TXT record for verification
Before you use your domain with Microsoft, 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 Microsoft 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.
To get started, go to your domains page at IONOS by using this link. Follow the prompt to log in.
Select Menu, and then select Domains and SSL.
Under Actions for the domain that you want to update, select the gear control, and then select DNS.
Select Add record.
Select the TXT section.
On the Add a DNS record page, in the boxes for the new record, type or copy and paste the values from the following table.
Host name Value TTL (Leave this field blank) MS=ms XXXXXXXX
NOTE: This is an example. Use your specific Destination or Points to Address value here, from the table. How do I find this?1 hour Select Save.
Wait a few minutes before you continue, so that the record you just created can update across the Internet.
Now that you've added the record at your domain registrar's site, go back to Microsoft 365 and request Microsoft 365 to look for the record. When Microsoft finds the correct TXT record, your domain is verified.
To verify the record in Microsoft 365:
In the admin center, go to the Settings > Domains.
On the Domains page, select the domain that you're verifying, and select Start setup.
Select Continue.
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 an MX record so email for your domain will come to Microsoft
To get started, go to your domains page at IONOS by using this link. Follow the prompt to log in.
Select Menu, and then select Domains and SSL.
Under Actions for the domain that you want to update, select the gear control, and then select DNS.
Select Add record.
Select the MX section.
On the Add a DNS record page, in the boxes for the new record, type or copy and paste the values from the following table.
Host name Points to Priority TTL @ <domain-key>.mail.protection.outlook.com
NOTE: Get your <domain-key> from your Microsoft account. How do I find this?10
For more information about priority, see What is MX priority?1 hour Select Save.
If there are any MX records already listed, delete each of them by selecting the Delete record trash can on the Add record page.
Add the CNAME record required for Microsoft
To get started, go to your domains page at IONOS by using this link. Follow the prompt to log in.
Select Menu, and then select Domains and SSL.
Under Actions for the domain that you want to update, select the gear control, and then select DNS.
Now you'll create two subdomains and set an Alias value for each.
(This is required because IONOS supports only one top-level CNAME record, but Microsoft requires several CNAME records.)
First, you'll create the Autodiscover subdomain.
Select Subdomains.
Select Add subdomain.
In the Add subdomain box for the new subdomain, type or copy and paste only the Add subdomain value from the following table. (You'll add the Alias value in a later step.)
Add subdomain Alias autodiscover autodiscover.outlook.com Under Actions for the autodiscover subdomain that you just created, select the gear control, and then select DNS from the drop-down list.
Select Add record, and then select the CNAME section.
In the Alias: box, type or copy and paste only the Alias value from the following table.
Add subdomain Alias autodiscover autodiscover.outlook.com Select Save.
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 Microsoft. Instead, add the required Microsoft values to the current record so that you have a single SPF record that includes both sets of values. Need examples? Check out these External Domain Name System records for Microsoft. To validate your SPF record, you can use one of theseSPF validation tools.
To get started, go to your domains page at IONOS by using this link. Follow the prompt to log in.
Select Menu, and then select Domains and SSL.
Under Actions for the domain that you want to update, select the gear control, and then select DNS.
Select Add record.
Select the SPF (TXT) section.
In the boxes for the new record, type or copy and paste the values from the following table.
Type Host name Value TTL SPF (TXT) (Leave this field empty.) v=spf1 include:spf.protection.outlook.com -all
Note: We recommend copying and pasting this entry, so that all of the spacing stays correct.1 hour Select Save.
Advanced option: Skype for Business
Only select this option if your organization uses Skype for Business for online communication services like chat, conference calls, and video calls, in addition to Microsoft Teams. Skype needs 4 records: 2 SRV records for user-to-user communication, and 2 CNAME records to sign-in and connect users to the service.
Add two more CNAME records
To get started, go to your domains page at IONOS by using this link. Log in.
Select Menu, and then select Domains and SSL.
Under Actions for the domain that you want to update, select the gear control, and then select DNS.
Now you'll create two subdomains and set an Alias value for each.
(This is required because IONOS supports only one top-level CNAME record, but Microsoft requires several CNAME records.)
First, you'll create the lyncdiscover subdomain.
Select Subdomains.
Select Add subdomain.
In the Add subdomain box for the new subdomain, type or copy and paste only the Add subdomain value from the following table. (You'll add the Alias value in a later step.)
Add subdomain Alias lyncdiscover webdir.online.lync.com Under Actions for the lyncdiscover subdomain that you just created, select the gear control, and then select DNS from the drop-down list.
Select Add record, and then select the CNAME section.
In the Alias: box, type or copy and paste only the Alias value from the following table.
Create Subdomain Alias lyncdiscover webdir.online.lync.com Create another subdomain (SIP): Select Add subdomain.
In the Add subdomain box for the new subdomain, type or copy and paste only the Add subdomain value from the following table. (You'll add the Alias value in a later step.)
Add subdomain Alias sip sipdir.online.lync.com Under Actions for the subdomain that you just created, select the gear control, and then select DNS from the drop-down list.
Select Add record.
Select the CNAME section.
in the Alias: box, type or copy and paste only the Alias value from the following table.
Create Subdomain Alias sip sipdir.online.lync.com Select the check box for the I am aware disclaimer, and then select Save.
Add the two SRV records required for Microsoft
To get started, go to your domains page at IONOS by using this link. Log in.
Select Menu, and then select Domains and SSL.
Under Actions for the domain that you want to update, select the gear control, and then select DNS.
Select Add record.
Select the SRV section.
In the boxes for the new record, type or copy and paste the values from the following table.
Type Service Protocol Host name Points to Priority Weight Port TTL SRV _sip tls (Leave this field empty.) sipdir.online.lync.com 100 1 443 1 hour SRV _sipfederationtls tcp (Leave this field empty.) sipfed.online.lync.com 100 1 5061 1 hour Select Save.
Add the other SRV record.
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 Find and fix issues after adding your domain or DNS records.
Advanced option: Intune and Mobile Device Management for Microsoft 365
This service helps you secure and remotely manage mobile devices that connect to your domain. Mobile Device Management needs 2 CNAME records so that users can enroll devices to the service.
Add the two required CNAME records
Important
Follow the subdomain procedure that you used for the other CNAME records, and supply the values from the following table.
To get started, go to your domains page at IONOS by using this link. Follow the prompt to log in.
Select Menu, and then select Domains and SSL.
Under Actions for the domain that you want to update, select the gear control, and then select DNS.
Now you'll create two subdomains and set an Alias value for each.
(This is required because IONOS supports only one top-level CNAME record, but Microsoft requires several CNAME records.)
First, you'll create the lyncdiscover subdomain.
Select Subdomains.
Select Add subdomain.
In the Add subdomain box for the new subdomain, type or copy and paste only the Add subdomain value from the following table. (You'll add the Alias value in a later step.)
Add subdomain Alias enterpriseregistration enterpriseregistration.windows.net Under Actions for the enterpriseregistration subdomain that you just created, select the gear control, and then select DNS from the drop-down list.
Select Add record, and then select the CNAME section.
In the Alias: box, type or copy and paste only the Alias value from the following table.
Add subdomain Alias enterpriseregistration enterpriseregistration.windows.net Create another subdomain: Select Add subdomain.
In the Add subdomain box for the new subdomain, type or copy and paste only the Add subdomain value from the following table. (You'll add the Alias value in a later step.)
Add subdomain Alias enterpriseenrollment enterpriseenrollment-s.manage.microsoft.com Under Actions for the enterpriseenrollment subdomain that you just created, select the gear control, and then select DNS from the drop-down list.
Select Add record.
Select the CNAME section.
in the Alias: box, type or copy and paste only the Alias value from the following table.
Create Subdomain Alias enterpriseenrollment enterpriseenrollment-s.manage.microsoft.com Select the check box for the I am aware disclaimer, and then select Save.