How do I transfer domain name hosting from another provider to O365?

Question

(this is a repost of a question which never had a proper answer and I have the same issue...)

I've found the way to create a new Domain Name using the "Buy Domain" button on the main dashboard under Setup->Domains.  I've also found the "Add Domain" button, that assumes that domain name hosting will remain elsewhere (walking me through how to verify my ownership).  What I'd like to do is instead Transfer the domain (as if I had bought it originally through O365).  That would make owning those domains far easier as I could then put them all in one place.

Clearly O365 can handle being the registered host for a domain name or they wouldn't have a "Buy Domain" workflow, so it seems that I'm missing the simple step of how to transfer from another provider to O365.

Searching the community shows questions that are multiple years out of date, so I figured I'd ask the question again.

How is this done?

The result that I'm looking for is that I end up paying MSFT for the registration fees for the domains each year rather than my current provider.

Thanks

Oh... and...

1. Please don't tell me how to buy a domain in O365. I know how to do that. My domains were bought outside of O365.
2. Please don't tell me to go to Setup->Domains and 'manage/add them from there', because this does not transfer the domain into Microsoft, it just adds the DNS to my hosting provider.

If the answer is that this is not possible, then can someone confirm this please?

Thanks.

Answer 1

Hi South74,

I'm sorry to reply you late, I made more research on this issue. From what I got so far, this transferring can only be performed via PowerShell cmdlet and it's in Azure.

Please kindly refer to the following article in Github: Getting Started With Azure Domain Transfer from registrar.

Execute the transfer Close all other PowerShell windows and start a new one as an administrator. Navigate to the script directory and run the PS script: cd "C:...\azure-domain-transfer" .\DomainTransfer.ps1 Confirm the transfer When you get the confirmation email. Click the confirmation button Now you have to wait up to 5-7 days for the transfer to be complete.

Accept the transfer from your registrar (if you can) Some registrar let the owner of the domain cancel or confirm the transfer. It allows the operation to be completed before the 5-7 days.

Wait for the transfer to be complete... Wait and check the resource to be fullly available in you Azure portal.

Note: Currently you can only buy a domain from Office 365 but you can’t transfer your domain to as an Office 365 domain registrar as Wild West Domains LLC.

Best,

Shawn

Answer 2

Its not entirely clear what you are asking;

If you have a domain name registered to you does that supplier aslo provide mail hosting?

And if no mail hosting is it simply that you want to use that domaine name in a mail account provided by MS?

Answer 3

I use O365 Exchange hosting and my domain is hosted somewhere else.

The desire is to move the domain to be hosted by msft in the same manner as it would have been if i had clicked the ‘buy’ button from within O365 to add a domain to my O365 package.

Answer 4

Hi South74,

Thanks for posting your concern here.

I can totally understand this concern: transferring third-party domain to the Office 365. From logical workflow, it can be achieved. However, wait a minute before performing this action and let's review the whole process and steps: the first step you have tried was to go to O365 admin center to find a setting how transferring a domain, but that's a wrong direction. You should go to your domain provider portal site, not the O365 admin center, then find out how to perform a transferring. Since the domain managed by the other provider is not control by Office 365, there may be some limitations about transferring. For example, an O365 domain cannot be transferred to another registrar after 60 days you purchased it with Office 365.

At this time, it's better to ask further assistance from your domain provider on how transferring their domain to the other registrar.

And feel free to contact us if you need any other help, we're always glad to share our experience with you at any time.

Best,

Shawn

Answer 5

Thanks Shawn - however you have misunderstood.

I know how to transfer domains between registrars and it requires work on both sides. One to release the domain and provide the transfer code from the sending registrar and then a process to initiate the receipt of the domain on the receiving side.

My question is that I cannot see how to receive a domain in O365. It looks like the only functions available are to:

1. Create a new domain with msft as the registrar
2. transfer the domain created in (1) out to another registrar that’s not msft.
3. use an existing domain which is held elsewhere

there’s no option to transfer *in* a domain...