Create DNS records at Bluehost for Office 365

Contributors:

Check the Domains FAQ if you don't find what you're looking for.

If Bluehost 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.

These are the main records to add. (Need more help? Get support.)

• Add a TXT record for verification

• Add an MX record to route email

• Add six CNAME records

• Add a TXT record for SPF to help prevent email spam

• Add two SRV records

After you add these records at Bluehost, your domain will be set up to work with Office 365 services.

To learn about webhosting and DNS for websites with Office 365, see Use a public website with Office 365.

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 a TXT record for verification

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.

1. To get started, go to your domains page at Bluehost by using this link. You'll be prompted to login first.

   

2. On the domains page, in the domain area, find the row for the domain that you're changing, and then select the check box for that domain.

   (You may have to scroll down.)

   

3. In the domain_name area, on the DNS Zone Editor row, choose Manage DNS records.

   

4. On the DNS Zone Editor page, in the Add DNS Record area, in the boxes for the new record, type or copy and paste the values from the following table.

   (Select the Type value from the drop-down list.)

   Host Record	TTL	Type	TXT Value
   @	14400	TXT	MS=msXXXXXXXX Note: This is an example. Use your specific Destination or Points to Address value here, from the table in Office 365. How do I find this?

   

5. Choose add record.

   

6. 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, 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.

1. Go to the Domains page.

2. On the Domains page, choose the domain that you are verifying.

   

3. On the Setup page, choose Start setup.

   

4. On the Verify domain page, choose 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.

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Add an MX record so email for your domain will come to Office 365

1. To get started, go to your domains page at Bluehost by using this link. You'll be prompted to login first.

   

2. On the domains page, in the domain area, find the row for the domain that you're changing, and then select the check box for that domain.

   (You may have to scroll down.)

   

3. In the domain_name area, on the DNS Zone Editor row, choose Manage DNS records.

   

4. On the DNS Zone Editor page, in the Add DNS Record area, in the boxes for the new record, type or copy and paste the values from the following table.

   (Select the Type value from the drop-down list.)

   Host Record	TTL	Type	Points To	Priority
   @	14400	MX	<domain-key>.mail.protection.outlook.com Note: Get your <domain-key> from your Office 365 portal account. How do I find this?	0 For more information about priority, see What is MX priority?

   

5. Choose add record.

   

6. If there are any other MX records in the MX (Mail Exchanger) section, delete each of them.

   For one of the other MX records, choose Delete.

   

7. In the confirmation dialog box, choose OK.

   

8. Use the same process to delete any other MX records that were already listed.

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Add the six CNAME records that are required for Office 365

1. To get started, go to your domains page at Bluehost by using this link. You'll be prompted to login first.

   

2. On the domains page, in the domain area, find the row for the domain that you're changing, and then select the check box for that domain.

   (You may have to scroll down.)

   

3. In the domain_name area, on the DNS Zone Editor row, choose Manage DNS records.

   

4. In the A (Host) records section, find the row for the autodiscover record, and then choose delete for that row.

   Important: You must delete the existing autodiscover record before adding the autodiscover record that is required by Office 365. Bluehost does not allow you to maintain two autodiscover records simultaneously.

   

5. Choose OK.

   

6. Create the first of the six CNAME records.

   On the DNS Zone Editor page, in the Add DNS Record area, in the boxes for the new record, type or copy and paste the values from the first row in the following table.

   (Select the Type value from the drop-down list.)

   Host Record	TTL	Type	Points To
   autodiscover	14400	CNAME	autodiscover.outlook.com
   sip	14400	CNAME	sipdir.online.lync.com
   lyncdiscover	14400	CNAME	webdir.online.lync.com
   msoid	14400	CNAME	clientconfig.microsoftonline-p.net
   enterpriseregistration	14400	CNAME	enterpriseregistration.windows.net
   enterpriseenrollment	14400	CNAME	enterpriseenrollment.manage.microsoft.com

   

7. Choose add record.

   

8. Add each of the other five CNAME records.

   Still in the Add DNS Record section, create a record by using the values from the next row in the table, and then again choose add record to complete that record.

   Repeat this process until you have created all six CNAME records.

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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. Need examples? Check out these details and sample SPF records. To validate your SPF record, you can use one of these SPF validation tools.

1. To get started, go to your domains page at Bluehost by using this link. You'll be prompted to login first.

   

2. On the domains page, in the domain area, find the row for the domain that you're changing, and then select the check box for that domain.

   (You may have to scroll down.)

   

3. In the domain_name area, on the DNS Zone Editor row, choose Manage DNS records.

   

4. On the DNS Zone Editor page, in the Add DNS Record area, in the boxes for the new record, type or copy and paste the values from the following table.

   (Select the Type value from the drop-down list.)

   Host Record	TTL	Type	TXT Value
   @	14400	TXT	v=spf1 include:spf.protection.outlook.com -all Note: We recommend copying and pasting this entry, so that all of the spacing stays correct.

   

5. Choose add record.

   

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Add the two SRV records that are required for Office 365

1. To get started, go to your domains page at Bluehost by using this link. You'll be prompted to login first.

   

2. On the domains page, in the domain area, find the row for the domain that you're changing, and then select the check box for that domain.

   (You may have to scroll down.)

   

3. In the domain_name area, on the DNS Zone Editor row, choose Manage DNS records.

   

4. Create the first of the two SRV records.

   On the DNS Zone Editor page, in the Add DNS Record area, in the boxes for the new record, type or copy and paste the values from the first row in the following table.

   (Select the Type value from the drop-down list.)

   Service	Protocol	Host	TTL	Type	Priority	Weight	Port	Points To
   _sip	_tls	@	14400	SRV	100	1	443	sipdir.online.lync.com
   _sipfederationtls	_tcp	@	14400	SRV	100	1	5061	sipfed.online.lync.com

   

5. Choose add record.

   

6. Add the other SRV record.

   Still in the Add DNS Record section, create a record by using the values from the other row in the table, and then again choose add record to complete that 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 Troubleshoot issues after changing your domain name or DNS records.

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