Microsoft Office Tutorials: Change nameservers to set up Office 365 with Register.com

Thursday, November 16, 2017

Change nameservers to set up Office 365 with Register.com

Contributors:

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

Follow these instructions if you want Office 365 to manage your Office 365 DNS records for you. (If you prefer, you can manage all your Office 365 DNS records at Register.com.)

Here's what you need to do. Follow the steps below or watch the video. (Need more help? Get support.)

Add a TXT record to verify that you own the domain
Change your domain's nameserver (NS) records

Add a TXT record at Register.com to verify that you own the domain

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.

Follow the steps below or watch the video (start at 0:43).

To get started, go to your domains page at Register.com by using this link. You'll be prompted to sign in.
Choose Domains.
Choose Manage.
Find the row that contains the name of the domain that you want to modify; and then, in that row, choose Manage.
Scroll down to the Advanced Technical Settings section, and then choose Edit TXT Records (SPF).

In the boxes for the new record, type or copy and paste the values from the following table.

Host Name	TXT Record
@	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?

Choose Continue.
On the next page, choose Continue again to confirm your changes.
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.

Go to the Domains page.
On the Domains page, choose the domain that you are verifying.
On the Setup page, choose Start setup.
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.

Change your domain's nameserver (NS) records

To complete setting up your domain with Office 365, you change your domain's NS records at your domain registrar to point to the Office 365 primary and secondary name servers. This sets up Office 365 to update the domain's DNS records for you. We'll add all records so that email, Skype for Business Online, and your public website work with your domain, and you'll be all set.

Caution: When you change your domain's NS records to point to the Office 365 name servers, all the services that are currently associated with your domain are affected. For example, all email sent to your domain (like rob@your_domain.com) will start coming to Office 365 after you make this change.

Ready to change your NS records so Office 365 can set up your domain? Follow the steps below or watch the video (start at 2:53).

Important:

When you have completed the steps in this section, the only nameservers that should be listed are these four:
The following procedure will show you how to delete any other, unwanted nameservers from the list, and also how to add the correct nameservers if they are not already in the list.

ns1.bdm.microsoftonline.com
ns2.bdm.microsoftonline.com
ns3.bdm.microsoftonline.com
ns4.bdm.microsoftonline.com

To get started, go to your domains page at Register.com by using this link. You'll be prompted to sign in.
Choose Domains.
Choose Manage.
Find the row that contains the name of the domain that you want to modify; and then, in that row, choose Manage.

Scroll to the Domain Name System Servers (DNS Servers) section.

In the first two boxes in the New DNS Server column, type or copy and paste the values in the first two rows of the following table.

First row	ns1.bdm.microsoftonline.com
Second row	ns2.bdm.microsoftonline.com
Third row	ns3.bdm.microsoftonline.com
Fourth row	ns4.bdm.microsoftonline.com

Choose Continue.
On the next page, choose Continue again to confirm and save your changes.
The four nameservers that you have added should now be the only nameservers in the list.

Note: Your nameserver record updates may take up to several hours to update across the Internet's DNS system. Then your Office 365 email and other services will be all set to work with your domain.