Change nameservers to set up Office 365 with Bluehost

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 Bluehost.)

Here's what you need to do. (Need more help? Get support.)

• Add a TXT record for verification

• Change your domain's nameserver 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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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.

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

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_name area, select the checkbox for your domain, and then choose name servers.

   

3. In the domain_name area, choose Use Custom Nameservers.

   

4. Depending on whether or not there are already nameservers listed on the page that is displayed now, continue to one of the two following procedures:

   • If there are NO nameservers already listed, go to the first procedure.

   • If there ARE nameservers already listed, go to the second procedure.

If there are NO nameservers already listed

1. In the Use Custom Nameservers section, type or copy and paste the values from the following table.

   First empty row	ns1.bdm.microsoftonline.com
   Second empty row	ns2.bdm.microsoftonline.com

   

2. Choose Add Row.

   

3. Still in the Use Custom Nameservers section, type or copy and paste the values from the first row of the following table into the new empty row.

   Third empty row	ns3.bdm.microsoftonline.com
   Fourth empty row	ns4.bdm.microsoftonline.com

   

4. To add the fourth Nameserver record, choose Add Row again, and create a record using the values from the last row of the above table.

5. Choose save nameserver settings.

   

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.

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If there ARE nameservers already listed

Caution: Follow these steps only if you have existing nameservers other than the four correct nameservers. (That is, delete only any current nameservers that are not named ns1.bdm.microsoftonline.com, ns2.bdm.microsoftonline.com, ns3.bdm.microsoftonline.com, or ns4.bdm.microsoftonline.com.)

1. If there are any other name servers listed, delete each of them by selecting it and then pressing the Delete key on your keyboard.

   

2. Still in the Use Custom Nameservers section, type or copy and paste the values from the following table.

   First empty row	ns1.bdm.microsoftonline.com
   Second empty row	ns2.bdm.microsoftonline.com

   

3. Choose Add Row.

   

4. Still in the Use Custom Nameservers section, type or copy and paste the values from the first row of the following table into the new empty row.

   Third empty row	ns3.bdm.microsoftonline.com
   Fourth empty row	ns4.bdm.microsoftonline.com

   

5. To add the fourth Nameserver record, choose Add Row again, and create a record using the values from the last row of the above table.

6. Choose save nameserver settings.

   

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.

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