Office 365 can't verify domain name: Add TXT record

Before you set up Office 365 operated by 21Vianet to use your custom domain name, we have to make sure that you own the domain. Otherwise, anyone could use any domain name they wanted to. For example, someone could use your domain name with Office 365 and say they were you!

How do you prove to Office 365 that you own your domain? You create a record with specific information in it (we provide the info) for your domain at your domain registrar or DNS hosting provider. Then, Office 365 looks for that record. When we find it, we know that you own the domain because you must have signed on to the site where your domain is managed and created the record we looked for.

Help me fix it

The Office 365 portal includes steps that walk you through exactly how to create the record and check for it.

1. Sign in to Office 365 with your work or school account.

2. Choose Setup > Domains.

3. On the Manage domains page, choose Add domain.

Follow the steps in the wizard, which include answering a few questions about your scenario, typing in your domain name, and then following step-by-step directions for adding the record at your domain registrar or DNS hosting provider.

It didn't work. Where can I get more help?

It can be tricky to verify your domain to Office 365. There are lots of steps to go through, and if you don't work with DNS records much, it can be tricky to navigate the website to add the record (even with some help from the step-by-step directions we provide for many domain registrar sites here).

Run the Troubleshooter in the portal.    The troubleshooting wizard shows you the TXT record you need to add to verify your domain:

1. Sign in to Office 365 with your work or school account.

2. Choose Setup > Domains.

3. On the Manage domains page, select your domain, and then choose Troubleshoot.