How to use Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace email with your domain

This guide shows how to keep your website hosted with us while your email is handled by Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace.

Before you start

• Your domain needs to use our nameservers, so the records are managed in cPanel. See how to change your nameservers.
• Set up your Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace account and add your domain in their admin area. They will show you the records to add.
• If you already have mailboxes with us, create the same mailboxes at the new provider before you change anything, so no mail goes missing.

Find the records your provider wants

In the Microsoft 365 admin centre or the Google Workspace admin console, open the domain settings. They’ll list:

• a TXT record to prove you own the domain
• one or more MX records for receiving email
• a TXT record for SPF
• sometimes CNAME records for other features

Copy the values from their screen exactly. The values are different for each account, so don’t copy them from another website.

Add the records in cPanel

1. Log in to cPanel and open Zone Editor. See how to edit DNS records in cPanel.
2. Click Manage next to your domain.
3. Add the verification TXT record, then go back to your provider and click verify.
4. Delete the existing MX records that point at our server.
5. Add the provider’s MX records with the priority they give.
6. Find the existing SPF record, which starts with v=spf1. Edit it to include your provider’s part rather than adding a second SPF record. A domain should only have one.
7. Add any CNAME records the provider lists.

Set email routing in cPanel

This step tells our server not to deliver mail for your domain locally.

1. In cPanel, open Email Routing. It’s in the Email section.
2. Choose your domain.
3. Select Remote Mail Exchanger.
4. Click Change.

Without this, emails sent from your website or from other accounts on our server may go to the old mailbox instead of your provider.

If it doesn’t work

• The provider says the domain isn’t verified. Check the TXT record was saved exactly, then wait a while and try again.
• Mail still arrives in the old mailbox. Check the old MX records were removed and that Email Routing is set to Remote Mail Exchanger.
• Mail from your website contact form is missing. Check Email Routing, then check your SPF record includes both our server and your provider.

Good to know

For DKIM and DMARC, see how to set up SPF, DKIM and DMARC.

Still stuck? Open a support ticket and we’ll help.