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Create DNS records for Microsoft using Windows-based DNS

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

If you host your own DNS records using Windows-based DNS, follow the steps in this article to set up your records for email, Skype for Business Online, and so on.

To get started, you need to find your DNS records in Windows-based DNS so you can update them. Also, if you're planning to synchronize your on-premises Active Directory with Microsoft, see Non-routable email address used as a UPN in your on-premises Active Directory.

Trouble with mail flow or other issues after adding DNS records, see Troubleshoot issues after changing your domain name or DNS records.

Find your DNS records in Windows-based DNS

Go to the page that has the DNS records for your domain. If you're working in Windows Server 2008, go to Start > Run. If you're working in Windows Server 2012, press the Windows key and r. Type dnsmgmnt.msc, and then select OK. In DNS Manager, expand <DNS server name> > Forward Lookup Zones. Select your domain. You're now ready to create the DNS records.

Add MX record

Add an MX record so email for your domain will come to Microsoft.

  • The MX record you'll add includes a value (the Points to address value) that looks something like this: <MX token>.mail.protection.outlook.com, where <MX token> is a value like MSxxxxxxx.
  • From the MX row in the Exchange Online section of the Add DNS records page in Microsoft, copy the value listed under Points to address. You'll use this value in the record you're creating in this task.
  • On the DNS Manager page for the domain, go to Action > Mail Exchanger (MX). To find this page for the domain, see Find your DNS records in Windows-based DNS.
  • In the New Resource Record dialog box, make sure that the fields are set to precisely the following values:
    • Host Name:
    • @Address: Paste the Points to address value that you just copied from Microsoft here.
    • Pref:
  • Select Save Changes.
  • Remove any obsolete MX records. If you have any old MX records for this domain that route email somewhere else, select the check box next to each old record, and then select Delete > OK.

Add CNAME records

Add the CNAME records that are required for Microsoft. If other CNAME records are listed in Microsoft, add those following the same general steps shown here.

Important

If you have Mobile Device Management (MDM) for Microsoft, then you must create two more CNAME records. Follow the procedure that you used for the other four CNAME records, but supply the values from the following table. (If you don't have MDM, you can skip this step.)

  • On the DNS Manager page for the domain, go to Action > CNAME (CNAME).
  • In the New Resource Record dialog box, make sure that the fields are set to precisely the following values:
    • Host Name: autodiscover
    • Type:
    • CNAMEAddress: autodiscover.outlook.com
  • Select OK.

Add the SIP CNAME record.

  • On the DNS Manager page for the domain, go to Action > CNAME (CNAME).
  • In the New Resource Record dialog box, make sure that the fields are set to precisely the following values:
    • Host Name: sip
    • Type: CNAME
    • Address: sipdir.online.lync.com
  • Select OK.

Add the Skype for Business Online Autodiscover CNAME record.

  • On the DNS Manager page for the domain, go to Action > CNAME (CNAME). In the New Resource Record dialog box, make sure that the fields are set to precisely the following values:
    • Host Name: lyncdiscover
    • Type: CNAME
    • Address: webdir.online.lync.com
  • Select OK.

Add two CNAME records for Mobile Device Management (MDM) for Microsoft

Important

If you have Mobile Device Management (MDM) for Microsoft, then you must create two more CNAME records. Follow the procedure that you used for the other four CNAME records, but supply the values from the following table. >(If you don't have MDM, you can skip this step.)

Add the MDM Enterpriseregistration CNAME record.

  • On the DNS Manager page for the domain, go to Action > CNAME (CNAME).
  • In the New Resource Record dialog box, make sure that the fields are set to precisely the following values:
  • Host Name: enterpriseregistration
  • Type: CNAME
  • Address: enterpriseregistration.windows.net
  • Select OK.

Add the MDM Enterpriseenrollment CNAME record.

  • On the DNS Manager page for the domain, go to Action > CNAME (CNAME).
  • In the New Resource Record dialog box, make sure that the fields are set to precisely the following values:
    • Host Name: enterpriseenrollment
    • Type: CNAME
    • Address: enterpriseenrollment-s.manage.microsoft.com
  • Select OK.

Add a TXT record for SPF to help prevent email spam

Important

You can't 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 Microsoft. Instead, add the required Microsoft values to the current record so that you have a single SPF record that includes both sets of values.

Add the SPF TXT record for your domain to help prevent email spam.

  • You might already have other strings in the TXT value for this record (such as strings for marketing email), which is fine. Leave those strings in place and add this one, placing double-quotes around each string to separate them.
  • On the DNS Manager page for your domain, go to Action > Text (TXT).
  • In the New Resource Record dialog box, make sure that the fields are set to precisely the following values.

Important

In some versions of Windows DNS Manager, the domain may have been set up so that when you create a txt record, the home name defaults to the parent domain. In this situation, when adding a TXT record, set the host name to blank (no value) instead of setting it to @ or the domain name.

  • Host type: @

  • Record Type: TXT

  • Address: v=spf1 include:spf.protection.outlook.com -all

  • Select OK.

Add SRV records

Add the two SRV records that are required for Microsoft.

Add the SIP SRV record for Skype for Business Online web conferencing.

  • On the DNS Manager page for your domain, go to Action > Other New Records.
  • In the Resource Record Type window, select Service Location (SRV), and then select Create Record.
  • In the New Resource Record dialog box, make sure that the fields are set to precisely the following values:
    • Service: _sip
    • Protocol: _tls
    • Priority: 100
    • Weight: 1
    • Port: 443
    • Target (Hostname): sipdir.online.lync.com
  • Select OK.

Add the SIP SRV record for Skype for Business Online federation.

  • On the DNS Manager page for your domain, go to Action > Other New Records.
  • In the Resource Record Type window, select Service Location (SRV), and then select Create Record.
  • In the New Resource Record dialog box, make sure that the fields are set to precisely the following values:
    • Service: _sipfederationtls
    • Protocol: _tcp
    • Priority: 100
    • Weight: 1
    • Port: 5061
    • Target (Hostname): sipfed.online.lync.com
  • Select OK.

Add a record to verify that you own the domain, if you haven't already

Before you add the DNS records to set up your Microsoft services, Microsoft has to confirm that you own the domain you're adding. To do this, you add a record, following the steps after this.

Note

This record is used only to verify that you own your domain; it doesn't affect anything else.

  1. Gather information from Microsoft.
  2. In the admin center, go to the Settings > Domains page.
  3. On the Domains page, in the Actions column for the domain that you're verifying, select Start setup.
  4. On the Add a domain to Microsoft page, select Start step 1.
  5. On the Confirm that you own your domain page, in the See instructions for performing this step with drop-down list, choose General instructions.
  6. From the table, copy the Destination or Points to Address value. You'll need it for the next step. We recommend copying and pasting this value, so that all of the spacing stays correct.

Add a TXT record.

  • On the DNS Manager page for your domain, go to Action > Text (TXT).
  • In the New Resource Record dialog box, select Edit.
  • In the Custom Host Names area of the New Resource Record dialog box, make sure that the fields are set to precisely the following values.

Important

In some versions of Windows DNS Manager, the domain may have been set up so that when you create a txt record, the home name defaults to the parent domain. In this situation, when adding a TXT record, set the host name to blank (no value) instead of setting it to @ or the domain name.

  • Host Name: @
  • Type: TXT
  • Address: Paste the Destination or Points to Address value that you just copied from Microsoft here.
  • Select OK > Done.

Verify your domain in Microsoft.

Important

Wait about 15 minutes before you do this, so the record you just created can update across the Internet.

  • Go back to Microsoft and follow the steps after this to request a verification check. The check looks for the TXT record you added in the previous step. When it finds the correct TXT record, the domain is verified.
  1. In the admin center, go to the Setup > Domains page.
  2. On the Domains page, in the Action column for the domain you're verifying, select Start setup.
  3. On the Confirm that you own your domain page, select done, verify now, and then in the confirmation dialog box, select Finish.

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.

Non-routable email address used as a UPN in your on-premises Active Directory

If you're planning to synchronize your on-premises Active Directory with Microsoft, you'll want to make sure that the Active Directory user principal name (UPN) suffix is a valid domain suffix, and not an unsupported domain suffix such as @contoso.local. If you need to change your UPN suffix, see How to prepare a non-routable domain for directory synchronization.

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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