Adding a domain to Microsoft 365
How to connect your business domain to Microsoft 365 so your team can use professional email addresses like you@yourcompany.com instead of @outlook.com.
When you first set up Microsoft 365, your email addresses use Microsoft's default domain — something like name@yourcompany.onmicrosoft.com. To use a professional address like you@yourcompany.com, you need to connect your domain to Microsoft 365.
Quick summary
In the admin center, go to Settings → Domains → Add domain and follow the wizard. You'll verify that you own the domain by adding a DNS record at your domain registrar, then update your email (MX) records to point mail to Microsoft. The process takes 15–30 minutes of your time, but DNS changes can take up to 48 hours to fully propagate.
What you'll need
Admin access required 15–30 minutes (plus up to 48 hours for DNS to propagate)- Admin access to the Microsoft 365 admin center
- Access to your domain registrar (where you registered your domain — for example, GoDaddy, Namecheap, Google Domains)
- Your domain name (for example,
yourcompany.com)
If you're not sure who your domain registrar is, see How to find where your domain is registered.
Adding the domain
Sign in to the admin center at admin.microsoft.com.
Go to Settings → Domains.
Click Add domain.
Enter your domain name (for example, yourcompany.com) and click Use this domain.
Verify you own the domain. Microsoft will ask you to add a TXT record to your domain's DNS settings. This proves to Microsoft that you control the domain. Copy the TXT record value that Microsoft provides.
Log in to your domain registrar and add the TXT record in your DNS settings. The exact steps vary by registrar — look for a DNS management or DNS records section. See DNS records explained if you need help.
Return to the Microsoft wizard and click Verify. Microsoft will check for the TXT record. This can take a few minutes to detect after you've added it.
Update your email (MX) records. After verification, Microsoft will show you the DNS records you need to add or update to route email through Microsoft. The key records are:
- MX record — tells the internet to deliver email to Microsoft
- CNAME records — for services like Autodiscover (auto-configures email apps)
- TXT records — for SPF (helps prevent your emails being marked as spam)
Add all these records at your domain registrar.
Complete the wizard. Once you click Done, Microsoft will confirm the domain is active. Full email delivery may take up to 48 hours to work everywhere, but most email will flow quickly.
Email may be disrupted during the changeover
When you update your MX records, there is a brief period where email could be delayed. The old settings expire after a short time (usually a few hours) and the new Microsoft records take over. Inform your team of the planned change window.
After adding the domain
- Update user email addresses — go to each user's profile and change their email address from
@onmicrosoft.comto@yourcompany.com. - Set your domain as the default — in Settings → Domains, you can set your custom domain as the default so new users get addresses on your domain automatically.
- Add SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records for better email deliverability. Microsoft will prompt you to do this, or you can read Email DNS records explained for guidance.
Granting us access to help
If you'd like Chykalophia to help with the domain connection, grant us admin access to your Microsoft 365 account and access to your domain registrar. Our default account is support@chykalophia.com unless your project lead has given you a different address.
Common questions
Related guides
- What is DNS?
- DNS records explained
- Email DNS records (MX, SPF, DKIM, DMARC)
- Microsoft 365 billing explained
- Give us Microsoft 365 admin access
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