Email Setup Wizard

iCloud+ Custom Email Domain + IONOS

Set up iCloud+ Custom Email Domain email on IONOS

The records iCloud+ Custom Email Domain needs, written with the field names IONOS uses (Host name, Points to, Value, Alias), in the order to add them.

  • 5 steps
  • 6 DNS records
  • Sources checked October 21, 2026

Before you start

  1. Have your iCloud+ Custom Email Domain account ready. Some values are unique to your account and come from the iCloud+ Custom Email Domain.
  2. Open DNS at IONOS: Sign in at login.ionos.com, select Menu, then Domains and SSL. Under Actions for your domain, select the gear icon, then DNS.
  3. Keep both tabs open and add the records below one at a time.

Records to add

Copy each value with the button next to it. Rows marked “Copy from iCloud+ Custom Email Domain” are unique to your account.

Domain verification Proves you own the domain Type TXT Host name Leave empty Value Copy from iCloud+ Custom Email Domain Priority n/a TTL Default
MX records Where incoming email goes Type MX Host name @ Value mx01.mail.icloud.com Priority 10 TTL Default
MX records Where incoming email goes Type MX Host name @ Value mx02.mail.icloud.com Priority 10 TTL Default
SPF record Which servers may send as you Type TXT Host name Leave empty Value v=spf1 include:icloud.com ~all Priority n/a TTL Default
DKIM A signature on every message Type CNAME Host name sig1._domainkey Value sig1.dkim.yourdomain.com.at.icloudmailadmin.com Priority n/a TTL Default
DMARC record What to do with fakes · recommended Type TXT Host name _dmarc Value v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:dmarc@yourdomain.com Priority n/a TTL Default

Step by step in IONOS

Verify your domain

Your email provider needs proof that you control this domain before it accepts email for it.

Type
TXT
Host name
Leave this field empty
Value
Copy it from iCloud+ Custom Email Domain (see below)

Where to find your value

Go to icloud.com/icloudplus, select Custom Email Domain, then Add a domain you own. In step 3, select View to see your personal TXT record.

In IONOS

  1. Select Add record, then the TXT section.
  2. Leave Host name empty for your bare domain, paste the Value, and choose a TTL.
  3. Select Save.

Point your MX records

MX records tell every other mail server where to deliver email for your domain. They must point to your provider and nowhere else.

Type
MX
Host name
@
Priority
10
Points to
mx01.mail.icloud.com
  • Apple's page writes these with a trailing period (mx01.mail.icloud.com.). Use whichever form your DNS host expects.
Type
MX
Host name
@
Priority
10
Points to
mx02.mail.icloud.com

In IONOS

  1. Select Add record, then the MX section.
  2. Enter @ as Host name, the mail server in Points to, and the Priority. Choose 1 hour for TTL.
  3. Select Save.
  4. If other MX records are listed, delete each one with the Delete record (trash can) icon.
  5. Repeat for each MX record above.

Add the SPF record

SPF is a TXT record that lists the services allowed to send email from your domain, so receivers can spot forgeries.

Type
TXT
Host name
Leave this field empty
Value
v=spf1 include:icloud.com ~all

In IONOS

  1. Select Add record, then the TXT section.
  2. Leave Host name empty for your bare domain, paste the Value, and choose a TTL.
  3. Select Save.

Set up DKIM

DKIM publishes a public key so receivers can confirm your messages really came from you and were not changed on the way.

Type
CNAME
Host name
sig1._domainkey
Alias
sig1.dkim.yourdomain.com.at.icloudmailadmin.com

In IONOS

  1. Select Subdomains, then Add subdomain, and enter the record's name (for example autodiscover).
  2. Under Actions for the new subdomain, select the gear icon, then DNS.
  3. Select Add record, then the CNAME section.
  4. Enter the target in the Alias box, tick the I am aware disclaimer if it appears, and select Save.

Add the DMARC record (recommended)

DMARC tells receivers what to do with mail that fails SPF and DKIM, and where to send reports about it.

Type
TXT
Host name
_dmarc
Value
v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:dmarc@yourdomain.com
  • Apple's setup page doesn't list a DMARC record. This is the standard starting record (p=none asks receivers for no action); replace the report address with one you read.

In IONOS

  1. Select Add record, then the TXT section.
  2. Leave Host name empty for your bare domain, paste the Value, and choose a TTL.
  3. Select Save.

Check your setup

Once the records are saved, run a live check. We look up your domain in public DNS and tell you what is right, missing or wrong, with the fix in IONOS’s words.

We only read public DNS records. Nothing is stored.

Common mistakes with iCloud+ Custom Email Domain on IONOS

Leaving example.com in the DKIM target

Apple's example target is sig1.dkim.example.com.at.icloudmailadmin.com. Replace example.com with your own domain.

IONOS: CNAME records go on their own subdomain

IONOS supports only one top-level CNAME record, so each CNAME is created by first adding a subdomain and then giving it an Alias.

IONOS: MX and a top-level Autodiscover CNAME can't coexist

IONOS doesn't allow a domain to have both an MX record and a top-level Autodiscover CNAME. Microsoft's guide uses the subdomain method above for Autodiscover.

Visit iCloud+ Custom Email Domain Visit IONOS

Rather have someone do it for you?

Tell us your domain and we will add and verify every record for iCloud+ Custom Email Domain on IONOS, then send you the check results.

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iCloud+ Custom Email Domain on IONOS: questions

Where do I add iCloud+ Custom Email Domain DNS records in IONOS?

Sign in at login.ionos.com, select Menu, then Domains and SSL. Under Actions for your domain, select the gear icon, then DNS. Add each record there, one at a time.

What goes in the Host name field at IONOS?

Leave it empty for records on your bare domain, such as MX and SPF. For the others, enter only the part before your domain, for example sig1._domainkey. IONOS adds your domain automatically.

Do I need to delete my existing MX records at IONOS?

Yes. Mail servers deliver to every MX record you publish, so keep only the iCloud+ Custom Email Domain MX records and delete the rest.

Where do I get my iCloud+ Custom Email Domain DKIM record?

iCloud+ Custom Email Domain DKIM records are CNAME records whose value includes your domain, for example sig1.dkim.yourdomain.com.at.icloudmailadmin.com. Copy the exact values for your domain from the table on this page.

Sources

Every value and step on this page comes from these official pages. Dashboards change, so if something doesn’t match what you see, tell us.

iCloud+ Custom Email Domain on other hosts

Other email providers on IONOS