Email Setup Wizard

Namecheap Private Email + OVHcloud

Set up Namecheap Private Email email on OVHcloud

The records Namecheap Private Email needs, written with the field names OVHcloud uses (Subdomain, Target, Value), in the order to add them.

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

Before you start

  1. Have your Namecheap Private Email account ready. Some values are unique to your account and come from the Namecheap account (Private Email).
  2. Open DNS at OVHcloud: Sign in to the OVHcloud Control Panel (ovh.com/manager). Under View all my activity, select your domain name. Open the DNS zone tab.
  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 Namecheap account (Private Email)” are unique to your account.

MX records Where incoming email goes Type MX Subdomain Leave empty Value mx1.privateemail.com. Priority 10 TTL Default
MX records Where incoming email goes Type MX Subdomain Leave empty Value mx2.privateemail.com. Priority 10 TTL Default
SPF record Which servers may send as you Type TXT Subdomain Leave empty Value v=spf1 include:spf.privateemail.com ~all Priority n/a TTL Default
DKIM A signature on every message Type TXT Subdomain privateemail._domainkey Value Copy from Namecheap account (Private Email) Priority n/a TTL Default
DMARC record What to do with fakes · recommended Type TXT Subdomain _dmarc Value v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:postmaster@yourdomain.com Priority n/a TTL Default
Autodiscover Automatic app setup · recommended Type CNAME Subdomain autodiscover Value privateemail.com. Priority n/a TTL Default

Step by step in OVHcloud

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
Subdomain
Leave this field empty
Priority
10
Target
mx1.privateemail.com.
Type
MX
Subdomain
Leave this field empty
Priority
10
Target
mx2.privateemail.com.

In OVHcloud

  1. Select the Add an entry tile.
  2. In Mail records, choose MX.
  3. Leave Subdomain empty, enter the Priority and the Target (ending with a dot), and a TTL.
  4. Select Next, then Confirm.
  5. Delete older MX records with the trash icon in the Actions column.
  6. 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
Subdomain
Leave this field empty
Value
v=spf1 include:spf.privateemail.com ~all

In OVHcloud

  1. Select the Add an entry tile.
  2. In Extended records, choose TXT.
  3. Fill in Subdomain (empty for your bare domain) and Value.
  4. Select Next, then Confirm.

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
TXT
Subdomain
privateemail._domainkey
Value
Copy it from Namecheap account (Private Email) (see below)

Subdomain: Subscriptions bought on or after June 2, 2026 use privateemail._domainkey; older ones use default._domainkey.

Where to find your value

In your Namecheap account open the Private Email menu, click Manage next to your domain, then click Generate under DKIM and copy the value.

  • Namecheap calls DKIM a mandatory entry for outgoing mail to work correctly.
  • Paste the whole value into one field; don't split it.
  • It normally takes about 60 minutes to take effect.

In OVHcloud

  1. Select the Add an entry tile.
  2. In Extended records, choose TXT.
  3. Fill in Subdomain (empty for your bare domain) and Value.
  4. Select Next, then Confirm.

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
Subdomain
_dmarc
Value
v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:postmaster@yourdomain.com

In OVHcloud

  1. Select the Add an entry tile.
  2. In Extended records, choose TXT.
  3. Fill in Subdomain (empty for your bare domain) and Value.
  4. Select Next, then Confirm.

Add the Autodiscover record (recommended)

Autodiscover lets Outlook and other mail apps find your account settings without manual setup.

Type
CNAME
Subdomain
autodiscover
Target
privateemail.com.
  • Optional. Namecheap also lists optional mail and autoconfig CNAMEs pointing to privateemail.com.

In OVHcloud

  1. Select the Add an entry tile.
  2. In Pointer records, choose CNAME.
  3. Fill in Subdomain and the Target (ending with a dot).
  4. Select Next, then Confirm.

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 OVHcloud’s words.

We only read public DNS records. Nothing is stored.

Common mistakes with Namecheap Private Email on OVHcloud

Using the wrong DKIM host name

Subscriptions bought before June 2, 2026 use default._domainkey; newer ones use privateemail._domainkey.

Splitting the DKIM value

Namecheap warns not to put part of the value in one field and the rest in another. Paste the full string in one field.

Adding a second SPF record

Merge Private Email into your existing SPF record instead of adding another one.

OVHcloud: End targets with a dot

By default OVHcloud treats a target without a final dot as relative and adds your domain to the end. End MX and CNAME targets with a dot, for example mx1.example.com.

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Tell us your domain and we will add and verify every record for Namecheap Private Email on OVHcloud, then send you the check results.

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Namecheap Private Email on OVHcloud: questions

Where do I add Namecheap Private Email DNS records in OVHcloud?

Sign in to the OVHcloud Control Panel (ovh.com/manager). Under View all my activity, select your domain name. Open the DNS zone tab. Add each record there, one at a time.

What goes in the Subdomain field at OVHcloud?

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 _dmarc. OVHcloud adds your domain automatically.

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

Yes. Mail servers deliver to every MX record you publish, so keep only the Namecheap Private Email MX records and delete the rest. By default OVHcloud treats a target without a final dot as relative and adds your domain to the end. End MX and CNAME targets with a dot, for example mx1.example.com.

Where do I get my Namecheap Private Email DKIM record?

In your Namecheap account open the Private Email menu, click Manage next to your domain, then click Generate under DKIM and copy the value.

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.

Namecheap Private Email on other hosts

Other email providers on OVHcloud