Email Setup Wizard

Zoho Mail + IONOS

Set up Zoho Mail email on IONOS

The records Zoho Mail needs, written with the field names IONOS uses (Host name, Points to, Value, Alias), in the order to add them.

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

Not sure of your region? Check the address you sign in at: accounts.zoho.com, accounts.zoho.eu, accounts.zoho.in, accounts.zoho.com.au, accounts.zoho.jp, accounts.zohocloud.ca, accounts.zoho.sa.

Before you start

  1. Have your Zoho Mail account ready. Some values are unique to your account and come from the Zoho Mail Admin Console.
  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 Zoho Mail Admin Console” are unique to your account.

Domain verification Proves you own the domain Type TXT Host name Leave empty Value Copy from Zoho Mail Admin Console Looks like: zoho-verification=zb followed by a unique code and .zmverify.zoho. Priority n/a TTL Default
MX records Where incoming email goes Type MX Host name @ Value mx.zoho.com Priority 10 TTL Default
MX records Where incoming email goes Type MX Host name @ Value mx2.zoho.com Priority 20 TTL Default
MX records Where incoming email goes Type MX Host name @ Value mx3.zoho.com Priority 50 TTL Default
SPF record Which servers may send as you Type TXT Host name Leave empty Value v=spf1 include:zohomail.com -all Priority n/a TTL Default
DKIM A signature on every message Type TXT Host name <selector>._domainkey Value Copy from Zoho Mail Admin Console 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 Zoho Mail Admin Console (see below)

Where to find your value

In the Zoho Mail Admin Console (mailadmin.zoho.com) open Domains, select your domain and go to Verify Domain Ownership. Choose TXT from the drop-down to see your value.

It looks like: zoho-verification=zb followed by a unique code and .zmverify.zoho.

  • Enter @ or leave the host blank.
  • The code is unique to each domain, so a code from another domain won't work.
  • Zoho recommends deleting the verification record once verification succeeds.
  • Zoho also offers a CNAME method: host zb followed by your code, pointing to zmverify.zoho.com.

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
mx.zoho.com
  • Remove existing MX records first. Records from a previous provider with equal or higher priority (such as 0 or 5) can stop mail reaching Zoho.
  • Some hosts need a trailing period on the value.
Type
MX
Host name
@
Priority
20
Points to
mx2.zoho.com
Type
MX
Host name
@
Priority
50
Points to
mx3.zoho.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:zohomail.com -all
  • Use -all only if Zoho is the only service sending mail for your domain. If others also send, merge every include into one record and end it with ~all, for example v=spf1 include:abc.com include:zohomail.com ~all.
  • Keep only one SPF record and stay under 10 DNS lookups.

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.
  4. Repeat for each TXT record above.

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
Host name
<selector>._domainkey
Value
Copy it from Zoho Mail Admin Console (see below)

Host name: The selector is the name you type when adding DKIM in Zoho. Zoho's example is zoho, which gives the host zoho._domainkey.

Where to find your value

In the Zoho Mail Admin Console go to Domains, select your domain, open the Email Configuration tab and select DKIM. Click Add, enter a selector, choose a 1024 or 2048-bit key, and copy the TXT value.

  • After the record is published, click Verify for the selector in Zoho, then enable DKIM.
  • DKIM can take 4 to 48 hours to propagate.

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.

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
  • Roll out in phases: p=none (reports only), then p=quarantine, then p=reject, raising pct gradually.
  • Replace the report address with a mailbox you read.
  • Configure SPF and DKIM first. Only one DMARC record is allowed per domain.
  • Zoho can generate the exact record for you under Domains > Email Configuration > DMARC.

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 Zoho Mail on IONOS

Using US MX values for a non-US account

The MX domain ending changes with your Zoho data center. If you signed up in the EU, India or another region, copy the values from your Admin Console.

Keeping old MX records with a low number

Records from a previous provider with equal or higher priority (such as 0 or 5) can stop mail reaching Zoho. Delete them.

Adding a second SPF record

Multiple SPF records can make SPF fail and send mail to spam. Merge every include into one record.

Forgetting to verify and enable DKIM

After publishing the TXT record, click Verify for the selector in Zoho, then enable DKIM.

Publishing more than one DMARC record

Multiple DMARC records cause a permanent error and the policy is ignored. Keep exactly one.

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 Zoho Mail Visit IONOS

Rather have someone do it for you?

Tell us your domain and we will add and verify every record for Zoho Mail on IONOS, then send you the check results.

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Zoho Mail on IONOS: questions

Where do I add Zoho Mail 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 _dmarc. IONOS adds your domain automatically.

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

Remove existing MX records first. Records from a previous provider with equal or higher priority (such as 0 or 5) can stop mail reaching Zoho.

Where do I get my Zoho Mail DKIM record?

In the Zoho Mail Admin Console go to Domains, select your domain, open the Email Configuration tab and select DKIM. Click Add, enter a selector, choose a 1024 or 2048-bit key, and copy the TXT value.

Can Zoho Mail add the records at IONOS for me?

IONOS supports Domain Connect: Microsoft 365 and Zoho Mail can add the records after you sign in to IONOS and select Connect and Allow.

How long until Zoho Mail email works on IONOS?

MX changes can take an hour or two to take effect. SPF and DKIM can take 4 to 48 hours.

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.

Zoho Mail on other hosts

Other email providers on IONOS