Email Setup Wizard

Zoho Mail + OVHcloud

Set up Zoho Mail email on OVHcloud

The records Zoho Mail needs, written with the field names OVHcloud uses (Subdomain, Target, Value), 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 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 Zoho Mail Admin Console” are unique to your account.

Domain verification Proves you own the domain Type TXT Subdomain 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 Subdomain Leave empty Value mx.zoho.com. Priority 10 TTL Default
MX records Where incoming email goes Type MX Subdomain Leave empty Value mx2.zoho.com. Priority 20 TTL Default
MX records Where incoming email goes Type MX Subdomain Leave empty Value mx3.zoho.com. Priority 50 TTL Default
SPF record Which servers may send as you Type TXT Subdomain Leave empty Value v=spf1 include:zohomail.com -all Priority n/a TTL Default
DKIM A signature on every message Type TXT Subdomain <selector>._domainkey Value Copy from Zoho Mail Admin Console Priority n/a TTL Default
DMARC record What to do with fakes · recommended Type TXT Subdomain _dmarc Value v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:dmarc@yourdomain.com Priority n/a TTL Default

Step by step in OVHcloud

Verify your domain

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

Type
TXT
Subdomain
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 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.

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
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
Subdomain
Leave this field empty
Priority
20
Target
mx2.zoho.com.
Type
MX
Subdomain
Leave this field empty
Priority
50
Target
mx3.zoho.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: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 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.
  5. 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
Subdomain
<selector>._domainkey
Value
Copy it from Zoho Mail Admin Console (see below)

Subdomain: 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 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: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 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.

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 Zoho Mail on OVHcloud

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.

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.

Rather have someone do it for you?

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

Request done-for-you setup

Zoho Mail on OVHcloud: questions

Where do I add Zoho Mail 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?

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. 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 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.

How long until Zoho Mail email works on OVHcloud?

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