Zoho Mail provides free custom domain email for up to 5 users. Setting it up requires adding MX records, SPF, and DKIM to your domain's DNS. The process takes about 10 minutes plus DNS propagation time.
DNS Records Required
| Type | Host | Value | TTL | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MX | @ | mx.zoho.com | 3600 | Priority 10 — primary |
| MX | @ | mx2.zoho.com | 3600 | Priority 20 |
| MX | @ | mx3.zoho.com | 3600 | Priority 50 |
| TXT | @ | v=spf1 include:zoho.com ~all | 3600 | SPF for Zoho Mail |
| TXT | @ | zoho-verification=YOUR_CODE | 300 | Domain verification code from Zoho admin |
| TXT | zoho._domainkey | v=DKIM1; k=rsa; p=YOUR_PUBLIC_KEY | 3600 | DKIM — get full value from Zoho admin |
Step-by-Step Setup
Add domain in Zoho Mail
Log into mail.zoho.com → Settings → Domains → Add Domain. Enter your domain name.
Add verification TXT record
Zoho gives you a TXT record for verification. Add it to your DNS, then click Verify in Zoho.
Add MX records
Remove existing MX records and add the 3 Zoho MX records with the correct priority values.
Add SPF record
Add the SPF TXT record. If you have an existing SPF, add include:zoho.com to it.
Set up DKIM
In Zoho Mail → Settings → Domains → DKIM. Zoho generates a public key. Copy the TXT record and add it to DNS at zoho._domainkey.yourdomain.com.
Create mailboxes
After DNS verifies, create user accounts in Zoho Mail. They'll receive email at user@yourdomain.com.
Copy-ready records: Use the DNS Record Builder — select this service from the dropdown and enter your domain to get all records formatted and ready to copy.
After Adding Records
DNS changes can take anywhere from a few minutes to 24 hours to propagate. Use the DNS Propagation Checker to verify your records are live globally, then return to the service's admin console to verify domain ownership.
Zoho Mail offers a free plan for up to 5 users with 5GB per user. Paid plans support more users and storage.
MX record propagation takes 1–24 hours. Once the MX records propagate, email starts routing to Zoho immediately.
Remove the old provider's MX records before adding Zoho's. Having multiple MX records from different providers causes unpredictable routing.