Set Up External Email Provider

This process involves adding TXT and MX DNS records in your my.box dashboard based on the details provided by your email provider.

1. Access your email provider Log in to your email provider (e.g., Google Workspace, Office 365, Proton Mail) and navigate to the "Add Custom Domain" page.

2. Input your .box domain When prompted, enter your .box domain.

   • You may need to choose between adding your domain as an alias or setting it up as a secondary domain:

     • Alias: Emails sent to [e-mail] will forward to an existing inbox, such as [e-mail].

     • Secondary Domain: Emails sent to [e-mail] will arrive in a new inbox dedicated to the domain. This may require purchasing an additional license or workspace plan.

Example: Adding .box Domain via Google

1. Manual domain verification When asked to select your domain host or registrar, find the option for "Manual verification" or "My domain uses a different host" instead of selecting from the predefined list.

   

   Example: Verifying .box Domain via Google
2. Add the TXT record to your .box domain Your mail provider will provide you with a TXT record to verify your domain ownership.

   • Learn how to set the TXT record: Configure Email

3. Add MX records for email routing Once your email provider verifies the .box domain, they will supply one or more MX records.

   • Learn how to set the MX record(s): Configure Email

4. Start using your .box domain for email After the changes propagate, your email provider will confirm the setup, and you can start sending and receiving emails with your .box domain!

Additional Resources

• Adding a custom domain to Google Workspace (Gmail)
• Adding a custom domain to Office 365 (Outlook)
• Adding a custom domain to Proton Mail

Common Questions

What are these records I am setting?

• Typically, you will be creating 2 or more MX records, and at least 1 or more TXT records

• The MX records will point to the mailserver location itself

• The TXT records will typically be the SPF and DKIM records

  • SPF records are used for email authentication to allow the mailserver to work with your .box domain

    • E.g., "v=spf1 ip4:192.0.2.0 ip4:192.0.2.1 include:examplesender.email -all"

  • DKIM records are for protection against spoofing, phishing, and to help prevent your messages from being marked as spam

    • E.g., "v=DKIM1; p=76E629F05F70 9EF665853333 EEC3F5ADE69A 2362BECE4065 8267AB2FC3CB 6CBE"

How long does it take for DNS changes to propagate?

While most changes take only a few minutes, it may take up to 24 hours for the TXT and MX records to fully update.

Do I need to purchase a license for a secondary domain?

Some providers, like Google Workspace or Office 365, may require a separate workspace license for secondary domains. Check your provider’s pricing and plan options.

Can I use my .box domain as an alias without purchasing additional licenses?

Yes, setting up your .box domain as an alias is typically free and routes email to an existing inbox.

The MX record I received has numbers at the start. What do I do?

• You may receive an MX record from your email provider that looks like this: "10 somemailserver.com"

• In this case, the "10" is the value to put under the PRIORITY column