Request for Updated DNS Records for Microsoft 365 Email Setup

To provide GoDaddy with the correct DNS records, first get the Microsoft 365 DNS values from the Microsoft 365 admin center, then send those exact values to GoDaddy so they can update your domain’s DNS (MX, TXT/SPF, and CNAME records) away from GoDaddy’s old service and to Microsoft 365.

Use these steps and details:

1. Understand which records are required
   For email to work fully with Microsoft 365 (Exchange Online), the external DNS must include at least:
   • MX record – routes all mail for your domain to Microsoft 365.
   • Autodiscover CNAME record – lets Outlook and other clients auto-configure.
   • SPF TXT record – identifies Microsoft 365 as an authorized sender for your domain.
   From the documented requirements:
   • Autodiscover CNAME (Exchange Online)
     • Alias/Name: autodiscover
     • Target/Value: autodiscover.outlook.com
   • MX (Exchange Online)
     • Domain/Name: your domain (for example, contoso.com)
     • Target mail server: <MX token>.mail.protection.outlook.com
     • TTL: 3600 (or 1 hour)
     • Priority/Preference: lower than any other MX records (for example, 1 or low)
   • SPF TXT (Exchange Online)
     • A TXT record that includes Microsoft 365’s sending hosts. The exact value is given in the Microsoft 365 admin center and in the SPF guidance under External DNS records required for SPF.
   Email customers using Exchange federation may also need extra TXT and CNAME records, but for standard Microsoft 365 email, the three records above are the core requirements.
2. Get your tenant-specific MX token and SPF value from Microsoft 365
   The MX record uses a tenant-specific <MX token>; this must be taken from your own tenant, not from an example. To obtain it:
   1. Sign in to the Microsoft 365 admin center.
   2. Go to Settings > Domains.
   3. Select your custom domain.
   4. In the domain details, look for the MX record information.
      • It will show the exact Target (for example, contoso-com.mail.protection.outlook.com), Priority, and TTL to use.
   5. In the same domain details, review the TXT/SPF guidance.
      • Use the SPF value shown there, or follow the link to External DNS records required for SPF to confirm the correct TXT record content.
3. Prepare the DNS record list for GoDaddy
   Once the values are collected from the admin center, prepare a clear list for GoDaddy support, for example:
   • MX record
     • Type: MX
     • Name/Host: @ (or your domain name)
     • Mail server/Target: <your-tenant>.mail.protection.outlook.com
     • Priority: 1 (or the lowest number)
     • TTL: 3600 or 1 hour
   • Autodiscover CNAME
     • Type: CNAME
     • Name/Host: autodiscover
     • Target/Value: autodiscover.outlook.com
     • TTL: 3600 or 1 hour
   • SPF TXT
     • Type: TXT
     • Name/Host: @ (or your domain)
     • Value: the SPF string shown in your Microsoft 365 admin center (for example, a value that includes Microsoft 365’s sending hosts as described under External DNS records required for SPF).
   If Exchange federation or other advanced scenarios are in use, also include the additional TXT and CNAME records listed under Exchange federation in the DNS requirements.
4. Send the information to GoDaddy and have them remove old records
   • Provide GoDaddy with the list above and explicitly ask them to:
     • Remove any old MX records pointing to GoDaddy email services.
     • Remove or update any old SPF TXT records that reference GoDaddy mail servers, replacing them with the Microsoft 365 SPF record.
     • Ensure the Autodiscover CNAME points to autodiscover.outlook.com.
5. Verify the domain and DNS health in Microsoft 365
   After GoDaddy updates the DNS:
   1. In the admin center, go to Settings > Domains.
   2. Select your domain and use the domain health or “Fix issues”/“Check health” options.
      • This will show if any DNS records are missing or misconfigured and what the values should be.
6. Allow for DNS propagation and test mail flow
   • DNS changes typically take about 15 minutes, but can take longer to propagate across the internet.
   • After propagation, test:
     • Sending email from your Microsoft 365 mailbox to an external address.
     • Receiving email from an external address into your Microsoft 365 mailbox.

If email for the entire domain is intended to flow only to Microsoft 365, ensure all users who need mailboxes are created in Microsoft 365 before or immediately after the MX record is switched, because once the MX points to Microsoft 365, all mail for the domain will be delivered there.

References:

• External Domain Name System records for Microsoft 365
• Find and fix issues after adding your domain or DNS records
• Migrate Gmail to Microsoft 365 or Office 365 using GoDaddy