To set up email on your own domain you need three things: an email hosting service, the right DNS records on your domain, and your devices connected with IMAP and SMTP. In practice it takes about an hour: create the mailboxes, add the MX, SPF, DKIM and DMARC records your provider gives you, wait for DNS to update, then add the account to your phone and Outlook.
This guide walks through each step, with example records for example.co.za.
What you need before you start
- A domain name you control, such as a .co.za. You need access to its DNS, either at your registrar or your DNS provider.
- An email hosting service that supports your domain. This could be email hosting from your web host or a productivity suite.
- A list of addresses you want: personal mailboxes (
thandi@), role addresses (accounts@,info@) and any forwarders.
If you do not have a domain yet, start with how to register a .co.za domain.
Step 1 - Create your mailboxes
In your email provider's control panel, add a mailbox for each person who needs to send and receive email. For each one:
- Choose the address, for example
[email protected]. - Set a strong, unique password (a password manager helps).
- Set the mailbox size based on how much mail they keep.
For addresses that do not need their own login, like info@, consider an alias or forwarder instead. Our guide to forwarders, aliases and shared mailboxes explains which to use.
Step 2 - Add the DNS records
DNS tells the rest of the internet where your email lives and which servers may send on your behalf. The exact values always come from your email provider; the examples below show the format only.
MX records - where incoming mail goes
example.co.za. 3600 IN MX 10 mail.example.co.za.
The number (10) is the priority. Lower numbers are tried first. Some providers give you several MX records with different priorities; add all of them. If your MX target is a hostname on your own domain, like mail.example.co.za, it also needs an A record pointing at the mail server's IP address.
SPF - which servers may send as you
example.co.za. 3600 IN TXT "v=spf1 mx include:_spf.mailprovider.example ~all"
This says "the servers in my MX records and the servers listed by my provider may send mail for example.co.za". You may only have one SPF record per domain. If you already have one (for example for a newsletter service), merge the include: entries into a single record.
DKIM - a signature on every message
default._domainkey.example.co.za. 3600 IN TXT "v=DKIM1; k=rsa; p=MIIBIjANBgkqhkiG9w0BAQEFAAOCAQ8AMIIBCgKCAQEA..."
Your provider generates the key pair and shows you the selector (here default) and the public key. Copy the value exactly; a missing character breaks the signature. Long keys may need to be split into several quoted strings, which most DNS dashboards handle for you.
DMARC - what to do with forgeries
_dmarc.example.co.za. 3600 IN TXT "v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:[email protected]"
Start with p=none so you receive reports without affecting delivery, then move to quarantine or reject once you are sure all your legitimate mail passes. SPF, DKIM and DMARC explained covers this in detail.
Autodiscover (optional)
Some providers also give you an autodiscover or autoconfig record so Outlook and other apps can find settings automatically. Add it if your provider supplies one.
Step 3 - Wait for DNS and test
DNS changes usually take effect within the record's TTL, but allow a few hours. Then check the records:
dig example.co.za MX +short
dig example.co.za TXT +short
dig _dmarc.example.co.za TXT +short
Send a test message from the new mailbox to a free webmail account and back again. In the received message, look at the headers ("Show original" or "View source") and check that SPF, DKIM and DMARC all show pass.
Step 4 - Connect your phone and computer
Use IMAP for incoming mail so your phone, laptop and webmail all show the same folders. Typical settings look like this; use the server names from your provider:
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Username | Your full email address |
| Incoming (IMAP) server | e.g. mail.example.co.za |
| IMAP port and security | 993, SSL/TLS |
| Outgoing (SMTP) server | e.g. mail.example.co.za |
| SMTP port and security | 587 with STARTTLS (or 465 with SSL/TLS) |
| SMTP authentication | On, same username and password |
Outlook (desktop)
- Go to File > Add account and enter your email address.
- If Outlook cannot detect the settings, choose Advanced options > Let me set up my account manually and pick IMAP.
- Enter the incoming and outgoing servers, ports and encryption from the table above.
- Enter your password and finish.
iPhone
- Open Settings > Mail > Accounts > Add Account > Other > Add Mail Account.
- Enter your name, email address and password.
- Choose IMAP, then enter the incoming and outgoing server details.
Android (Gmail app)
- Open Gmail, tap your profile picture and choose Add another account > Other.
- Enter your address, choose Personal (IMAP), then enter your password.
- Fill in the server settings when prompted.
Menu names change between app versions, but the settings you need are always the same: server, port, encryption, username and password.
Troubleshooting
- Can receive but not send: check SMTP authentication is turned on and the port is 587 or 465. Some networks block port 25.
- Mail goes to spam: check SPF, DKIM and DMARC pass, and see why your emails go to spam.
- Certificate warning: use the server hostname your provider specifies, which matches their SSL certificate.
- Nothing arrives: check your MX records point to the right server and that no old MX records remain.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take for email on a new domain to work?
Creating mailboxes is instant. DNS changes normally apply within a few hours, depending on the TTL of existing records, so allow up to a day before troubleshooting.
Can I use Gmail or Outlook.com with my own domain?
The mobile Gmail and Outlook apps can connect to a mailbox on your own domain via IMAP and SMTP. Sending as your domain through a free account is less reliable, because it will not align properly with your SPF and DKIM records.
Do I need SPF, DKIM and DMARC for a small business?
Yes. Major mailbox providers increasingly expect authenticated mail, and these records protect your domain from being spoofed in invoice scams. They take minutes to add.
Should I choose IMAP or POP3?
Choose IMAP unless you have a specific reason not to. It keeps mail on the server and in sync across devices, while POP3 generally downloads mail to one device.
What if my website and email are with different providers?
That is fine. Point your website with A or CNAME records and your email with MX records; each service can live with a different provider.
Want mailboxes on your own domain without the guesswork? NewHost email hosting runs on Plesk, with DNS managed in the same dashboard and local support to help you set up.