Namecheap Private Email + IONOS

Set up Namecheap Private Email on IONOS

The records Namecheap Private Email needs, written with the field names IONOS uses (Host name, Points to, Value, Alias), in the order to add them.

  • 5 steps
  • 6 DNS records

Before you start

  1. Have your Namecheap Private Email account ready. Some values are unique to your account and come from the Namecheap account (Private Email) .
  2. Open DNS at IONOS: Sign in at login.ionos.com, select Menu, then Domains and SSL. Under Actions for your domain, select the gear icon, then DNS.
  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 Namecheap account (Private Email)” are unique to your account.

MX records Where incoming email goes Type MX Host name @ Value mx1.privateemail.com Priority 10 TTL Default
MX records Where incoming email goes Type MX Host name @ Value mx2.privateemail.com Priority 10 TTL Default
SPF record Which servers may send as you Type TXT Host name Leave empty Value v=spf1 include:spf.privateemail.com ~all Priority n/a TTL Default
DKIM A signature on every message Type TXT Host name privateemail._domainkey Value Copy from Namecheap account (Private Email) Priority n/a TTL Default
DMARC record What to do with fakes · recommended Type TXT Host name _dmarc Value v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:postmaster@yourdomain.com Priority n/a TTL Default
Autodiscover Automatic app setup · recommended Type CNAME Host name autodiscover Value privateemail.com Priority n/a TTL Default

Step by step in IONOS

Point your MX records

MX records tell other mail servers where to deliver your email. How MX works

Type
MX
Host name
@
Priority
10
Points to
mx1.privateemail.com
Type
MX
Host name
@
Priority
10
Points to
mx2.privateemail.com

In IONOS

  1. Select Add record, then the MX section.
  2. Enter @ as Host name, the mail server in Points to, and the Priority. Choose 1 hour for TTL.
  3. Select Save.
  4. If other MX records are listed, delete each one with the Delete record (trash can) icon.
  5. Repeat for each MX record above.

Add the SPF record

SPF lists the services allowed to send email as you. How SPF works

Type
TXT
Host name
Leave this field empty
Value
v=spf1 include:spf.privateemail.com ~all

In IONOS

  1. Select Add record, then the TXT section.
  2. Leave Host name empty for your bare domain, paste the Value, and choose a TTL.
  3. Select Save.

Set up DKIM

DKIM signs your mail so receivers can trust it. How DKIM works

Type
TXT
Host name
privateemail._domainkey
Value
Copy it from Namecheap account (Private Email) (see below)

Host name: Subscriptions bought on or after June 2, 2026 use privateemail._domainkey; older ones use default._domainkey.

Where to find your value

In your Namecheap account open the Private Email menu, click Manage next to your domain, then click Generate under DKIM and copy the value.

  • Namecheap calls DKIM a mandatory entry for outgoing mail to work correctly.
  • Paste the whole value into one field; don't split it.
  • It normally takes about 60 minutes to take effect.

In IONOS

  1. Select Add record, then the TXT section.
  2. Leave Host name empty for your bare domain, paste the Value, and choose a TTL.
  3. Select Save.

Add the DMARC record (recommended)

DMARC tells receivers what to do with mail that fakes your domain. How DMARC works

Type
TXT
Host name
_dmarc
Value
v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:postmaster@yourdomain.com

In IONOS

  1. Select Add record, then the TXT section.
  2. Leave Host name empty for your bare domain, paste the Value, and choose a TTL.
  3. Select Save.

Add the Autodiscover record (recommended)

Autodiscover lets Outlook and other mail apps find your account settings without manual setup.

Type
CNAME
Host name
autodiscover
Alias
privateemail.com
  • Optional. Namecheap also lists optional mail and autoconfig CNAMEs pointing to privateemail.com.

In IONOS

  1. Select Subdomains, then Add subdomain, and enter the record's name (for example autodiscover).
  2. Under Actions for the new subdomain, select the gear icon, then DNS.
  3. Select Add record, then the CNAME section.
  4. Enter the target in the Alias box, tick the I am aware disclaimer if it appears, and select Save.

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 IONOS’s words.

We only read public DNS records. Nothing is stored.

Common mistakes with Namecheap Private Email on IONOS

Using the wrong DKIM host name

Subscriptions bought before June 2, 2026 use default._domainkey; newer ones use privateemail._domainkey.

Splitting the DKIM value

Namecheap warns not to put part of the value in one field and the rest in another. Paste the full string in one field.

IONOS: CNAME records go on their own subdomain

IONOS supports only one top-level CNAME record, so each CNAME is created by first adding a subdomain and then giving it an Alias.

IONOS: MX and a top-level Autodiscover CNAME can't coexist

IONOS doesn't allow a domain to have both an MX record and a top-level Autodiscover CNAME. Microsoft's guide uses the subdomain method above for Autodiscover.

1 more Namecheap Private Email mistake to avoid

Visit Namecheap Private Email Visit IONOS

Namecheap Private Email on IONOS: questions

Where do I add Namecheap Private Email DNS records in IONOS?

Sign in at login.ionos.com, select Menu, then Domains and SSL. Under Actions for your domain, select the gear icon, then DNS. Add each record there, one at a time.

What goes in the Host name field at IONOS?

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. IONOS adds your domain automatically.

Do I need to delete my existing MX records at IONOS?

Yes. Sending servers pick an MX record by its priority (lowest number first) and fall back to the others, so a leftover MX record can receive some or all of your mail. Keep only the Namecheap Private Email MX records and delete the rest.

Sources

Every value and step on this page comes from these official pages. Dashboards change, so if something doesn’t match what you see, tell us.

IONOS steps and tips

Some of these are other email providers' official guides for IONOS. They describe the same IONOS dashboard.

Namecheap Private Email on other hosts

Other email providers on IONOS