Zoho Mail + IONOS

Set up Zoho Mail on IONOS

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

  • 5 steps
  • 7 DNS records

Not sure of your region? Check the address you sign in at: accounts.zoho.com, accounts.zoho.eu, accounts.zoho.in, accounts.zoho.com.au, accounts.zoho.jp, accounts.zohocloud.ca, accounts.zoho.sa.

Before you start

  1. Have your Zoho Mail account ready. Some values are unique to your account and come from the Zoho Mail Admin Console .
  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 Zoho Mail Admin Console” are unique to your account.

Domain verification Proves you own the domain Type TXT Host name Leave empty Value Copy from Zoho Mail Admin Console Looks like: zoho-verification=zb followed by a unique code and .zmverify.zoho. Priority n/a TTL Default
MX records Where incoming email goes Type MX Host name @ Value mx.zoho.com Priority 10 TTL Default
MX records Where incoming email goes Type MX Host name @ Value mx2.zoho.com Priority 20 TTL Default
MX records Where incoming email goes Type MX Host name @ Value mx3.zoho.com Priority 50 TTL Default
SPF record Which servers may send as you Type TXT Host name Leave empty Value v=spf1 include:zohomail.com -all Priority n/a TTL Default
DKIM A signature on every message Type TXT Host name <selector>._domainkey Value Copy from Zoho Mail Admin Console 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:dmarc@yourdomain.com Priority n/a TTL Default

Step by step in IONOS

Verify your domain

Your email provider needs proof that you control this domain before it accepts email for it.

Type
TXT
Host name
Leave this field empty
Value
Copy it from Zoho Mail Admin Console (see below)

Where to find your value

In the Zoho Mail Admin Console (mailadmin.zoho.com) open Domains, select your domain and go to Verify Domain Ownership. Choose TXT from the drop-down to see your value.

It looks like: zoho-verification=zb followed by a unique code and .zmverify.zoho.

  • Enter @ or leave the host blank.

3 more notes from Zoho Mail on this record

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.

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
mx.zoho.com
  • Remove existing MX records first. Records from a previous provider with equal or higher priority (such as 0 or 5) can stop mail reaching Zoho.
Type
MX
Host name
@
Priority
20
Points to
mx2.zoho.com
Type
MX
Host name
@
Priority
50
Points to
mx3.zoho.com

1 more note from Zoho Mail on this record

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:zohomail.com -all
  • Keep only one SPF record and stay under 10 DNS lookups.

1 more note from Zoho Mail on this record

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.
  4. Repeat for each TXT record above.

Set up DKIM

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

Type
TXT
Host name
<selector>._domainkey
Value
Copy it from Zoho Mail Admin Console (see below)

Host name: The selector is the name you type when adding DKIM in Zoho. Zoho's example is zoho, which gives the host zoho._domainkey.

Where to find your value

In the Zoho Mail Admin Console go to Domains, select your domain, open the Email Configuration tab and select DKIM. Click Add, enter a selector, choose a 1024 or 2048-bit key, and copy the TXT value.

  • After the record is published, click Verify for the selector in Zoho, then enable DKIM.

1 more note from Zoho Mail on this record

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:dmarc@yourdomain.com
  • Roll out in phases: p=none (reports only), then p=quarantine, then p=reject, raising pct gradually.

3 more notes from Zoho Mail on this record

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.

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 Zoho Mail on IONOS

Using US MX values for a non-US account

The MX domain ending changes with your Zoho data center. If you signed up in the EU, India or another region, copy the values from your Admin Console.

Keeping old MX records with a low number

Records from a previous provider with equal or higher priority (such as 0 or 5) can stop mail reaching Zoho. Delete them.

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.

3 more Zoho Mail mistakes to avoid

Visit Zoho Mail Visit IONOS

Zoho Mail on IONOS: questions

Where do I add Zoho Mail 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?

Remove existing MX records first. Records from a previous provider with equal or higher priority (such as 0 or 5) can stop mail reaching Zoho.

Can Zoho Mail add the records at IONOS for me?

IONOS supports Domain Connect: Microsoft 365 and Zoho Mail can add the records after you sign in to IONOS and select Connect and Allow.

How long until Zoho Mail works on IONOS?

MX changes can take an hour or two to take effect. SPF and DKIM can take 4 to 48 hours.

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.

Zoho Mail on other hosts

Other email providers on IONOS