Use Upkyo Mail with a domain bought elsewhere
Keep your domain at its registrar and receive your emails at Upkyo.
·4 min read
To use Upkyo Mail with a domain bought elsewhere, open Domains, then External domains, and click Connect. Add the verification TXT record at your registrar, then, once the domain is verified, the DNS records shown (MX, SPF, DKIM, DMARC). Emails arrive at Upkyo as soon as the MX records are in place.
Your domain name is registered with another registrar and you do not want to transfer it? No problem. You can keep it where it is and entrust only your email to Upkyo. You just need to prove that the domain is yours, then add a few DNS records at your registrar. This guide details each step and explains what each record does.
Before you start
- You have an active Upkyo Mail plan.
- You have access to your registrar's DNS management interface (the page where you edit the "DNS zone").
- If you already use email on this domain elsewhere, plan the migration of your old messages, see Bring over your old emails.
Connect your domain step by step
- In your client area, open Domains, then External domains, and click Connect.
- Enter your domain: Upkyo gives you a TXT record to add at your registrar to prove that you own it.
- Add this TXT record to the DNS zone at your registrar, then come back and click Check now.
- Once the domain is verified, choose the "Email only" use: Upkyo shows the DNS records to copy.
- Add the DNS records shown (MX, SPF, DKIM, DMARC) at your registrar. Each line has a button to copy its value.
- Follow progress on the page, for example DNS 5 / 5 when everything is in place.
- Create your addresses in your Upkyo Mail plan, see Create an email address.
Emails arrive at Upkyo as soon as the MX records are in place. Allow a few minutes to a few hours, depending on your registrar.
What does each DNS record do?
- Verification TXT: proves that you control the domain. Upkyo never attaches a domain to your account unless it has been verified.
- MX: tells other email services where to deliver the emails sent to your addresses. It is what makes mail arrive at Upkyo.
- SPF (a TXT record starting with
v=spf1): authorises Upkyo's server to send emails on behalf of your domain. - DKIM (a TXT record named
default._domainkey): publishes the key used to verify the signature of your emails. - DMARC (a TXT record named
_dmarc): states the policy to apply to messages that spoof your domain.
SPF, DKIM and DMARC are not used to receive your emails but to make sure the emails you send land in the inbox rather than in spam. The details are in My emails go to spam: SPF, DKIM and DMARC.
Why is the DKIM line not showing yet?
The DKIM key is created along with the domain on the mail server. If you have not created any address on this domain yet, the DKIM line appears as soon as your first email address is created. Then come back to the domain page to copy it.
How long do you have to wait?
A DNS change is not visible everywhere instantly. Each record has a cache duration (the TTL): until it expires, some servers keep using the old value. Depending on your registrar, allow a few minutes to a few hours. The guide Why is my DNS change not visible yet? explains this.
Common mistakes at the registrar
- The domain name is added twice: some registrars automatically append the domain. If you enter
_dmarc.yourdomain.com, the record becomes_dmarc.yourdomain.com.yourdomain.com. In that case, enter only_dmarc. - Old MX records left in place: delete your previous provider's MX records, otherwise part of your mail keeps arriving there.
- Two SPF records: a domain must have only one
v=spf1record. Merge them if another service has added one. - DKIM value cut off: the key is long. Copy it with the button provided, without adding spaces or line breaks.
Frequently asked questions
Can I keep my domain at my registrar and use Upkyo for email?
Yes. Connect the domain in External domains, verify it, then add the MX, SPF, DKIM and DMARC records shown. Your domain stays with your registrar.
Which MX record should I set for Upkyo?
The exact value is shown on your external domain's page, with a button to copy it. Use that one rather than a value found elsewhere.
Will my website stay online if I change the MX records?
Yes. MX records only concern email. Your website depends on other records (A, CNAME) that you do not need to change for Upkyo Mail.
Why does my domain stay "Not verified"?
The TXT record is not visible yet, or it contains a typo. Check its value at your registrar, wait a few minutes, then click Check now again.