Zoho Mail email DNS checker
Check the public DNS records that matter when Zoho Mail is not receiving, sending, verifying, or passing authentication for a custom domain.
Zoho Mail can host mailboxes for a custom domain, but public DNS still decides whether mail reaches Zoho and whether outgoing mail authenticates correctly.
Use this page to separate Zoho admin steps from DNS host mistakes, and to avoid guessing region-specific MX values or provider-generated DKIM and verification records.
DNS records to check first
| Record | What to check | Safe note |
|---|---|---|
| MX | Confirm the domain's MX records match the destinations shown in the Zoho admin console. Common values are mx.zoho.com, mx2.zoho.com, and mx3.zoho.com, but the hostnames vary by Zoho data-center region. | Zoho MX hosts are region-dependent, so copy the exact values from your Zoho admin console instead of reusing values from a tutorial written for another region. |
| SPF | If Zoho Mail sends mail for the domain, the SPF record commonly includes zoho.com, with regional variants shown in the Zoho admin console. | Keep one SPF record and merge Zoho with any other real senders; publishing a second SPF record breaks SPF for everyone. |
| DKIM | Generate the DKIM selector and TXT value inside the Zoho admin console, publish the exact record in DNS, then verify it in Zoho. Selectors are often zmail or a custom name chosen during setup. | Do not invent Zoho DKIM selectors or keys. The selector and public key exist only after Zoho generates them for your account, so copy them exactly. |
| DMARC | Publish a DMARC record once SPF and DKIM are in place so receivers know how to treat messages that fail alignment. | Start with a monitoring policy such as p=none until reports show Zoho and any other senders passing authentication. |
| Domain verification | Zoho requires a domain verification record before mailboxes activate. Confirm the exact TXT or CNAME value shown in the Zoho admin console is published. | Verification values are generated for your Zoho account. Do not copy a zoho-verification value from documentation or another domain. |
Common mistakes
- Copying mx.zoho.com from a tutorial when the account lives in another Zoho region, so mail routes to the wrong data-center hostnames.
- Adding a second SPF record for Zoho instead of merging it with the existing sender list.
- Publishing a DKIM record before generating the selector in the Zoho admin console, or guessing the selector name.
- Leaving old web-host or previous-provider MX records in place after moving mailboxes to Zoho.
Boundaries
Domain Email Doctor checks public DNS records only and does not access a Zoho account.
Mailbox creation, aliases, region settings, and verification status stay inside the Zoho admin console.
Region-specific MX values and provider-generated DKIM and verification records must come from Zoho, and a passing DNS check does not guarantee inbox placement.