iCloud Mail Custom Domain: Setup, DNS Records, Limits

By Umair Ali Sadaqat · Updated November 6, 2026 · Editorial policy

Set up iCloud Mail with your own domain: requirements, the exact DNS records Apple asks for, step-by-step setup, sharing limits and how to switch away.

Short answer: Yes, iCloud Mail can send and receive from your own domain, such as [email protected]. You need an iCloud+ plan, an Apple Account with two-factor authentication, a domain you own that isn't locked at the registrar, and a primary iCloud Mail address. Go to icloud.com/icloudplus, choose Custom Email Domain, add the domain, then update your DNS with Apple's MX, TXT (SPF) and CNAME (DKIM) records. Verification usually takes a few minutes.

This guide covers what you need beforehand, the setup steps, the DNS records Apple lists, the limits worth knowing, and how to leave. Everything below comes from Apple's support pages, read in November 2026.

What you need before you start

Run through this list first. A missing item here causes most failed setups.

An iCloud+ subscription. It can be yours or held by someone in your Family Sharing group. The 50 GB tier is $0.99 a month in the US (checked November 2026), and Custom Email Domain comes with iCloud+.
An Apple Account with two-factor authentication turned on.
A primary iCloud Mail address. Apple's add-domain guide requires one, so turn on iCloud Mail if you never did.
A domain you own. If you don't have one, see how much a domain costs and our comparison of domain registrars.
An unlocked domain. Apple states that a registrar lock blocks setup.
A supported region and account type. Apple says the feature isn't available in all countries or regions, and managed Apple Accounts aren't supported.
A plan for existing mail. If your domain already receives mail somewhere, the MX change moves new mail to iCloud. Apple offers an import option, though not for every provider.

Step-by-step: add your domain

On a computer, go to icloud.com/icloudplus and sign in. (On an iPhone or iPad, use Settings > your name > iCloud > Custom Email Domain.)
Select Custom Email Domain, then Add a domain you own.
Choose Only You or You and Other People.
Enter your domain name and select Continue.
If you share it, add people by phone number or email. Family Sharing members are added by default.
Type any addresses you already use at the domain, or select No email addresses. Select Add email address(es). Apple sends a verification email to each one.
Select View to see the DNS records and update them at your registrar (details below).
Back in setup, select Verify, then Finish setup.
Pick the default address to send from. You can change it later in Mail settings on iCloud.com.
Optional: select Import now to pull in old mail, or do it later.

If your registrar supports it, Apple can sign in and update the records for you. Otherwise you enter them by hand.

The DNS records Apple asks for

Apple's "Set up an existing domain with iCloud Mail" article says you will change MX, TXT and CNAME records. Delete your existing MX records first, then add these.

Type	Host	Value	Notes
MX	@	mx01.mail.icloud.com.	Priority 10
MX	@	mx02.mail.icloud.com.	Priority 10
TXT (SPF)	@	"v=spf1 include:icloud.com ~all"	Already have an SPF record? Add include:icloud.com before ~all instead of creating a second one
TXT (verification)	@	Personal value shown on your setup screen	Not printed in Apple's article, so copy it from setup
CNAME (DKIM)	sig1._domainkey	sig1.dkim.example.com.at.icloudmailadmin.com.	Replace example.com with your own domain

Small details that trip people up:

Host field. If your registrar doesn't accept @, enter your domain name instead.
Trailing periods and quotes. Copy the MX and DKIM values exactly, trailing period included, and the SPF value with its quotation marks. If a record won't save, Apple suggests trying it without the period or quotes.
TTL. Apple recommends 3600 seconds (one hour).
Only one SPF record. Two SPF TXT records on the same host cause failures, so merge them.

After saving, click Verify. To recheck later, open icloud.com/icloudplus, select the Custom Email Domain widget and choose Manage. If it doesn't verify, look for typos, a leftover MX record or a mistyped host first.

If you also run a website on the domain, MX records only affect email, so your site keeps working. The records that point your domain at a website (A or CNAME for @ and www) are separate. Our guide to adding a custom domain covers that side.

Limits and rules worth knowing

Item	What Apple says
Custom domains	Up to five
People you share with	Up to five others (six total with you)
Addresses	Pages conflict: some say 10, others say 3
Sharing outside your family	Needs iOS 16 or later; invitees need an Apple Account with two-factor authentication and a primary iCloud Mail address
Catch-all	Owner only, via Turn On Allow All
Sign-in	An address you add can't be used to sign in to an Apple Account, even if you delete it later

On the address count, Apple's overview and add-domain intro say up to 10 per domain, while the create-and-delete page and a step in the add-domain guide say 3. I couldn't reconcile them, so trust the limit the setup screen enforces on your account.

Where you can use the address

Apple says you can use the address in Mail on any device signed in to the same Apple Account with iCloud Mail turned on, on iCloud.com, and for Messages, FaceTime and Calendar. It is a good fit for one person, a household or a very small team. If you need shared inboxes, per-user admin controls or lots of mailboxes, a dedicated business email host is a better match.

Sharing the domain with family or a small team

At the sharing step you add people by phone number or email. Each person creates their own addresses, and non-family invitees must accept the invitation. Apple's add-people page also says non-family invitees need an iCloud+ subscription. The owner can remove a person at any time. Their addresses are deleted, and later mail to them is returned to the sender.

Switching away from iCloud later

Sign in at icloud.com/icloudplus and select Custom Email Domain.
Select the domain, scroll to the bottom and choose Stop using this domain.
At your registrar, point MX records to the new provider and remove every iCloud-related record, including the iCloud SPF include and the DKIM CNAME.
Create addresses with the new provider.

Mail sent and received before you stop remains in iCloud Mail. Your @icloud.com address and any iCloud Mail aliases keep working.

Troubleshooting checklist

[ ] Domain unlocked at the registrar
[ ] Old MX records deleted before adding Apple's two
[ ] Both MX records at priority 10, with trailing periods
[ ] One SPF record only, containing include:icloud.com
[ ] Verification TXT copied from your setup screen
[ ] DKIM CNAME has your own domain in place of example.com
[ ] TTL at 3600 seconds
[ ] Waited a few minutes, then selected Verify again

Pairing your email domain with a website

Most people who set up domain email also want a site on the same name. We.Inc's free plan lets you publish up to three sites from ready-made templates; the AI builder that drafts a site from a prompt starts on the Starter plan at $20 a month. You can sign up here, and the custom domains feature and connecting a custom domain cover the website records. They don't conflict with the mail records above.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to pay to use a custom domain with iCloud Mail?

You need an iCloud+ subscription, either your own or one held by someone in your Family Sharing group. Apple's plans page lists the US price of the 50 GB tier at $0.99 a month (checked November 2026), and Custom Email Domain is included with iCloud+. You also pay your registrar separately for the domain itself.

Can I use a custom domain with iCloud Mail if my registrar locks the domain?

No. Apple's DNS article says that if your registrar has a lock on your domain, you can't set it up with iCloud Mail. Unlock the domain at your registrar first, then restart the setup.

Can I receive mail sent to any address at my domain?

Yes, if you are the domain owner and turn on the Allow All setting. On iCloud.com, open Custom Email Domain, select the domain, scroll down and choose Turn On Allow All. Mail to addresses that aren't active then lands in the owner's inbox. With it off, that mail is returned to the sender.

What happens to my email if I stop using the custom domain?

You can no longer send or receive mail for addresses at that domain in iCloud Mail, and anyone you shared the domain with loses their addresses too. Mail you already sent and received stays. Your primary @icloud.com address keeps working. Update your registrar's records to your new provider and remove the iCloud-related records.

Is iCloud Custom Email Domain available everywhere, and does it work with managed Apple Accounts?

Apple says Custom Email Domain isn't available in all countries or regions, and that it doesn't support managed Apple Accounts. Check the feature on iCloud.com with your own account before you move any real mail over.

How many people and addresses can I add?

Apple's overview page says up to five custom domains and up to five other people, so six including you. Apple's pages disagree on addresses per domain (some say 10, others say 3), so open the setup screen on iCloud.com and go by what it allows you to create.

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