How to Set Up a Custom Domain Email in iCloud+

Professionalising Your Inbox with Apple

If you are tired of using generic email addresses ending in @gmail.com or @icloud.com, you have likely considered purchasing your own custom domain (e.g., [email protected]). Historically, configuring a custom email address required you to sign up for expensive enterprise services like Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, which often cost upwards of $6 per month just for email hosting.

However, if you already pay for any tier of Apple’s iCloud+ subscription (even the cheapest 50GB tier, which costs just $0.99 per month), you already have premium email hosting included for free. Apple allows you to connect up to five custom domains to your existing iCloud account and create up to three email addresses per domain. This allows you to look incredibly professional without paying for a separate business email provider.

Because these custom addresses are directly linked to your Apple ID, they integrate seamlessly with the native Mail app on your iPhone, iPad, and Mac. You don’t need to download any third-party apps or configure complicated IMAP server settings.

Requirements Before You Begin

Before you can configure this feature, you must have two things:

1. An active iCloud+ subscription. You cannot do this on the free 5GB iCloud tier.
2. A custom domain name. You must already own the domain you want to use (e.g., purchased through a registrar like Namecheap, GoDaddy, or Cloudflare). If you do not own one yet, Apple does offer the ability to buy one directly through Cloudflare during the setup process.

Step 1: Initiate the Setup Process on an iPhone or iPad

While you can configure this via the iCloud website on a computer, setting it up directly from your iPhone is often the smoothest experience.

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
2. Tap your Name and Apple ID profile picture at the top of the screen.
3. Tap on iCloud.
4. Scroll down to the section labelled “iCloud+” and tap on Custom Email Domain.
5. A splash screen will appear explaining the feature. Tap the blue button labelled Add a Custom Domain.
6. You will be asked who will use this domain. Select Only You (unless you intend to share the domain with family members who are in your Apple Family Sharing group).
7. Select Use a domain you own, type your domain name into the text box (e.g., mydomain.com), and tap Continue.

Step 2: Add Your Existing Email Addresses

If you have already been using this domain with another email provider (like Google Workspace) and you are migrating to iCloud, Apple will ask you to type in the exact email addresses you currently use. This ensures you do not lose access to them during the transition.

If this is a brand new domain and you have never created an email address for it before, simply tap No Email Addresses.

Step 3: Update Your DNS Records (The Technical Part)

This is the most critical step. You must prove to Apple that you actually own the domain, and you must tell the internet to route all incoming mail to Apple’s servers instead of your domain registrar.

Apple will provide you with a list of specific DNS (Domain Name System) records that you must add to your domain registrar’s control panel. These usually include:

• TXT Records: Used to prove ownership and configure SPF (Sender Policy Framework) to prevent your emails from going to spam.
• MX Records (Mail Exchanger): These tell the internet exactly which servers handle your mail.
• CNAME Records: Used to configure DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) for further email authentication.

1. Log into the website where you bought your domain name (e.g., GoDaddy, Namecheap).
2. Navigate to your domain’s DNS Management or Advanced DNS page.
3. Copy the exact records Apple displays on your iPhone screen, and paste them into your registrar’s DNS settings. (Note: If your domain is registered with certain popular providers like Cloudflare or GoDaddy, Apple may offer to log in and automatically configure these records for you with a single tap).
4. Once the records are saved at your registrar, return to your iPhone and tap Verify My Records.

Warning: DNS changes can sometimes take a few minutes to propagate across the internet. If Apple says verification failed, wait five minutes and tap the verify button again.

Step 4: Create Your New Email Address

Once Apple confirms your DNS records are correct, the technical setup is complete. You can now create your actual email address.

1. On the final setup screen, tap the + icon to create a new address.
2. Type in the prefix you want to use (e.g., typing “contact” will create [email protected]).
3. Tap Add Email Address.

You are finished! When you open the native Apple Mail app on your iPhone or Mac, you will now see your new custom email address available as an option in the “From” drop-down menu whenever you compose a new message. Any replies sent to that address will arrive directly in your standard iCloud inbox.