Using Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 with your domain

You can keep your website with PaduHost and use Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 for your email. You'll change your domain's email records so that email goes to your new provider.

These steps assume your domain uses PaduHost's nameservers, so you make the changes in DirectAdmin under Account Manager > DNS Management. If your DNS is hosted elsewhere, make the same changes there.

1. Verify your domain

Your provider asks you to add a TXT record to prove you own the domain. Add it in DNS Management exactly as shown.

2. Change your MX records

In DNS Management, delete the existing MX records for your domain.
Add your new provider's MX record:

Provider	MX record	Priority
Google Workspace	`smtp.google.com.`	1
Microsoft 365	Shown in your Microsoft 365 admin centre, usually `yourdomain-com.mail.protection.outlook.com.`	0

Remember the full stop at the end of the value. See Managing DNS records in DirectAdmin.

3. Update your SPF record

Edit your existing TXT record that starts with v=spf1 and add your provider before ~all:

Google Workspace: include:_spf.google.com
Microsoft 365: include:spf.protection.outlook.com

For example: v=spf1 a mx ip4:your-server-ip include:_spf.google.com ~all

Keep only one SPF record.

4. Set up DKIM

Create a DKIM key in your provider's admin console, then add the record it gives you in DNS Management. For Microsoft 365, also add a CNAME record called autodiscover pointing to autodiscover.outlook.com. so apps can find your settings.

5. Stop our server handling your email

In DirectAdmin, go to E-Mail Manager and click MX Records.
Untick the option for this server to handle your domain's email (the local mail server option) and save.

This is important. Otherwise, emails sent from your website to your own addresses, such as contact form messages, stay on our server and never reach your new mailboxes.

6. Move your existing email

Your provider's migration tools can copy email from your PaduHost mailboxes. Keep your PaduHost email accounts until everything has been copied, then delete them to free up disk space.

We'll do our best to help with the DNS side of your set-up, but for help with Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 themselves, please contact Google or Microsoft support.

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