IONOS manages DNS under Domains & SSL, with fields for Host name, Points to or Value, Priority and TTL. To receive mail at every address on a domain with Free Domain Mail, add one TXT record that proves you own the domain and one MX record that sends incoming mail to mx.freedomainmail.com, after removing the IONOS mail records.
Step-by-step setup
- 1Sign in to IONOS and open Domains & SSL.
- 2Click the gear icon in the Actions column next to the domain and choose DNS.
- 3If an IONOS mail service controls the MX records, deactivate it for this domain first.
- 4Add a TXT record with Host name _maildock-verify and the maildock-verify=… value shown in the app.
- 5Add an MX record with Host name @, Points to mx.freedomainmail.com and Priority 10, then delete the mx00 and mx01 IONOS MX records.
- 6Wait for propagation, then run DNS Checker below; once both records pass, every address at the domain receives mail.
What goes in each DNS field
| Type | Name / Host | Value / Data | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|
MX | @ | mx.freedomainmail.com | 10 |
TXT | _maildock-verify | maildock-verify=… (shown in the app) | — |
Interface reference: IONOS — Using a domain with another provider's mail servers. Always copy the domain-specific values shown inside your Free Domain Mail setup.
The two records for a catch-all inbox
Free Domain Mail turns a domain you own into a catch-all inbox: every address at the domain receives mail, and there are no mailboxes to create. It is receive-only, so it never sends or forwards mail, and messages are kept for 30 days.
You add two records: a TXT record at _maildock-verify that proves you own the domain, with the maildock-verify=… value shown in the app (it is unique to your domain, so copy it exactly), and an MX record for the root of the domain that points to mx.freedomainmail.com with priority 10.
Type Name / Host Value Priority
TXT _maildock-verify maildock-verify=… (shown in the app) —
MX @ mx.freedomainmail.com 10Add the records in IONOS
Sign in, open Domains & SSL, click the gear icon in the Actions column next to the domain and choose DNS. Use Add Record and pick the record type.
Add a TXT record with Host name _maildock-verify and the maildock-verify=… value from the app. Then add an MX record with Host name @, Points to mx.freedomainmail.com and Priority 10.
Remove the IONOS mail records
IONOS domains come with MX records such as mx00.ionos.com and mx01.ionos.com (the exact domain depends on your country). Delete them so that only mx.freedomainmail.com remains. IONOS notes that when an MX record belongs to an IONOS service, that service has to be deactivated before the record can be changed.
If the domain receives mail in an IONOS mailbox you still use, connect a different domain instead: the MX records decide where all mail for the domain goes.
SPF, DKIM and DMARC: only if this domain also sends mail
Free Domain Mail never sends mail, so the catch-all inbox does not need SPF, DKIM or DMARC. These records are only needed if this domain also sends mail through another provider.
In that case keep one SPF TXT record at the root and merge every sending service into it rather than adding a second v=spf1 record. Copy DKIM selectors exactly as that provider shows them, and publish DMARC as a TXT record at _dmarc, starting with p=none.
Check the result
Wait for the old TTL to pass, then run an MX lookup from outside IONOS. The answer should list only mx.freedomainmail.com.
Send a message from an outside account to any name at the domain, even one you have never used. If it arrives in the inbox, the catch-all is working.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Leaving mx00 and mx01 IONOS records next to mx.freedomainmail.com.
- Trying to edit an MX record that an active IONOS mail service still controls.
- Typing the full domain into Host name.
Frequently asked questions
What do I put in Host name for the MX record?
@, which IONOS uses for the root of the domain.
Why can't I edit the MX record?
It probably belongs to an IONOS mail service. Deactivate that service for the domain first, then replace the MX records.
How long do changes take?
IONOS says records apply in its own systems immediately and worldwide within about an hour, depending on the TTL.
Do I need to create each email address?
No. Once the TXT and MX records are verified, every address at the domain receives mail.