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How to configure DNS records for your domain in OVH

Updated this week

By the end of this tutorial, you’ll know how to configure your OVH DNS Zone so your email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is correct and your Lemlist custom tracking domain works reliably.

Video walkthrough of OVH DNS setup for Lemlist

Learning Objective

By the end of this tutorial, you’ll know how to:

  • Locate and edit your domain’s DNS zone in OVH

  • Add or update MX, SPF (TXT), DKIM (TXT), and DMARC (TXT) records

  • Configure a custom tracking domain for Lemlist using CNAME + TXT records

Why This Matters

Correct DNS records improve inbox placement and protect your domain from spoofing. SPF, DKIM, and DMARC work together to prove your messages are legitimate, while a custom tracking domain helps keep your tracking aligned with your domain and avoids branding or deliverability issues caused by generic tracking domains.

Prerequisites

  • You have access to your OVHcloud account with permission to edit DNS for your domain.

  • You know where your email is hosted (e.g., Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Zoho).

  • You have access to your email provider admin area to retrieve DKIM values.

  • You have access to Lemlist admin/team settings to configure a custom tracking domain.

Core Lesson — Step-by-Step Workflow

Phase 1: Open your OVH DNS Zone

  1. In OVHcloud, go to Web Cloud, then under Domain names, select the domain you want to edit.

    OVHcloud Control Panel showing Web Cloud selected and a domain selected under Domain names

  2. Open the DNS zone tab.

    Domain details page in OVHcloud with the DNS zone tab highlighted

  3. Click Add an entry to create a new record (or use the edit/modify option on an existing record to update it).

    OVH DNS zone page with the Add an entry button highlighted

Tip: OVH often creates default records automatically. Only remove or modify existing records if your email provider specifically requires different values.

Phase 2: Configure MX records (incoming email routing)

What MX does: MX records tell the internet which mail servers receive email for your domain.

  1. From your domain’s DNS zone, click Add an entry, then choose MX.

    Add an entry to the DNS zone dialog with MX record type highlighted

  2. Fill in the MX fields:

    • Sub-domain: leave empty (root domain)

    • TTL: leave By default

    • Priority: use the value required by your email provider

    • Target: paste the MX server given by your email provider

    Then click Next and complete the confirmation step to create the record.

    MX record entry form in OVH showing Sub-domain, TTL, Priority, and Target fields

Propagation: MX updates can take up to 24 hours to propagate.

Examples

  • Google Workspace (example from the transcript):

    • Priority: 1

    • Target: smtp.google.com

  • Microsoft 365 / Outlook:

    • Priority: often 0

    • Target: is typically unique to your tenant and must be copied from the Microsoft Admin Center

Best practice: Don’t keep multiple competing MX setups unless your provider explicitly instructs you to. Incorrect MX records can break inbound email delivery.

Phase 3: Configure SPF (TXT record for allowed senders)

What SPF does: SPF defines which servers/tools are allowed to send email on behalf of your domain.

SPF rules you must follow:

  • Each domain should have only one SPF record.

  • If you use multiple sending tools/providers, they must be merged into that single SPF record.

  • If an SPF record already exists in OVH, you typically edit it rather than creating a second one.

  1. In OVH DNS zone, filter by TXT and look for an existing SPF value (usually starts with v=spf1).

  2. If you need to add SPF and none exists, click Add an entry, then choose TXT.

    Add an entry to the DNS zone dialog with TXT record type highlighted

  3. Fill in the TXT fields:

    • Sub-domain: leave empty

    • TTL: leave By default

    • Value: paste your email provider’s SPF string (starts with v=spf1)

    Then click Next and complete the confirmation step to create the record.

    TXT record entry form in OVH showing Sub-domain, TTL, and Value fields

Examples

  • Outlook (example SPF value shown): add the SPF string exactly as provided for Outlook (commonly formatted like v=spf1 include:spf.protection.outlook.com -all).

  • Zoho (example SPF value shown): use Zoho’s SPF string (commonly formatted like v=spf1 include:zoho.com -all).

Note: The exact SPF value depends on your provider(s). If you send from multiple systems (e.g., Google Workspace + a sending platform), combine all required include: mechanisms into one SPF record to avoid SPF “permerror.”

Phase 4: Configure DKIM (TXT record generated by your email provider)

What DKIM does: DKIM cryptographically signs your emails so receiving servers can verify they weren’t altered and were sent by an authorized sender.

Key detail: DKIM values are unique per domain and must be generated in your email provider. You can’t copy a generic DKIM value from a guide.

  1. In your email provider admin console, generate or locate the DKIM record(s) for your domain.

  2. In OVH, click Add an entry → choose TXT.

  3. Paste the DKIM host/name (often a selector like selector1._domainkey) into the subdomain/host field (as your provider instructs).

  4. Paste the DKIM value into the TXT value field.

  5. Click Next → Confirm/Save.

Phase 5: Configure DMARC (TXT record for enforcement & reporting)

What DMARC does: DMARC tells receiving servers what to do if SPF and/or DKIM checks fail. It’s typically added after SPF and DKIM are in place.

  1. In OVH, click Add an entry → choose TXT.

  2. Set:

    • Subdomain/Host: _dmarc

    • TTL: leave default

    • Value: use your DMARC policy string (the transcript recommends a quarantine policy for optimal use with Lemlist)

  3. Click Next → Confirm/Save.

Propagation: DMARC can take up to 48 hours to fully propagate.

About the “quarantine” policy: Quarantine limits risk while still protecting your domain. If you send from subdomains or want stricter enforcement, you may need a different DMARC value. You can adjust DMARC later by editing the TXT record at _dmarc.

Phase 6: Set up a Lemlist Custom Tracking Domain (CNAME + TXT)

Why this matters: A custom tracking domain helps align tracking links with your domain and is commonly used to improve branding and reduce deliverability issues associated with shared or default tracking domains.

Step A: Copy the CNAME details from Lemlist

  1. In Lemlist, go to the mailbox/user you want to configure.

  2. Open Settings → find Custom Tracking Domain.

  3. Click Configure manually.

  4. Copy the values shown for:

    • Host name (used as the CNAME subdomain/host in OVH)

    • Value (used as the CNAME target in OVH)

Step B: Add the CNAME in OVH

  1. In OVH DNS zone, click Add an entry → choose CNAME.

  2. Set:

    • Subdomain/Host: paste the Host name from Lemlist

    • Target: paste the Value from Lemlist

    • TTL: leave default

  3. Click Next → Confirm.

Step C: Add the TXT verification record in OVH

Lemlist also provides a TXT record value to verify ownership/configuration.

  1. Back in Lemlist, copy the TXT verification value it provides (shown during manual configuration).

  2. In OVH DNS zone, click Add an entry → choose TXT.

  3. Set:

    • Subdomain/Host: leave blank (as shown in the transcript’s flow)

    • Value: paste the TXT verification value from Lemlist

    • TTL: leave default

  4. Click Next → Confirm.

Step D: Validate in Lemlist

  1. Return to Lemlist.

  2. Select the option to validate for all mailboxes on the same domain (so you don’t repeat setup per mailbox).

  3. Click Check setup (or the equivalent validation button).

Practical Application / Real-Life Example

If you’re sending cold outreach from Microsoft 365 and want tracking on a branded subdomain:

  • Set MX to Microsoft 365’s values from Microsoft Admin Center.

  • Set SPF to include Microsoft 365 (and any other sending tools you use) in one SPF record.

  • Generate DKIM in Microsoft 365 and add the provided TXT records in OVH.

  • Add DMARC with a quarantine policy first, then tighten later if you want stronger enforcement.

  • In Lemlist, configure a tracking subdomain (example: track.yourdomain.com) by adding the Lemlist-provided CNAME + TXT verification record in OVH, then validate.

Troubleshooting & Pitfalls

Issue: Email authentication still fails after adding records

  • Root cause: DNS propagation delay, or the record was added with the wrong host/subdomain.

  • Fix:

    • Wait: SPF/DKIM often propagate within hours; DMARC can take up to 48 hours.

    • Verify the record location: root domain records typically have an empty host/subdomain in OVH; DMARC must be at _dmarc.

    • Confirm no typos in the TXT value (extra quotes/spaces can break validation).

Issue: You have multiple SPF records

  • Root cause: SPF was added more than once as separate TXT records.

  • Fix:

    • Keep only one SPF record for the domain.

    • Merge all required include: entries into a single v=spf1 ... string.

    • Delete the extra SPF TXT record(s).

Issue: DKIM record doesn’t validate

  • Root cause: DKIM selector/host name doesn’t match what the provider expects, or the value was copied incorrectly.

  • Fix:

    • Re-copy DKIM host + value from your email provider (DKIM is provider-generated and unique).

    • Confirm you created the DKIM record as TXT and used the correct selector (e.g., selector._domainkey).

Issue: Custom tracking domain won’t validate in Lemlist

  • Root cause: CNAME target/host mismatch, TXT verification record missing, or propagation delay.

  • Fix:

    • Double-check that the OVH CNAME subdomain exactly matches Lemlist’s Host name.

    • Double-check that the OVH CNAME target exactly matches Lemlist’s Value.

    • Confirm the TXT verification record was added exactly as Lemlist provided.

    • Wait for DNS propagation, then run Check setup again.

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