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Fix Microsoft 365 Not Receiving Emails from Custom Domains
Question details
Microsoft 365 fails to receive emails from specific custom domains, often returning a Non-Delivery Report (NDR) to the sender.
- Product
- Microsoft 365
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Moving a domain to a new registrar like GoDaddy and configuring Microsoft 365 mail services.
- Observed behavior
- Senders from certain custom domains cannot deliver messages to the Microsoft 365 email and receive an NDR, indicating missing DNS records or incomplete propagation.
Ensure you have administrator access to both your Microsoft 365 tenant and your domain registrar (e.g., GoDaddy) to review and modify DNS configurations.
Review NDR and Run a Message Trace
Use the Microsoft 365 admin tools to track the path of the failed email and pinpoint the exact error returned in the Non-Delivery Report (NDR).
A message trace allows administrators to see exactly where an email was blocked or dropped. Analyzing the sender's NDR alongside the message trace will quickly reveal if the issue is due to routing, spam filtering, or missing DNS records.
Ask the sender to provide the complete Non-Delivery Report they received when the email failed, paying close attention to the specific error code.
Log in to the Microsoft 365 admin center with administrator credentials and navigate to the Exchange admin center.
Go to 'Mail flow' > 'Message trace', enter the sender's and recipient's email addresses, and run the trace to identify delivery blocks or routing failures.
Verify Domain Status and DNS Records
Ensure that your custom domain is correctly verified in Microsoft 365 and that your MX and SPF records point to the correct servers.
Test with the Default Routing Address
Determine if the delivery issue is strictly related to your custom domain's DNS by testing your default Microsoft 365 routing address.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take for Microsoft 365 DNS changes to propagate?
DNS changes, including updating MX and SPF records at your registrar, typically take between 24 and 72 hours to fully propagate across global DNS servers. During this time, email delivery may be inconsistent.
What is an NDR in email troubleshooting?
An NDR (Non-Delivery Report) is an automated bounce-back message returned to the sender. It provides specific error codes indicating why an email could not be delivered, such as incorrect routing, spam blocks, or invalid DNS records.
Why can I receive emails on my .onmicrosoft.com address but not my custom domain?
The .onmicrosoft.com address is your default Microsoft 365 routing address and operates independently of your custom DNS records. If it receives mail successfully, your tenant is functioning, and the issue is likely tied to incorrect or propagating MX records on your custom domain.
