How to Use Custom Domains with iCloud Mail on iOS 15

Apple’s iOS 15 introduced the Custom Email Domain feature for iCloud+ subscribers, allowing users to route incoming and outgoing emails from personal domains through iCloud Mail. This system links your custom domain to Apple’s mail infrastructure using standard Domain Name System (DNS) records configured at your domain registrar. Once configured, iOS 15 directly associates your personalized addresses with your Apple ID, enabling you to manage custom emails seamlessly inside the native iOS Mail app.

Initiating the Connection in iOS 15

The integration begins within the iOS 15 interface. Navigating to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > iCloud Mail > Custom Email Domain initiates the onboarding wizard. Here, you specify whether the domain will be used solely by you or shared with members of your Family Sharing group, and you enter the specific domain name you want to link.

DNS Records: The Bridge Between Your Domain and iCloud

To authorize Apple’s mail servers to handle email for your personal domain, specific DNS records must be added through your domain registrar (such as Cloudflare, Namecheap, or GoDaddy). Apple generates the following required records:

  • MX Records (Mail Exchanger): Direct incoming mail traffic to Apple’s infrastructure. You must add two MX records pointing to mx01.mail.icloud.com and mx02.mail.icloud.com with their respective priorities.
  • TXT Records (Domain Verification and SPF): One TXT record contains a unique verification token proving you own the domain. A second TXT record establishes the Sender Policy Framework (SPF) string (v=spf1 include:icloud.com ~all), verifying that iCloud is authorized to send emails on behalf of your domain name.
  • CNAME Record (DKIM): A CNAME record (sig1._domainkey.yourdomain.com) links to Apple's domain keys to enable DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM). This digitally signs outgoing emails, ensuring they are not flagged as spam by recipient servers.

Verification and Account Activation

After updating the DNS records, return to the setup flow in iOS 15 to request verification. Apple queries the public DNS servers to confirm the presence of the TXT, MX, and CNAME records.

Once verification succeeds, you can assign individual email addresses (e.g., you@yourdomain.com) to your iCloud account. Up to three active addresses per user are supported under the custom domain.

Sending and Receiving in the iOS 15 Mail App

When the link is fully established, the custom email addresses appear directly in the iOS Mail settings:

  1. Open Settings > Mail > Default Account or visit your iCloud account details to set your custom domain address as the default "From" address.
  2. Incoming messages sent to your custom domain arrive in your primary iCloud inbox alongside standard @icloud.com mail.
  3. Outgoing mail composed in the Mail app allows you to select the custom domain address from the dropdown sender list, routed securely through Apple's authenticated outgoing SMTP servers.