Is it possible to use custom domain for email with MS Office 365 Home?

6

I am trying find out if it is possible to use Office 365 Home to manage my custom domain and email accounts (I need multiple email accounts). Actually looking for the same feature available in domains.live.com (soon to be ended).

Jubayer Arefin

Posted 2014-04-13T12:11:01.343

Reputation: 185

Office 365 Home does not contain an E-Mail service. Are you sure that's what you're asking about? Not Exchange Online? – Daniel B – 2014-04-13T12:17:53.670

Thanks for your comment. I needed a Google Apps replacement. So, I searched and found some solutions. I just looked up Exchange Online. It is expensive than Office 365. In the Exchange Online site I saw this line "Exchange Online is available as a standalone service or you can get it as part of an Office 365 plan that includes Office, SharePoint, and Lync. The following table compares the two standalone plans". Doesn't that mean email service is available in Office 365 ? – Jubayer Arefin – 2014-04-13T12:26:40.647

It's part of Office 365 Business. It's slightly more expensive (+$2.51). – Daniel B – 2014-04-13T12:52:21.893

Answers

9

I had the same problem so I googled and found this in Microsoft's help pages:

You can add multiple custom domains in all Office 365 subscriptions[...]

This help article looks as if it were possible but they only talk about the business versions and Office 365 Home isnt mentioned with a single word - so I continued my research, even contacted Microsoft - they had no idea, but then I finally found this post:

yesterday I called MS Support and the support engineer was discussing in the background with a colleague. Then he said that it's possible to use own domain with O365 Home... I just had to create a new account with my personal email adres/domain... after that I could order O365 and configure it with my own DNS domain name. Then after changing MX records with my hosting provider this would work for me.

anyway... I tried this anyway... I created a new account with my personal domain... then I ordered Office365Home hooked up to my paypal account....but in the end... no options for me to configure this. So I called back.... I got the same engineer... but then he said.. sorry, I don't have enough technical expertise, cause I'm a sales guy.... strange, because I tried to get tech help... The guy gave me a phonenumber to local (Belgium) Microsoft Tech support.... so I called the number. Then I got first or second line tech support on the line, so I expained the situation and the proposed option from his colleague. But I got a negative response.

No, sir, O365 Home does not allow you to use your own domain... why should it, there are not so many families using their own DNS domain, sir...

DUHH !!! What ? I don't understand their response... I times like this... people make their own family website... use a personal domain.... so I believe this is really a stupid reaction from a Microsoft Tech guy. Probably he has his own domain at home ;-) The only option is to choose for O365 Small Business and pay a lot more, because you need to pay for every user... every family member... so that would cost me at least 200€-250€ yearly.... please get serious ! so I give up.... Also Google Apps only has a business solution... also around 200€ yearly. Office365 Home... useless -> go for Office365 SMB... 2expensive ! I'll try again when Microsoft grows up and gets serious.

After all I don't think it is possible, I also found some forum posts and comments in blogs and they all say it isn't possible.

fnkr

Posted 2014-04-13T12:11:01.343

Reputation: 530

Such a great shame. They used to let anyone add a custom domain completely for free. I don't think it's a stupid conclusion to come to though, most families won't have a custom domain, but if you're paying anything for email I would think that it makes sense to have this option as standard because it's a step up from having outlook.com. I'm talking about back in the day when it was hotmail.com which was a bit of a stupid and non-professionally viewed domain. – Luke – 2018-09-24T09:18:54.457