1147Moving Custom Domains to iCloud Mail
Web Hosting Services like pair.com used to provide free email hosting since 1997 - along with their other services - but in 2025 they moved to their new Pair Platinum Mailbox, which means mailboxes are no longer free at pair.com
Prices are $2.99/month for 1 mailbox, discounts apply when you use more mailboxes. For example, have 10 mailboxes would cost $25.00/month.
I have one high-frequency mailbox and several low-frequency ones - like info@ or hello@. One solution could be to create aliases and routh all the mails to one mailbox.
Another option is to use Custom Domains and iCloud+. iCloud+ allow up to 5 custom domains, with up to 3 email addresses per domain.
Instructions: iCloud
- Go to your iCloud+ Features page.
- Click Custom Email Domain →
Add a domain you own. - iCloud will show instructions and private values to update the custom DNS record of your domain name registrar.
Instructions: pair.com
- In the pair.com ACC, navigate to
domains→your domain→Custom DNS Records. - Add the new DNS Entries:
MX
Type: MX
Host: @
Value: mx01.mail.icloud.com.
Priority: 10
What "A" Record is this MX for? → Host
What preference should this MX have? → Priority
What is the full host name of the mailserver? → Value
TXT
Type: TXT
Host: @
Value: apple-domain=12345
Hostname: → Host
Text Record: → Value
SPF
SPF is set as type TXT
Type: TXT
Host: @
Value: "v=spf1 include:icloud.com ~all"
Add the values string as is creates an error on the pair.com side. Remove the quotation marks.
DKIM
SPF is set as type CNAME
Type: CNAME
Host: sig1._domainkey
Value: sig1.dkim.your.domain.at.icloudmailadmin.com.
Hostname: → Host
Address: → Value
Finish
It can take up to 72 hours to propage the DNS settings. Keep checking the iCloud settings, your domain will show up there once it's done.
pair.com's SPF and DKIM can remain inactive.