How to Configure Fastmail Email Service Using Your Own Domain

Do you have your own domain and want to use it with email? I’ve done that too. I use Fastmail because it’s private, fast, and easy to manage. But the best part is that you can use your own domain with it.

In this post, I’ll guide you step-by-step to set up your domain email on Fastmail. I’ll keep things simple, so even if you’re new to this, you can follow along.

Why Use Your Own Domain?

Using your own domain means your email looks like this:

[email protected]
Instead of something like: [email protected]

There are a few good reasons to use your domain:

• It looks more professional.
• You can create custom email addresses (like [email protected]).
• If you ever switch email providers, your address stays the same.

I switched to my own domain years ago, and I’ve never looked back. It gives me control and freedom. Have you been thinking about using one too?

What You Need Before You Start

Let’s make sure you have everything you need.

You’ll need:

• A domain name (from a registrar like Namecheap, GoDaddy, or Cloudflare).
• A Fastmail account (any paid plan will work).
• Access to your domain’s DNS settings (that’s where you’ll add records).

Got all those? Great. Let’s move to the setup.

Step 1: Add Your Domain in Fastmail

1. Log in to your Fastmail account.
2. Click the gear icon (⚙️) to open Settings.
3. Go to Domains.
4. Click Add Domain.
5. Enter your domain name (like mycooldomain.com) and click Next.

Fastmail will now ask you to verify the domain. This is how they know you own it.

Step 2: Add DNS Records

Fastmail will give you a list of DNS records to add at your registrar. These usually include:

• MX records – these tell the internet where to deliver your mail.
• SPF record – this helps prevent others from sending email pretending to be you.
• DKIM – this signs your emails so they look legit to other servers.
• DMARC – adds rules for email security.
• CNAME or TXT – to verify ownership.

Let’s take an example.

Example DNS Setup (you’ll copy these from Fastmail)

Add these records where you bought your domain.

Need help?

Here are a few quick links:

• Cloudflare DNS Help
• Namecheap DNS Guide
• GoDaddy DNS Help

After you add the records, return to Fastmail and click Check DNS Settings.

Sometimes it takes a few minutes (or even hours) for DNS changes to show up. If you see green checkmarks, you’re good to go.

Step 3: Create Email Addresses

Now that Fastmail knows your domain is yours, it’s time to make your email addresses.

Go to:

Settings → Users & Aliases → Add User or Alias

Here, you can make:

• Full users (each one with a mailbox)
• Aliases (they forward to another inbox)

For example:

• Make [email protected] as a full user.
• Or make [email protected] forward to [email protected].

This is one of the things I love about Fastmail. You can manage multiple addresses without setting up new accounts.

Step 4: Try Sending and Receiving

Let’s test things.

Send an email from [email protected] to your Gmail or Outlook inbox. Then reply back.

Did it arrive? Check both inbox and spam. If it landed in spam, it may be because the DNS records haven’t fully updated yet. Wait a bit and try again.

Step 5: Set Up on Your Devices

Now you can read and send email from:

• Your browser (Fastmail’s webmail is clean and fast)
• Your phone (using the Fastmail app or any mail app)
• Your computer (with apps like Thunderbird or Outlook)

To set it up in an email app, use these settings:

IMAP (Incoming)

• Server: imap.fastmail.com
• Port: 993
• Security: SSL
• Username: your Fastmail email
• Password: your Fastmail password

SMTP (Outgoing)

• Server: smtp.fastmail.com
• Port: 465
• Security: SSL
• Username: your Fastmail email
• Password: your Fastmail password

You can also use an App Password (found in Settings > Password & Security) for better security.

Two Helpful Lists

Reasons I Like Fastmail with My Domain:

• It’s private (no ads, no data mining)
• Super easy to set up with my own domain
• Clean interface and fast syncing
• Strong spam filters
• Includes calendar and contacts

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

• Forgetting to delete old MX records from your domain
• Typing DNS records wrong (copy them exactly)
• Not waiting for DNS to update (can take up to 24 hours)
• Not enabling 2FA (two-factor authentication)

How Does This Compare to Gmail?

Here’s a simple chart:

If you care about privacy and want to keep things simple, Fastmail is a solid choice. Gmail is great too, but using your domain means you need to pay for Workspace, which costs more.

Final Thoughts

Using Fastmail with your domain gives you control over your email. You don’t have to depend on big platforms. You get privacy, power, and peace of mind.

It’s not hard once you break it down:

• Add your domain to Fastmail
• Add the right DNS records
• Create your email addresses
• Test everything
• Set it up on your devices

I’ve used this setup for years. It works well and rarely gives me trouble.

If you ever outgrow Fastmail or want to change email services, your email address stays the same. That’s the beauty of using your own domain.

Have you tried setting up domain email before? If not, is there something that’s holding you back?