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Getting Started with Microsoft Hosted Exchange Email

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Last Updated: April 28, 2015 11:42 AM

When you configure your Hosted Exchange Email account, the setup wizard helps you create an organization and one or more email addresses.

For information about switching to Hosted Exchange Email from other email configurations, see Switching to a Hosted Exchange Email Account.

NOTE: Because Hosted Exchange Email requires a change to your domain name's MX records, it can take 24-48 hours for the first email addresses to be set up. Once the MX records update, any subsequent email addresses are ready within 15 minutes.

Setting up Hosted Exchange

Get started by creating your Organization and adding one or more email addresses. When you first set up your mailboxes, they are configured on a temporary domain. You can change the domain in the next step.

To Set up Hosted Exchange

  1. Log in to your Account Manager.
  2. Click Microsoft Hosted Exchange.
  3. Above the Email Accounts list, click Microsoft Email Plans.
  4. Next to the account you want to use, click Set Up Account.
  5. Read the End User License Agreement, and then click Accept.
  6. In the Organization name field, enter your company, business, or organization name, and then click Next.
  7. Specify your user name and password. If necessary, indicate whether you are configuring a mobile mailbox.
  8. (Optional) Click the + below the Password field to add additional mailboxes.
  9. Click Next.
  10. Review your settings, and then click Finish.

Adding a Domain Name to Your Organization

You must add a domain to your Organization to create your email addresses. Your Organization can use multiple domains.

To Add a Domain to Your Organization

  1. Log in to your Account Manager.
  2. Click Microsoft Hosted Exchange.
  3. Above the Email Accounts list, click Microsoft Email Plans.
  4. Next to the account you want to use, click Manage.
  5. In the Organizations list, click Domains for the Organization that you want edit.
  6. Click Add Domain, and then do one of the following:
    • Click Add a domain in this account, and then select a domain from the list.
    • Click Add a domain Not in this account, and then enter a domain in the field.
  7. Click OK.
  8. If you selected a domain name in this account, use the checkbox to select the domain, and then click Update MX. Read the information, and then click OK.

    NOTE: If you are using a domain name not registered with us, or registered in a different account, you need to manually update your DNS Records. For more information, see Updating DNS Records for Hosted Exchange.

  9. If you selected a domain name in this account, use the checkbox to select the domain, and then click Update DNS.
  10. Read the information to create your Outlook Web Access URL as well as your Outlook Autodiscover URL, and then click OK.

    NOTE: CNAME Records control Outlook Web Access, online access to your email, and Autodiscover, syncing your Hosted Exchange email with mobile devices and Outlook.

  11. Once Online Web Access is set up, log in to your email at:

NOTE: If you are using a domain name not registered with us, or registered in a different shopper account, you need to manually update your CNAME records at your registrar. For more information, see Updating DNS Records for Hosted Exchange.

For every domain name you use with Hosted Exchange Email, you need to update your MX and CNAME records.

Assigning Your Domain Name to Your Email Address

After adding your domain, you can assign it to your email address.

To Assign Your Domain Name to Your Email Address

  1. Log in to your Account Manager.
  2. Click Microsoft Hosted Exchange.
  3. Above the Email Accounts list, click Microsoft Email Plans.
  4. Next to the account you want to use, click Manage.
  5. In the All Organizations list, click Mailbox for the Organization containing the email address you want to modify.
  6. From the Actions column, click Edit for the email address you want to modify.
  7. From the Domain list, select the domain name you want to use for the email address.
  8. Click OK.

To download Outlook® 2010, Outlook 2011, or Entourage® 2008 to use with your email address, click Download Outlook in the upper-right corner of the Hosted Exchange Email Manager page.

For more information on how to set up Outlook 2010, please see Setting Up Outlook 2010 & 2013 for Hosted Exchange Email. For Outlook 2011, please see Setting Up Hosted Exchange Email Using Outlook 2011 for Mac. For instructions on using an Android device with Hosted Exchange, please see Using an Android Mobile Device with Hosted Exchange. For instructions on using an iPhone or iPad, please see Using Your iPhone or iPad with Hosted Exchange.