---
title: "Set up your email inbox"
description: "Buildy domain purchases create your first hello@ inbox automatically. External domains need manual setup. Check DNS status under Email inbox."
canonical: "https://www.buildy.ai/docs/domains-email/email-inbox"
last_updated: "2026-10-25"
---

# Set up your email inbox

Your first included `hello@` inbox is created automatically when you buy a domain through Buildy. If your project already has a primary inbox, Buildy keeps it. Open **Domain & Email > Email inbox** to see setup status.

## Open an inbox for a Buildy domain

1. Open **Domain & Email > Email inbox**.
2. Wait for the inbox to become **Active**. Buildy adds the DNS records and checks them. This usually takes a few minutes.
3. Click **Open Inbox**. Webmail opens in a new tab, already signed in.

If no inbox appears, select **Finish inbox setup**. This also lets you set up the first inbox for a domain bought before automatic setup was added.

## Set up an inbox for an external domain

Connecting an external domain does not create an inbox. You control when to create it and must make the DNS changes at your provider.

1. Open **Domain & Email > Email inbox**.
2. Pick your verified domain and click **Set up Inbox**.
3. If you already use another email provider, read the warning before you choose to move email to Buildy. You can keep your current provider.
4. Open **DNS details** under the inbox to see all records together. For records that need a change, copy their names and values to your domain provider.
5. Select **Check again**. When all records are verified and the inbox becomes **Active**, click **Open Inbox**.

## Understand DNS status

Each inbox has one **DNS details** dropdown. It shows how many records need attention, or **All records verified**. Open it to see **Receive email**, **Inbox sending permission**, and **Inbox identity** together.

- **Verified**: the record matches.
- **Add this record**: the record is missing or the change has not reached the DNS service yet.
- **Update this record**: the current value does not match. Copy the required name and value to your provider.
- **Could not check**: the check failed. Select **Check again** before changing DNS.
- **Setup needed**: Buildy could not create the verification key. For your first inbox, select **Retry setup**. For an additional inbox, contact support with **Copy troubleshooting details**.

Verified records stay compact. If you contact support, click **Copy troubleshooting details** to copy the required values and the results of the last DNS check.

Buildy manages records for Buildy-hosted DNS. Select **Retry setup** for your first inbox if those records do not become ready. For an additional inbox, select **Check again** and contact support if the problem continues. For external DNS, update the records at your provider, then select **Check again**. Keep other services in your existing SPF record and use only one SPF record.

If a refresh fails, the page keeps your last saved inbox details and shows a warning. Select **Check again** to refresh them before changing DNS.

To manage AI replies or copy a person on replies, click **Manage AI replies**. These controls are in **AI Receptionist > Receptionist**. See [Auto-replies](/docs/marketing/auto-replies).

## Share the inbox or use it elsewhere

Click **Login Info**. It shows the username, password and the webmail address. Give these to a teammate so they can sign in without a Buildy account. Click **Reset password** to get a new one. Anyone using the old password loses access.

## Common problems

### "Inbox is still being set up. Try again in a few minutes."

DNS has not spread yet. Wait and try **Open Inbox** again.

### "This domain's email is still managed by a previous email provider"

Your old email host still controls the domain's mail. Remove or release the domain from the old host, then try again. If you are stuck, open **Chat with support**.

### I want to read the mail in Outlook or Apple Mail

Use the webmail link from **Login Info**. Reply to messages from there.

## Related

- [Add more inboxes or a custom address](/docs/domains-email/more-inboxes)
- [Set up email sending from your domain](/docs/domains-email/email-sending)