How to use external DNS with Plesk

Already manage all your DNS records through your domain registrar? Perhaps you subscribe to a DNS service that uses multiple-location and/or anycast redundant DNS servers. You can indeed continue using your existing DNS service, however this makes configuration of things like mail services and new subdomains a bit trickier.

When using a Plesk server for DNS management all necessary DNS records are set up automatically for you. Conversely, when using external DNS, the records you need for everything to work smoothly will not be automatically created – you must create all of them manually. Because of this, we strongly recommend only using external DNS if you’re already comfortable working with DNS records. If that’s not you, please change your name servers instead and utilize the DNS service we provide within Plesk.

TIP: if your mail service is also external, see our guide to using an external mail provider.

Mirror the records you see in Plesk

The simplest way to use external DNS and ensure everything works smoothly with Plesk is to copy all the records that you see within DNS Settings in Plesk to your external DNS provider.

For mail services to continue working smoothly, be sure to copy all mail related DNS records. This includes:

1. Any records that begin with mail. or webmail.
2. Anything that shows of type MX
3. Any TXT record that starts with v=spf1
4. DKIM and DMARC records

Disable DNS in Plesk

Be sure to disable any services you’re *not* using for the domain in Plesk.

If the DNS is external, turn off DNS for the domain under DNS Settings. If your mail is external, follow our guide to disable the mail service in Plesk.