Set up Patra, step by step

Before you start

You need a domain you own, such as yourcompany.com, and access to its DNS settings (or the person who has it). You don’t need any payment details.

The five steps

1. Create your account. Choose Start free, then enter your business, your contact details, your domain and a plan, and create your admin sign-in. Confirm your email address with the link we send you (it works for 24 hours), then sign in to your admin console. Your admin sign-in is separate from the mailboxes you’ll create.
2. Add your DNS records. Open Domains, then your domain. At your DNS host, add the records it lists, starting with the signing key and the email policy. The page checks them for you. When the signing key is confirmed, your domain is verified and we email you. Someone else manages your DNS? Choose Send them these instructions. See Add your domain’s DNS records.
3. Add your people. Open Users and add people one by one, or up to 100 at once from a CSV file. Let them choose their own password with a setup link. See Add and manage users.
4. Switch your MX record. When your people are ready, point your domain’s MX record to Patra. See Go live.
5. Set up every device and bring your old mail. Each person opens their setup page for webmail, their phone and their computer. Once the switch has settled, they import their old mail from the same page. See Phones and computers and Move your old mail.

Your progress

The Overview page of your admin console shows these steps and ticks each one off.

Related: DNS records · Add and manage users · Move your old mail · Switch to Patra