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Getting started with Clearbox

Overview​

Clearbox is a simple email service for businesses and teams. We've written these steps for people with little or no IT background — if anything sounds technical, you can copy/paste instructions or contact our support team and we'll help.

Quick start — non-technical steps​

  1. Create an account at the Clearbox dashboard (signup is quick).

  2. Choose your domain option:

    • Existing domain: Use a domain you already own — follow the dashboard's guided steps to connect it, or contact support if you'd like us to help.
    • Dotsync-managed domain (recommended): Use a domain managed by Dotsync. If a domain is Dotsync-managed and linked to your Clearbox account, Clearbox can automatically publish the required email DNS records (SPF, DKIM, DMARC, etc.), so you don't need to edit DNS manually.
    • Register a new domain on Dotsync: You can register a new domain from the dashboard and select Dotsync to manage DNS for you. When you register a domain via Clearbox, nameservers will be set to Dotsync-managed nameservers by default; change nameservers at your registrar if you want to use a different DNS provider.

  3. Use the built-in Clearbox web app (no setup needed) or follow short, guided steps to add your mailbox to Outlook or your phone.

Related: setting-up-your-account, webapp-guide, security-and-2fa 3. Create your first mailbox (yourname@yourdomain.com) and choose a password you can remember.

What is DNS? (plain language)​

DNS is like the internet's phone book — it tells other services where your email should be delivered. Clearbox explains exactly what DNS settings you need and provides one-click options or step-by-step copy/paste values.

If something doesn't work​

  • Can't get mail? Double-check you followed the "Verify domain for email" step in the dashboard; if your domain is Dotsync-managed, confirm DNS was provisioned automatically (give it a few minutes) or check that automatic DNS configuration is enabled for the domain.
  • Stuck on verification or DNS: take a screenshot of the dashboard and send it to support; include your domain name and the error message.

Next steps​

  • Set up email on mobile (see mobile-setup) or use the Clearbox web app right away.
    • Quick guides: Gmail app (gmail-mobile), Outlook (outlook-setup), Clearbox mobile app (mobile-app), full reference (email-client-reference).
  • If you want help, contact support and we can finish the setup for you.

Related: setting-up-your-account, webapp-guide, security-and-2fa