The answer is a TXT record, because domain ownership verification in Microsoft 365 requires you to add a specific TXT record containing the unique verification string provided by the admin center to your public DNS zone. This works by allowing Microsoft to query your DNS and match the value, proving you control the domain as defined by RFC 1035. On the MS-102 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of the domain setup workflow, often appearing as a step where the domain status shows "Pending verification" after adding a custom domain like contoso.com. A common trap is confusing TXT records with MX or CNAME records, but remember that verification is purely about proving ownership, not routing mail or services. For a memory tip, think "TXT for Test" — the TXT record is the test that confirms you own the domain before any other DNS changes are made.
MS-102 Deploy and manage a Microsoft 365 tenant Practice Question
This MS-102 practice question tests your understanding of deploy and manage a microsoft 365 tenant. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
An administrator is setting up a new Microsoft 365 tenant and has added the custom domain 'contoso.com'. The domain status shows 'Pending verification'. Which type of DNS record must the administrator add to the public DNS zone to complete domain ownership verification?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
TXT record
To verify domain ownership in Microsoft 365, you must add a TXT record containing the unique verification string provided by the Microsoft 365 admin center to the public DNS zone. The TXT record proves you control the domain by allowing Microsoft to query the DNS and match the value. This is the standard method defined by RFC 1035 for domain validation.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
MX record
Why it's wrong here
MX records direct email flow, they are not used for domain ownership verification.
✓
TXT record
Why this is correct
A TXT record containing the unique verification token provided by Microsoft proves domain ownership.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
CNAME record
Why it's wrong here
CNAME records are used for aliasing domains or for services like autodiscover, not for verification.
✗
SPF record
Why it's wrong here
SPF records prevent email spoofing, they do not verify domain ownership.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse the TXT record used for domain verification with the SPF record, which is also a TXT record but serves a completely different purpose, leading them to select SPF instead of the generic TXT record option.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The verification process uses a TXT record with a unique hash value (e.g., 'MS=msXXXXXXXX') that Microsoft's DNS servers query to confirm ownership. This is distinct from other TXT records like SPF or DKIM, which serve different purposes. In a real-world scenario, if you have multiple TXT records, ensure the verification record is not overwritten or removed after verification, as it may be needed for future re-verification or hybrid deployments.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this MS-102 question in full detail.
Deploy and manage a Microsoft 365 tenant — This question tests Deploy and manage a Microsoft 365 tenant — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: TXT record — To verify domain ownership in Microsoft 365, you must add a TXT record containing the unique verification string provided by the Microsoft 365 admin center to the public DNS zone. The TXT record proves you control the domain by allowing Microsoft to query the DNS and match the value. This is the standard method defined by RFC 1035 for domain validation.
What should I do if I get this MS-102 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. An administrator has added the custom domain 'fabrikam.com' to their Microsoft 365 tenant and is now ready to verify ownership. Which type of DNS record should the administrator create in the public DNS zone to complete the verification?
easy
A.MX record
✓ B.TXT record
C.CNAME record
D.record
Why B: To verify domain ownership in Microsoft 365, the administrator must create a TXT record in the public DNS zone containing a specific verification string provided by the Microsoft 365 admin center. The TXT record is the standard DNS record type used for domain ownership verification because it can store arbitrary text data without affecting email routing or other services, and Microsoft 365 checks for this record to confirm the domain is under the administrator's control.
Variation 2. A company has just purchased Microsoft 365 Business Standard and added the custom domain 'fabrikam.com' to the tenant. They want to verify domain ownership. Which DNS record type must they add to their DNS provider?
easy
A.MX record
B.CNAME record
✓ C.TXT record
D.SPF record
Why C: To verify domain ownership in Microsoft 365, you must add a TXT record containing a unique verification string provided by the Microsoft 365 admin center. The TXT record is the standard DNS record type used for domain validation because it can store arbitrary text data without affecting email routing or other services. Microsoft 365 checks for this specific TXT record to confirm you control the domain.
Variation 3. An organization has registered the domain contoso.com and added it to their Microsoft 365 tenant. What is the next step to use this domain for user email addresses?
medium
✓ A.Add a DNS TXT record provided by Microsoft to the domain registrar
B.Create user accounts with the new domain
C.Configure Exchange Online connectors
D.Set up MX records for email routing
Why A: After adding a custom domain to Microsoft 365, the domain's ownership must be verified by adding a specific DNS TXT record provided by Microsoft at the domain registrar. This verification proves you control the domain and is a prerequisite before you can assign user email addresses or configure other DNS records like MX. Without this step, Microsoft 365 will not trust the domain for email routing.
Variation 4. After adding a custom domain name to a Microsoft 365 tenant, what is the first step the administrator must complete before users can sign in using the custom domain?
easy
A.Add the domain as an accepted domain in Exchange Online
B.Set the custom domain as the default domain for new users
✓ C.Verify domain ownership by adding a DNS TXT record
D.Create user accounts with usernames ending with the custom domain
Why C: Before a custom domain can be used for user sign-ins or email routing in Microsoft 365, the administrator must prove ownership of the domain. This is done by adding a specific DNS TXT record provided by the Microsoft 365 domain setup wizard. Until the TXT record is verified, the domain remains unverified and cannot be used for any Microsoft 365 services.
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Question Discussion
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