The TXT record format ms=msXXXXXXXX (where X represents a digit) is exclusively used by Microsoft for domain ownership verification. This mechanism confirms administrative control of a domain when integrating with Microsoft services like:

• Office 365 tenant setup
• Azure AD configuration
• Exchange Online deployment
• Microsoft 365 service provisioning

Here's how such a record appears in DNS zone files (BIND format):

  
example.com.  3600  IN  TXT  "ms=ms97284866"  

For programmatic DNS verification (Python using dnspython):

  
import dns.resolver  

def verify_ms_txt(domain):  
    try:  
        answers = dns.resolver.resolve(domain, 'TXT')  
        for rdata in answers:  
            if "ms=ms" in rdata.strings[0]:  
                return rdata.strings[0].decode()  
    except dns.resolver.NoAnswer:  
        return None  

print(verify_ms_txt("example.com"))  
# Output: "ms=ms97284866"  

1. Microsoft generates a unique verification code during service setup
2. Admin creates the TXT record containing the ms=ms[code] value
3. Microsoft's DNS checker validates record existence
4. Verification persists even after initial setup for periodic revalidation

When working with domain configurations, you may encounter TXT records in the format ms=msXXXXXXXX where X represents a decimal digit (0-9). These are specifically Microsoft domain verification records used to prove ownership of a domain when setting up Microsoft services.

These records typically appear when configuring:

• Microsoft 365 (Office 365) tenant setups
• Azure Active Directory domain verification
• Exchange Online deployments
• SharePoint Online custom domains

Here's how to create such a record via DNS management interfaces:

# Example using Azure CLI
az network dns record-set txt add-record \
  --resource-group my-resource-group \
  --zone-name example.com \
  --record-set-name @ \
  --value "ms=ms97284866" \
  --ttl 3600

Or via PowerShell:

# PowerShell example for adding Microsoft verification
Add-DnsServerResourceRecord -ZoneName "example.com" -TXT 
  -Name "@" -DescriptiveText "ms=ms97284866" -TimeToLive 01:00:00

Microsoft's systems periodically check for this record to confirm domain ownership. The verification typically follows this flow:

1. Microsoft generates a unique verification string
2. Admin adds TXT record to domain's DNS
3. Microsoft DNS queries verify existence
4. Domain marked as verified in Microsoft services

If verification fails:

• Wait for DNS propagation (up to 72 hours)
• Verify exact record format (case-sensitive)
• Check for trailing spaces in the record value
• Ensure TTL is set appropriately (300+ seconds)