DNS guide

MX Record Setup Guide

An MX record tells other mail servers where to deliver email for your domain. Without one, your domain can't receive any email. Here's how to add the right MX records for your email provider and verify they're working.

Why it matters

When someone sends email to you@yourdomain.com, their server looks up your MX record to find your mail server. No MX = no delivery. Wrong MX = email going to the wrong server.

Common MX records by provider

Copy exact values from your provider’s docs — these are typical examples.

Google Workspace

@ MX 1 aspmx.l.google.com @ MX 5 alt1.aspmx.l.google.com @ MX 5 alt2.aspmx.l.google.com @ MX 10 alt3.aspmx.l.google.com @ MX 10 alt4.aspmx.l.google.com

Microsoft 365

@ MX 0 yourdomain-com.mail.protection.outlook.com

Fastmail

@ MX 10 in1-smtp.messagingengine.com @ MX 20 in2-smtp.messagingengine.com

Zoho Mail

@ MX 10 mx.zoho.com @ MX 20 mx2.zoho.com

How to verify

Run DomainPreflight Propagation — select MX record type, enter your domain, confirm all five resolvers show your records.

Check MX across resolvers

Open Propagation checker →

Step by step

Step 1 Log into your DNS provider (Cloudflare, Namecheap, etc.).
Step 2 Delete any existing MX records from a previous provider.
Step 3 Add the MX records your email provider specifies — get exact values from their setup docs.
Step 4 Set priority values correctly (lower number = higher priority).
Step 5 Wait up to 48 hours for DNS propagation.
Step 6 Run the DomainPreflight Propagation checker to confirm MX records are live across all resolvers.

FAQ

What is an MX record?

An MX record tells mail servers where to deliver email for your domain. Without one, your domain can't receive email.

Can I have multiple MX records?

Yes — multiple MX records provide redundancy. Lower priority numbers are tried first. If the primary is down, the next is tried automatically.

What does MX priority mean?

Lower number = higher priority. Priority 1 is tried before priority 5. If you have one server, use priority 10.

How long do MX record changes take?

Up to 48 hours. Use DomainPreflight Propagation checker to see when all resolvers have the new record.

My MX records exist but email still bounces — why?

Check that MX records point to a hostname (not an IP), the hostname has an A record, and your mail server is actually running.