MX Record Lookup
Look up mail exchange records for any domain. See exactly which servers are hosting their email and verify priority settings.
What is an MX Record?
MX stands for Mail Exchange. An MX record is a set of instructions placed in your Domain Name System (DNS) that tells the internet where to deliver emails sent to your domain name.
Think of an MX record like a digital postal sorting facility. When someone sends an email to hello@yourwebsite.com, their email provider looks up your domain's MX records to find out exactly which server is authorized to receive your mail. If you do not have MX records, the email simply bounces back to the sender.
How MX Priority Works
Understanding those confusing numbers next to your mail servers.
When you look at an MX record, you will notice a number right before the server name. This is the Priority Preference.
The most important rule to remember is that the lowest number gets the highest priority. If someone sends you an email, their server will try to deliver it to the MX record with the lowest number first. If that mail server is broken or offline, it moves down the list to the next lowest number.
Example Priority Setup
Why Check Your MX Records?
Troubleshoot Bounces
If your customers or clients say their emails to you are bouncing back with delivery errors, checking your MX records is the very first step in fixing the problem.
Verify Migrations
If you just moved your company's email to a new platform, use this tool to verify that the internet has officially recognized your new mail servers.
Confirm Providers
Need to know who handles the email for a specific company? A quick lookup will usually reveal if they use Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, or a private server.
Are you setting up a new Google Workspace account? Read Google's official guide to activating Gmail for Google Workspace to find out exactly what values to use.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an MX record?
An MX (Mail Exchange) record is a DNS rule that tells the internet where to send emails addressed to your domain. It points to the specific mail servers responsible for accepting your messages.
What does MX priority mean?
MX priority is a number assigned to a mail server to determine the order in which servers should be used. A lower number means a higher priority. Senders will try the lowest number first. If the primary server is offline, the sending server will try the next lowest number.
Can an MX record point to an IP address?
No. According to strict DNS rules, an MX record must always point to a hostname (like mail.example.com), never directly to an IP address.
Why are my emails bouncing?
If your emails are bouncing, the first step is to check your MX records. If they are missing, misspelled, or pointing to an old hosting provider, the internet will not know where to deliver your mail.
How many MX records should a domain have?
Most large email providers recommend having at least two MX records for redundancy. Some providers, like Google Workspace, used to require five records, though they recently simplified it to just one primary record for modern setups.