What is an MX record?

An MX (mail exchanger) record is a DNS record that tells other mail servers where to deliver email for a domain. Each MX record names a mail server and a priority number.

How do I check the MX records of a domain?

Enter the domain or any email address on that domain and click MX Lookup. The tool shows every MX record with its priority, the IP addresses of each mail server and the email provider it belongs to.

What does MX priority mean?

The priority number decides the order in which mail servers are tried. The lowest number is tried first. If two records have the same number, email is shared between them.

What happens if a domain has no MX record?

Without an MX record, most email sent to the domain fails. Some servers try the domain's A record instead, but you should not rely on it. Add MX records from your email provider.

How long do MX record changes take to work?

Most changes work within minutes to a few hours. The old record can stay in caches until its TTL (time to live) ends, and in rare cases it can take up to 48 hours.

Can an MX record point to an IP address?

No. An MX record must point to a host name, such as mail.example.com, and that host name must have an A or AAAA record. It should not point to a CNAME.

Can a domain have more than one MX record?

Yes. Many domains have two or more MX records with different priorities. Sending servers try the lowest number first and use the others if it cannot be reached. Records with the same priority share the incoming email.

What is a good TTL for MX records?

One hour (3600 seconds) is a common choice. If you plan to switch email providers, lower it to 300 seconds a day before the change, so the new records spread faster, then raise it again afterwards.

Do I need MX records if I only send email?

Sending does not strictly need MX records, but replies and bounce messages do. Some spam filters also treat a sending domain that cannot receive email as suspicious, so it is best to have working MX records.

Why does my MX lookup show an old email provider?

The old MX records are still published in your DNS, or your change has not spread yet. Remove every record from the old provider at your DNS host, then wait for the TTL to pass and check again.

MX Lookup - Free MX Record Checker for Any Domain

What is an MX lookup?

An MX lookup reads the mail exchanger (MX) records of a domain. These DNS records tell the rest of the internet which servers receive email for that domain. If the MX records are missing or wrong, email sent to the domain bounces or disappears, so an MX lookup is the first check when someone says they are not getting your emails.

What this MX record checker shows

Every MX record: the mail server host name, its priority and its TTL.
Mail server IPs: whether each mail server resolves to an IP address.
Email provider: Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Zoho and many others, detected from the MX hosts.
SPF and DMARC status: a quick view of the domain's other email records in the same check.

How MX priority works

Each MX record has a priority number. Sending servers try the lowest number first and move to the next one only if the first server cannot be reached. Records with the same number share the incoming email. Hosted services such as Google Workspace now often use a single MX record, because their servers already have backups behind one name.

Common MX record problems

No MX records: often happens after moving a domain to a new host or DNS provider.
Old MX records left behind: after switching email providers, old records can send some email to the old service.
Mail server without an IP: the MX host name has no A or AAAA record, so delivery fails.
MX pointing to an IP or a CNAME: an MX record must point to a host name with its own A or AAAA record.

MX records for popular email providers

Google Workspace

New setups use one record: smtp.google.com with priority 1. Older setups use aspmx.l.google.com and several alt servers.

Microsoft 365

One record that ends in mail.protection.outlook.com, shown in your Microsoft 365 admin center.

Zoho Mail

mx.zoho.com, mx2.zoho.com and mx3.zoho.com, with priorities 10, 20 and 50 (regional domains differ).

Your web host

Hosting email often uses mail.yourdomain.com. Check your hosting panel for the exact value.

How to read MX lookup results

Column	What it means
Priority	The order servers are tried in. Lower numbers go first.
Mail server	The host name that receives email for the domain, such as smtp.google.com.
IP address	Where that host name points. "Not found" means the mail server cannot be reached, and email will fail.
TTL	How long, in seconds, other servers may cache the record before asking again.
Email provider	The service behind the mail servers, detected from their host names.

How to check MX records with nslookup or dig

You can also check MX records yourself from a terminal. On Windows, macOS or Linux, run:

nslookup -type=mx example.com

On macOS or Linux you can use dig for a shorter answer:

dig mx example.com +short

Both show the same records as this tool. The difference is that our MX lookup also checks each server's IP address, names the email provider and shows the SPF and DMARC status in the same check.

How to change MX records safely

A day before the switch, lower the TTL of your current MX records to 300 seconds.
Create the mailboxes at your new provider first, so email has somewhere to land.
Add the new MX records exactly as your provider shows them, then delete every old MX record.
Run an MX lookup to confirm only the new records appear, then send a test email from an outside account.
Update your SPF record if the new provider also sends your email.

MX, SPF and DMARC: what each record does

Record	Job	If it is missing
MX	Tells the world where to deliver email for your domain	You cannot receive email
SPF	Lists the servers allowed to send email for your domain	Your email looks less trustworthy and is easier to fake
DMARC	Tells receivers what to do with email that fails SPF and DKIM	Anyone can spoof your domain more easily, and bulk mail to Gmail and Yahoo can be rejected

Next, make sure other servers trust your email: check your SPF record and DMARC record.

MX Lookup

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