MX records tell the internet which servers receive email for your domain. Learn what MX records do, how priority works, and common misconfigurations.
An MX record (Mail Exchange record) is a DNS record that tells other mail servers where to deliver email for your domain. When someone sends a message to you@yourdomain.com, the sender’s server checks your MX records to find the correct receiving servers.
MX records include priorities, which determine preferred routing order. Lower numbers generally indicate higher priority. Many providers publish multiple MX records for redundancy, ensuring email can still be delivered if one server is unavailable.
MX misconfigurations can cause missing mail, delays, or routing to the wrong provider. If you switch email providers, update MX records carefully and verify that the new provider’s records are correctly published and propagating.