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Email Tool

MX Record Lookup

Lookup MX records for any domain. See mail server priorities and hosts to verify inbound email routing and provider configuration.

Priority
Lower is better
Mail tries lowest numbers first.
Use case
Email provider verify
Confirm you’re pointed correctly.
Waiting for input
Enter a domain, then press Check
How to Use

Use MX Record Lookup in 4 Steps

01
Enter domain
Type the domain you want to receive email on.
02
Lookup MX
We query MX records and extract priorities and hosts.
03
Verify provider
Make sure the MX set matches your email provider docs.
04
Fix and recheck
Update DNS and re-run until the expected MX set appears.

What are MX records?

MX (Mail Exchange) records tell the internet which mail servers accept inbound email for your domain.

An MX record includes:

  • a priority (lower number = higher priority), and
  • a mail server hostname (for example: aspmx.l.google.com.)

Why MX records matter

  • Without MX records, many servers won’t know where to deliver email for your domain.
  • Incorrect priorities can cause mail delivery failures or slow retries.
  • MX records help confirm which provider (Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, etc.) is handling your mail.

Common MX problems

  • No MX records (or they point to old providers)
  • Duplicate priorities that don’t match provider documentation
  • Mail server hostnames that don’t resolve (missing A/AAAA)

Best practices

  • Use your provider’s recommended MX set and priorities.
  • Keep at least two MX records for redundancy (if your provider supports it).
  • Pair MX verification with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC checks.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does MX priority mean?
Lower numbers have higher priority. Mail servers try the lowest priority first and fall back to higher numbers if needed.
Do I need MX records to receive email?
Most domains need MX records to receive email. Some servers may fall back to A records, but MX is the standard and recommended.
Why do my MX hosts end with a dot?
DNS hostnames are often returned as fully qualified domain names (FQDNs) ending with a trailing dot.
Should I have multiple MX records?
If your provider supports it, multiple MX records improve redundancy and failover.
What if my MX records point to the wrong provider?
Update your MX records to match your current email provider’s documented MX set and wait for DNS caches to expire.
Tip

Lower MX priority numbers are tried first. Verify hostnames resolve and match your provider.