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Email DNS

MX record not working

MX records tell other mail servers where to deliver email for a domain. If they are wrong or stale, mail may bounce or never arrive.

Common causes

No MX recordThe domain has no mail routing target.Add provider MX records.
Wrong hostnameMX points to an invalid mail server name.Use the exact provider value.
Propagation delayOld MX answers are cached.Wait for TTL.
Missing SPF/DKIM/DMARCDelivery may fail spam checks.Check TXT records.

Checklist

  1. Run DNS Lookup for MX records.
  2. Check TXT records for SPF, DKIM and DMARC requirements.
  3. Make sure the MX hostname itself resolves.
  4. Confirm you edited the correct DNS zone.
  5. Wait for propagation if the records changed recently.

Receiving mail and sending mail use different DNS pieces. MX helps receiving. SPF, DKIM and DMARC help sending reputation and verification.

When diagnosing email, separate delivery direction. If outside senders cannot deliver to your domain, focus on MX records and whether the destination mail server accepts mail. If your messages go to spam, focus on SPF, DKIM, DMARC, reverse DNS and mail server reputation. A domain can have correct MX records and still fail outbound authentication, so check TXT records along with MX.

FAQ

Does MX affect website hosting?

No. MX records are for mail delivery, while A and AAAA records handle web IPs.

Can multiple MX records exist?

Yes. Priorities tell senders which mail servers to try first.

Why does mail send but not receive?

Outgoing mail can work through SMTP while incoming MX routing is wrong.

Related guides

DNS LookupCheck MX and TXT.DNS PropagationWait for cache.DNS Changed Old IPSimilar stale DNS issue.