DNS Tool
MX Record Lookup
Query the mail exchange (MX) records for a domain. Check whether your corporate email routing is correctly configured.
What Does This Tool Check?
What is an MX (Mail Exchange) record?
An MX record is a DNS record that specifies which mail server should receive email for a domain. When an email is sent, the sending server looks up the recipient domain's MX records to determine where to deliver the message.
This tool queries DNS servers directly for the current MX records. It returns real DNS responses, not cached data.
How to Interpret Results
Understanding MX record results
Priority value
Lower number means higher priority. An MX record with priority 10 is tried before one with priority 20. The lowest-priority-value server is the primary mail server.
Multiple MX records
Large email providers like Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 use multiple MX records. When the primary server is unreachable, traffic is routed to backup servers.
No records found
The domain is not configured to receive email. The record may not have been added, or DNS propagation may not have completed (can take 24–48 hours).
Common Mistakes
Frequent MX configuration errors
- MX record values must be hostnames, not IP addresses. Entering an IP directly is invalid.
- Google Workspace setup requires five MX records. Missing any causes backup routing failure.
- Switching email providers without removing old MX records creates routing conflicts.
- Setting TTL too high delays propagation of record changes.
- Some DNS editors don't auto-append a trailing dot; a missing trailing dot can cause issues.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
My MX record exists but emails aren't arriving — what could be wrong?
Check your SPF, DKIM, or DMARC configuration. Verify the mail server is listening on port 25 and review firewall rules.
Are multiple MX records required?
Not required, but recommended. A domain with a single MX record cannot receive email when that server is offline.
What TTL should an MX record have?
3600 (1 hour) works well if you don't plan changes. Use 300 (5 minutes) during provider transitions to speed propagation.
How long does an MX record change take to propagate?
Usually completes within a few hours, but may take up to 48 hours depending on the previous TTL value.
Need help with corporate email setup?
Complete your full DNS configuration including MX records with KodSanat.