MX RECORD

An MX (Mail Exchanger) record is a DNS entry that tells the world which mail server is responsible for accepting email for a domain. When someone sends a message to anyone@example.com, the sending server queries DNS for the MX records of example.com and delivers the message to the host they point to (often a Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Fastmail or Zoho Mail address). MX records can have multiple targets with priorities, so backup mail servers receive mail if the primary is down. They are completely independent from a domain's web hosting; you can host your website with one provider and email with another.

How it works

An MX record has a priority number (lower = preferred) and a target hostname. The target must itself have an A or AAAA record. A domain typically has 2 to 5 MX records for redundancy, all pointing at the email provider's mail servers.

Why it matters

Email and web hosting are completely separate concerns at the DNS level, and forgetting that is the classic cause of "I moved my website and now my email is broken". When you change DNS providers or hosting, your MX records must be carried across or email stops working.

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