Home > Empowering Tips > MX Records Explained: The Guide Behind Email Delivery

When managing a business email service, you may come across technical terms like MX record. It might appear during email setup, domain changes, or when your hosting provider asks you to update DNS settings.

Although it sounds technical, an MX record plays a simple but important role: it tells the internet where your emails should be delivered.

Without the correct MX record, your business emails may not reach the right place.

What Is an MX Record?

MX stands for Mail Exchange.

An MX record is a type of DNS (Domain Name System) record that tells other mail servers which server handles incoming emails for your domain.

Think of your domain name as your business address. When someone sends an email to:

name@yourcompany.com

the sender’s mail server needs to know:

“Which email server should receive this message?”

The answer comes from your domain’s MX record.

In simple terms:

MX record = The delivery instruction for your business emails

It points incoming emails to the correct email server so messages can arrive in your mailbox.

Why Do You Need an MX Record?

Every business using a custom email address needs a properly configured MX record.

For example, if your company uses:

• sales@yourcompany.com
• support@yourcompany.com
• accounts@yourcompany.com

the MX record helps other email providers know where to deliver messages sent to these addresses.

Without a valid MX record:

• Customers may not be able to email you
• Important enquiries may not reach your team
• Email communication may be interrupted

Your website may still work normally, but your email service can be affected because websites and emails use different DNS settings.

When Will You Come Across an MX Record?

Most business users encounter MX records during situations such as:

1. Setting Up a New Business Email

When registering a new domain and subscribing to email hosting, you may need to update your MX record to connect your domain with your email provider.

For example, your hosting provider may provide MX record details that need to be added to your domain’s DNS settings.

2. Changing Email Providers

If your company moves from one email service to another, your MX record needs to be updated.

For example:

Old email provider → New email provider

The MX record must change so that incoming emails are delivered to the new email server.

3. Troubleshooting Email Delivery Issues

When emails are not being received, one of the checks performed by technical teams is whether the MX record is pointing to the correct server.

A wrong or missing MX record is one possible reason why email delivery fails.

What Happens If an MX Record Is Changed?

Changing an MX record can redirect where your emails are delivered.

For example:

Before change:
Emails are delivered to Email Server A

After change:
Emails are delivered to Email Server B

Once the new MX record becomes active, new incoming emails will be sent to the new server.

However, changing MX records should be done carefully because incorrect settings can cause email disruptions.

Possible issues include:

• Emails Stop Arriving: If the MX record points to an incorrect server, incoming emails may not reach your mailbox. Customers or suppliers may send emails that never appear in your inbox.
• Emails Are Delivered to the Wrong Place: If the MX record points to an old or unused email server, messages may continue going somewhere your business no longer monitors.
• Temporary Delivery Delays: After changing an MX record, updates may take some time to spread across the internet. This process is known as DNS propagation. During this period, some senders may still use the old MX record while others use the updated one.

Can You Have More Than One MX Record?

Yes. A domain can have multiple MX records.

Multiple records are usually configured for:

• Backup email servers
• Email redundancy
• Failover protection

Each MX record has a priority value. The mail server with the highest priority is normally tried first.

If that server is unavailable, another server with a lower priority may be used.

Should You Change Your MX Record Yourself?

MX records are usually managed through your domain’s DNS settings. While changing them is possible, incorrect updates can affect your email service.

Before making changes:

• Confirm the correct MX record details from your email provider.
• Check whether you are changing the correct domain.
• Keep a record of your existing settings.
• Avoid deleting existing email records unless you know they are no longer needed.

If you are unsure, consult your email hosting provider before making changes.

MX Records: Small Setting, Big Impact

Although an MX record is only a small DNS setting, it plays a critical role in keeping business emails flowing.

Whenever you send or receive an email, MX records work behind the scenes to guide messages to the right destination.

Understanding what an MX record does helps business users make better decisions when setting up email, changing providers, or troubleshooting delivery problems.

Your emails depend on it — even if you never see it.