MX Record Lookup
Check MX records to verify email server configuration and priority. Troubleshoot email bounce issues seamlessly. Free mail exchanger diagnostic tool.
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Enter a domain name above and click "Lookup" to check DNS records across 28 global servers.
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Advanced MX Record Lookup
The MX (Mail Exchanger) record is the most critical DNS configuration for email delivery. Our MX lookup tool queries authoritative nameservers to identify your primary and backup mail servers, their priority levels, and their current IP assignments. Essential for debugging email bouncing, verifying new email host migrations, and auditing mail routing security.
Verify Mail Routing
Ensure your emails are being directed to the correct provider (Google, Microsoft, etc.) and not hitting old cached records.
Priority Audit
Check that your primary and secondary mail servers have the correct priority values to prevent backup server bottlenecks.
Identify Mail Gateways
Discover if a domain uses an external security gateway (like Mimecast or Proofpoint) for advanced threat protection.
Resolve Mail Server IPs
Instantly translate mail server hostnames into physical IP addresses to rule out server-level outages.
An MX (Mail Exchanger) record is a DNS record that specifies the mail servers responsible for receiving email for a domain. A valid MX lookup shows the server's hostname and a 'priority' number — lower numbers represent higher priority. Without correctly configured MX records, your domain cannot receive email.
"Always configure at least two MX records from different geographic regions if using a custom mail server. If using Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, ensure *only* their recommended records exist — extra legacy MX records from your old web host are the #1 cause of intermittent email delivery failures."
What is this tool?
An MX Lookup checks a domain's mail servers. It tells you exactly where emails are being routed when you send a message to someone at that domain.
How to use it
- Enter the domain name (e.g., example.com).
- Click 'Lookup'.
- The tool will list all the mail servers responsible for receiving email for that domain.
- Check the 'Priority' numbers—the lowest number is the primary server.
Real-World Use Cases
- You switched to Google Workspace and need to confirm the new MX records are active.
- Someone isn't receiving your emails, and you want to check if their mail server is misconfigured.
- Auditing your own email setup to ensure you don't have conflicting old servers listed.
Example Outputs
Looking up 'example.com' might show: 'Priority 1, Server: aspmx.l.google.com'.
What is an MX Record?
A Mail Exchanger (MX) Record is a critical DNS component that directs inbound email traffic to your domain's designated mail servers. Without MX records, the internet wouldn't know where to deliver messages sent to yourname@yourdomain.com. MX Records also utilize a priority system; you can establish primary and backup mail servers by assigning different priority numbers. Lower numbers indicate higher priority. This ensures that if your primary mail server goes down, incoming emails are automatically routed to a secondary server, preventing communication failures.
How to use the GetDNSInfo MX Record Tool
Diagnosing email deliverability starts here. Enter your root domain into our MX Record lookup tool to retrieve your current mail routing configuration securely via DoH. The results will display all active mail servers associated with your domain, ordered by their priority values, along with their respective TTLs. This tool is essential when setting up Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, or migrating to a new email hosting provider. It allows you to instantly confirm that the rest of the internet recognizes your new mail servers and is routing messages correctly.
Common MX Record Errors and Fixes
Email routing is highly sensitive to DNS misconfigurations. Look out for these frequent issues:
- Pointing to an IP Address: MX records must always point to a hostname (e.g.,
mail.example.com), never directly to an IP address. Fix: Create an A Record for your mail server, and then point your MX Record to that A Record's hostname. - Incorrect Priority Settings: Misunderstanding the priority hierarchy can cause emails to route to backup servers unnecessarily. Fix: Ensure your primary mail server has the lowest priority number (e.g., 10), and backup servers have higher numbers (e.g., 20, 30).
- Missing Records After Migration: When moving domain registrars or web hosts, custom MX records are frequently left behind. Fix: Always export and replicate your MX records in your new DNS zone before finalizing any migration to avoid dropping incoming emails.
Frequently Asked Questions
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