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Email deliverability

What is an MX record, and how do you change it?

An MX (mail exchange) record is a DNS record that tells other mail servers where to deliver email for your domain. When someone writes to you@yourcompany.com, their server looks up the MX record for yourcompany.com and sends the message to the server it names.

An example

Type: MX Name: @ Value: mail.syncgaze.in Priority: 10
FieldMeaning
Name@ means the domain itself. Some panels want it left blank.
ValueThe mail server's hostname. It must be a name, not an IP address.
PriorityWhich server to try first. The lower number wins.
TTLHow long other servers may remember the record. One hour is a common choice.

How priority works

If a domain has several MX records, senders try the lowest number first, and move to the next if that server doesn't answer. Records with the same number share the mail between them.

10 mx1.example.com (tried first) 20 mx2.example.com (tried if the first is down)

All of a domain's MX records should point to one provider. If they point to two different providers, some of your mail can go to the wrong place. See Domain won't verify (multiple MX).

How to change your MX records

  1. Sign in to the company that runs your DNS. That is usually where you bought the domain, but not always.
  2. Open the DNS settings and find the MX records.
  3. Delete the old provider's MX records.
  4. Add the new record with the value and priority your email provider gives you.
  5. Save, wait, and check the result.

Steps for your provider: GoDaddy, Hostinger, Cloudflare, Namecheap, BigRock, Squarespace.

Will changing MX affect my website?

No. MX records only control email. Your website uses separate A or CNAME records, so leave those alone.

Moving from another provider

Copy your old mail first, then change MX. Until you change it, new mail keeps arriving at the old provider. For a short time after the change, some mail can still reach the old server, so keep that mailbox open for a few days. See Migration & bulk import.

Common problems

  • Mail still goes to the old provider. An old MX record is still there, or the change hasn't spread yet.
  • No mail arrives at all. The domain has no MX record, or the value has a typo.
  • Value rejected by your DNS panel. Some panels need a dot at the end, such as mail.syncgaze.in.

Check your domain to see the MX records the world can see.

Verify and test

  1. Wait 5–30 minutes after saving. Most changes show up within minutes, but some take up to a few hours.
  2. Go back to dashboard.syncgaze.in → Domains and click Verify. Each record turns green when SyncGaze can see it.
  3. Run a free check on mail.syncgaze.in/check. It reads your MX, SPF, DKIM and DMARC records and explains anything still missing.
  4. Send a test email to a Gmail address and open Show original. It should show SPF: PASS, DKIM: PASS and DMARC: PASS.