What is MX record?
An MX record is a DNS entry that names the mail servers responsible for receiving email sent to a domain, together with their order of priority.
When someone emails you, the sending server looks up your MX records to find where to deliver the message. Several records can exist, each with a priority number, so a backup server can take over if the first is unavailable.
MX records are about receiving mail, not sending it. Your SPF and DKIM records handle sending authentication. Even so, a domain that cannot receive mail looks neglected, and bounces and replies to your campaigns depend on a working setup.
If you send from a subdomain, check whether it needs its own MX record so that bounces and replies are handled. Changing MX records by mistake can stop your team receiving email, so edit them with care.
A worked example.
A hypothetical bookshop moves its staff mailboxes to a new provider and updates the MX records. It forgets that its sending subdomain also needs a record for bounce handling. After a test shows failed replies, the team adds the right entry and confirms delivery again.
Common mistakes.
- Confusing MX records, which receive mail, with SPF, which authorises sending
- Deleting old records before the new provider is confirmed working
- Having no MX record on a domain you send from
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