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GLOSSARY

What is MX record?

DEFINITION

An MX (mail exchange) record tells the internet which servers receive email for your domain. If you use Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, your MX records point to their mail servers.

Each record carries a priority number, and mail goes to the lowest number first, falling back to the others if it is unreachable. MX records only control incoming mail. They have nothing to do with where your website is hosted, which is why you can host your site with one company and keep email with another without any conflict. Why it matters: Moving a website and accidentally deleting or overwriting MX records is a classic way to lose incoming email without noticing.

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