How to configure MX records

Quick answer: MX records tell the world which server accepts email for your domain. Each MX entry has a priority (lower = preferred) and a target hostname that must resolve via A/AAAA — never a CNAME or a bare IP. Set them at your DNS provider to the mail service you actually use.

Overview

Whether mail is handled by a third-party provider or a mail server on your own Cloud2Y VPS, the MX records decide where messages are delivered. Wrong MX records mean silently lost mail, so double-check values against your mail provider's documentation.

Before you start

• The MX hostnames and priorities from your mail provider (or the hostname of your own mail server).
• If self-hosting: an A record for the mail host (e.g. mail.example.com) pointing to your server IP.
• Access to the authoritative DNS panel.

Step-by-step guide

1. In the DNS panel, add records of type MX on the bare domain (@).
2. Enter each target and priority exactly as your provider specifies, e.g. priority 10 → mail.example.com.
3. Remove MX entries of the previous provider so mail does not split between systems.
4. Verify:

dig +short MX example.com

5. Complete the email trio — SPF, DKIM and DMARC — so your outgoing mail is trusted, and set the PTR record if you send from your own server.

Common issues

• MX pointing to a CNAME or an IP: both violate the standard and break delivery with some senders — use an A-resolvable hostname.
• Leftover old MX records: some mail keeps flowing to the previous provider; delete stale entries.
• Missing trailing dot: in some panels mail.example.com without the dot becomes mail.example.com.example.com.

When to contact support

If you host mail on a Cloud2Y server and delivery fails even with correct MX records, open a ticket — port 25 reachability, reverse DNS and IP reputation are things we can check from our side.

Frequently asked questions

What does an MX record do?

MX records tell sending mail servers which host accepts email for your domain, with a priority number where lower values are tried first. Without valid MX, inbound mail bounces.

Can an MX record point to an IP address?

No. MX must target a hostname that resolves via an A or AAAA record — a bare IP or a CNAME target violates the standard and breaks delivery with many mail systems.

Do MX records affect my outgoing mail?

Not directly — MX only routes incoming mail. Outgoing deliverability depends on SPF, DKIM, DMARC, your reverse DNS (PTR) and the sending IP's reputation.

Related articles

• How to configure SPF, DKIM and DMARC
• How to configure DNS for email services
• How to configure TXT records
• How to set reverse DNS / PTR record

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