MX Lookup
Use this MX lookup to find the mail servers of a domain. It runs an MX record lookup on three public DNS resolvers and lists each mail exchanger with its priority, so you can check where email for the domain is delivered.
Answers come from three public DNS resolvers (Cloudflare, Google and Quad9), not from three countries.
Try an example
How this MX lookup works
An MX record names a mail server for a domain and gives it a priority number. A sending server tries the lowest number first and moves to the next one if that server does not answer. Records with the same number share the load.
The tool asks Cloudflare, Google and Quad9 for the MX records of the domain. If the three agree, the result says so. If they differ, a recent change may not have reached every cache yet.
Email server check: what to look for in an MX lookup
- Hostnames, not IP addresses
- An MX record must point to a hostname. That hostname needs its own A or AAAA record, and it should not be a CNAME.
- The expected provider
- The hostnames should belong to the provider you use for email. A leftover record from an old provider can send mail to the wrong place.
- Priorities
- A backup server should have a higher number than the main one.
MX lookup shows no records: what it means
If a domain has no MX record, many mail servers fall back to the A or AAAA record of the domain. A domain that does not receive email can publish a null MX record (priority 0 and a single dot) to say so.
Next, check the TXT records of the domain for SPF, DKIM and DMARC. They control who may send email for it.
Frequently asked questions
How do I check the MX records of a domain?
Enter the domain above and press Look up. The result lists the mail servers with their priority and TTL, for Cloudflare, Google and Quad9.
What does the MX priority number mean?
It sets the order in which sending servers try the mail servers. The lowest number is tried first. Servers with the same number share the traffic.
How do I find the mail server for an email address?
Take the part after the @ sign, for example example.com in [email protected], and run an MX lookup on it.
Why does a domain have no MX records?
It may not receive email, or the records may be missing by mistake. Without an MX record, many servers try the A or AAAA record of the domain instead. A domain that should not receive email can publish a null MX record.
Why do the three resolvers show different MX records?
A resolver keeps an answer until its TTL runs out. After a change, a resolver can still return the old records for a while. Check again after the TTL has passed.
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Uptrack checks the record on a schedule and alerts you when it changes or stops resolving.
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