dotvitals

MX Record Generator

Generate correctly prioritized MX records for a mail provider, ready to paste into your DNS host.

MX records are looked up on the exact name in the address, so mail to `you@example.com` uses `example.com` and nothing else. Records published on `www` or on a subdomain deliver nothing for the bare domain.

About the mx record generator

Setting up MX records means publishing the correct hostnames and priority values for your mail provider, in the exact form that provider expects, since a single wrong character or missing trailing dot in some DNS panels is enough to leave your domain unable to receive mail. This generator includes ready-made presets for common providers such as Google Workspace and Microsoft 365, which each require a specific set of hostnames at specific priorities, so selecting a provider fills in values known to be correct rather than requiring you to copy them from documentation by hand.

For a custom mail server, it walks through entering the mail server's hostname and choosing priorities, explaining that lower numbers are tried first and that a backup server should generally use a higher number so it only receives mail when the primary is unreachable. The output shows exactly what to enter in a DNS host's control panel, including the priority as a separate field where the host requires it, since some panels expect the value combined in the record content and others expect a dedicated priority column, which is a common source of confusion when copying values manually.

Running an MX lookup against the domain after publishing is a quick way to confirm the records propagated correctly and that mail can actually reach the intended servers, rather than assuming the DNS panel accepted the values exactly as entered. That final confirmation step takes only a moment but reliably catches a value the panel silently altered or truncated, which is a far better time to find a mistake than after mail has already started bouncing.

Common questions

Does it support Google Workspace and Microsoft 365?
Yes, both have built-in presets with the exact hostnames and priorities each provider requires, so you do not need to look them up separately.
What priority should my backup server use?
A higher number than the primary, commonly 20 when the primary uses 10. Lower numbers are always tried first, so the backup is only used when the primary does not respond.
Do I need a trailing dot on the hostname?
Some DNS panels require it to mark the value as fully qualified and others add it automatically; the generator shows the value both ways so you can match your host's expectations.
Can I have MX records at the same priority?
Yes. Equal priorities are treated as a rough load-balancing split between the listed servers, rather than strict primary-and-backup ordering.