What is an MX record, and how do you change it?
An MX record is the line in your domain’s DNS that tells every mail server in the world where to deliver email for you. It is the one record that decides which provider receives your mail — so it is also the one to change last, and carefully, when you switch.
Updated 26 October 2026.
What an MX record looks like
An MX record has a name (your domain), a priority number and the name of a mail server:
| Name | Type | Priority | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| yourcompany.in | MX | 10 | mail.ginbox.net |
When someone writes to priya@yourcompany.in, their mail server looks up the MX records for yourcompany.in and delivers the message to the server named there. Lower numbers are tried first; a second record with a higher number is a fallback.
MX records live with the rest of your domain’s DNS — usually at the company where you bought the domain, unless you moved DNS to a host such as Cloudflare.
How to check your MX records
- Any computer: open a terminal and type
nslookup -type=mx yourcompany.in(Windows, Mac or Linux), ordig mx yourcompany.inon Mac and Linux. - In a browser: any “MX lookup” tool shows the same thing.
- In GINbox: the domain’s DNS tab shows what your MX records say right now, and whether they point at GINbox.
The server names usually tell you who handles your mail today, which is the first thing to know before a move:
| MX value contains | Your mail is at |
|---|---|
| google.com | Google Workspace |
| outlook.com or protection.outlook.com | Microsoft 365 |
| zoho.com or zoho.in | Zoho Mail |
| titan.email | Titan (also sold by many hosting companies) |
| secureserver.net | GoDaddy email |
| hostinger.com | Hostinger email |
| mail.ginbox.net | GINbox |
How to change MX without losing a message
- Set up the new provider first. Add your domain, prove you own it, publish SPF, DKIM and DMARC, and create every mailbox — while MX still points at the old provider, so mail keeps arriving there.
- Copy the old mail across. With GINbox this is one form for the whole domain; see how moving works.
- Lower the TTL (optional). A day before, set the MX record’s TTL to 300 seconds so the change spreads faster.
- Replace the MX records. At your DNS host, delete the old provider’s MX records and add the new one. Keep only the new provider’s records — a leftover old record means some mail goes to the old server.
- Keep the old mailboxes for a few days. Mail sent during the change may still arrive there. GINbox notices the switch by itself and collects stray mail from the old provider for three days.
For the other records your domain needs, read SPF, DKIM and DMARC explained, or follow the full setup in how to create a business email address.
Questions people ask
What does MX stand for?
Mail Exchanger. An MX record is a DNS record that names the server that accepts email for a domain, with a priority number. Every domain that receives email needs at least one.
What does the number in an MX record mean?
It is the priority. Senders try the server with the lowest number first and fall back to higher numbers if it does not answer. Several servers with the same number share the mail.
Will changing my MX record delete my old email?
No. It only changes where new mail is delivered. Mail already in your old mailboxes stays there until you move it or the old account closes, so copy it across before you cancel the old service.
How long does an MX change take?
Usually minutes to a few hours, depending on the record’s TTL (time to live) and caches around the internet. For a short time some mail may still reach the old server, which is why the old mailboxes should stay open for a few days.
Does my website stop working when I change MX?
No. Your website uses A or CNAME records; MX records affect only email. Change only the MX records, and leave the others as they are.
Try it on your own domain
Set up a real mailbox at your own domain, with every record checked for you. No card needed.