Every domain that receives email publishes a short list of servers in DNS, called MX records. A sending server reads that list and tries the entry with the lowest number first, moving on to the next if it fails. This tool shows you that list exactly as a sending server sees it.
When this helps
- A message bounced with "domain not found" and you want to know whether the domain exists as a mail destination.
- A name on your list looks odd and you want to see where its mail would go.
- You changed mail provider and need to confirm that the new records are live.
Reading the answer
- The smallest priority number is tried first; equal numbers share the load.
- Server names should belong to a mail provider you recognise, such as Google or Microsoft.
- No MX but an address record means mail may still be accepted, though explicit records are safer.
- A single entry with just a dot is a "null MX": the domain says it never receives email.
Frequently asked questions
What does MX mean?
Mail exchanger: a DNS record that names a server accepting email for the domain.
Does a valid MX record prove an address works?
No. It shows the domain can receive mail. Whether one specific mailbox exists is a separate check, which is what verification does.
Why would a domain list several servers?
For backup. If the first is down, the next one takes over.