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This article describes how to manage the Mail Exchanger (MX) records for your web site in cPanel.

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About cPanel MX (Mail Exchanger) Records

cPanel manages your e-mail using its own mail server. However, you can modify Mail Exchanger (MX) DNS entries to route your web site’s e-mail to other mail servers if necessary.
️ Warning
  • If you change your MX entry settings, cPanel no longer handles your e-mail settings. Only advanced users who fully understand the effects of changing MX entries should do so.
  • In addition to MX entries, you may also need to configure e-mail routing in cPanel. For more information, please see Configuring email routing below.

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Adding an MX record entry

To add an MX entry in cPanel, follow these steps:
  1. Log in to cPanel.
    📘 Note If you do not know how to log in to your cPanel account, please see this article.
  2. On the Tools page, in the Domains section, click Zone Editor:
  3. Locate the domain for which you want to add an MX record, and then click MX Record:
  4. In the Add an MX Record dialog box, in the Priority text box, type a priority.
    📘 Note Lower numbers represent higher priorities. Zero (0) is the highest priority.
  5. In the Destination text box, type the fully-qualified domain name (FQDN) of the mail server.
    📘 Note You must enter a FQDN. You cannot enter an IP address.
  6. Click Add an MX Record. cPanel adds the MX record.

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Editing an MX record entry

To edit an MX entry in cPanel, follow these steps:
  1. Log in to cPanel.
    📘 Note If you do not know how to log in to your cPanel account, please see this article.
  2. On the Tools page, in the Domains section, click Zone Editor:
  3. Locate the domain you want to modify, and then click Manage:
  4. Locate the MX record entry that you want to edit, and then click Edit.
    👍 Tip To view only MX records in the list, next to Filter , click MX .
  5. In the Priority text box, type the priority.
    📘 Note Lower numbers represent higher priorities. Zero (0) is the highest priority.
  6. In the Destination text box, type the fully-qualified domain name (FQDN) of the mail server.
    📘 Note You must enter a FQDN. You cannot enter an IP address.
  7. Click Save Record. cPanel modifies the MX record.

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Deleting an MX record entry

To delete an MX entry in cPanel, follow these steps:
  1. Log in to cPanel.
    📘 Note If you do not know how to log in to your cPanel account, please see this article.
  2. On the Tools page, in the Domains section, click Zone Editor:
  3. Locate the domain you want to modify, and then click Manage:
  4. Locate the MX record entry that you want to delete, and then click Delete.
    👍 Tip To view only MX records in the list, next to Filter , click MX .
  5. Click Continue to confirm the deletion. cPanel deletes the MX record.

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Configuring email routing

You should configure e-mail routing settings in cPanel if either of the following scenarios applies to your account:
  • Third-party DNS: If your site uses a third party’s name servers, cPanel cannot automatically detect your e-mail settings. You must manually configure e-mail routing in cPanel as described below.
  • Troubleshooting: If your site uses hosting.com’s name servers, cPanel’s automatic configuration detection normally works correctly. However, if your e-mail is not working correctly, you can manually select routing settings as described below to help troubleshoot your configuration.
To configure email routing in cPanel, follow these steps:
  1. Log in to cPanel.
    📘 Note If you do not know how to log in to your cPanel account, please see this article.
  2. On the Tools page, in the Email section, click Email Routing:
  3. In the Domain list box, select the domain you want to configure.
  4. Under Configure Email Routing, select the setting you want:
    • Automatically Detect Configuration: This is the default and recommended setting if your site uses hosting.com name servers.
    • Local Mail Exchanger: If your site uses hosting.com name servers and you are experiencing problems with e-mail, you can manually select this setting to help troubleshoot the configuration.
    • Backup Mail Exchanger: This setting enables the server to function as a backup mail exchanger for your domain.
    • Remote Mail Exchanger: If your site does not use hosting.comname servers, you must select this setting.
  5. Click Change. cPanel updates your e-mail routing settings.

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More information

For more information about MX records, please visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MX_record.