How to Configure Google Workspace MX Records for Email Delivery (Technical Guide)

📅 05 Feb 2026 📂 General 👁 5 views

This Knowledge Base article provides a technical, implementation-focused guide for configuring MX (Mail Exchange) records for Google Workspace.

It is written for IT professionals, system administrators, MSPs, and support engineers responsible for domain email routing, migrations, or troubleshooting mail flow issues.

Scope includes:

Correct MX record configuration
DNS behavior and propagation
Hybrid / coexistence scenarios
Troubleshooting mail delivery failures
Security and best-practice considerations

Product / Feature Overview

Google Workspace uses Google Mail servers to receive inbound email for your domain.
To route mail correctly, your domain’s DNS MX records must point to Google’s mail servers.

If MX records are incorrect or missing:

Inbound email will fail
External senders may receive bounce-backs
Google Admin Console will show domain/email warnings

Technical Explanation

What MX Records Do

MX records tell the internet which mail servers are responsible for receiving email for a domain and in what priority order.

Lower priority number = higher preference
Multiple MX records provide failover and redundancy
Google uses five globally distributed mail servers

Google Workspace MX Architecture

Priority	Mail Server
1	`ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM`
5	`ALT1.ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM`
5	`ALT2.ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM`
10	`ALT3.ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM`
10	`ALT4.ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM`

Behavior:

Sending servers try priority 1 first
If unavailable, traffic shifts to higher-numbered servers
Google automatically manages load balancing and uptime

Use Cases & Environments

Common Scenarios

New Google Workspace tenant setup
Migrating from Microsoft 365, Zoho, or cPanel email
Fixing “email not receiving” issues
Hybrid routing (split delivery)
Re-establishing mail flow after DNS changes

Supported Environments

On-prem DNS servers
Cloud DNS (Cloudflare, Route53, Azure DNS)
Registrar-managed DNS
Shared hosting DNS panels (cPanel, Plesk)

Step-by-Step Implementation

Step 1: Identify DNS Host

Locate where your domain’s DNS is managed:

Domain registrar
Hosting provider
External DNS provider (recommended)

Step 2: Remove Existing MX Records

❗ Important:
Delete all non-Google MX records, including:

Old mail servers
Hosting provider MX entries
Microsoft / Zoho MX records

Step 3: Add Google MX Records

Create the following MX records:

ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM Priority: 1 ALT1.ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM Priority: 5 ALT2.ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM Priority: 5 ALT3.ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM Priority: 10 ALT4.ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM Priority: 10

TTL Recommendation:


300 seconds (5 minutes) or Auto

Step 4: Save & Wait for DNS Propagation

Typical: 5–60 minutes
Maximum: up to 24 hours (rare)

Step 5: Verify MX Records

Using Command Line


nslookup -type=mx yourdomain.com


dig mx yourdomain.com

Expected output should list only Google mail servers.

Step 6: Confirm in Admin Console

Admin Console → Domains → Domain status
Email service should show Active

Common Errors, Root Causes & Fixes

Issue	Root Cause	Fix
Not receiving emails	Old MX records present	Remove non-Google MX
Bounce-back errors	Incorrect priority values	Match exact priorities
“Domain not verified”	DNS not propagated	Wait or reduce TTL
Some emails missing	Partial MX configuration	Add all 5 records
Works internally only	External MX misrouting	Verify public DNS

Hybrid / Advanced Configurations

Split Delivery (Partial Routing)

Used during migrations:

Some users on Google
Some on legacy mail server

Requires:

Google Admin → Gmail → Routing
Mail server IP whitelisting
Correct fallback MX configuration

⚠️ Not recommended without a migration plan.

Security Considerations & Risks

Risks

Incorrect MX = total mail outage
Leaving legacy MX records = data leakage
Misconfigured hybrid routing = mail loops

Required Post-MX Security Setup

MX alone is not sufficient. Configure:

SPF – Sender validation
DKIM – Message integrity
DMARC – Spoofing protection

Example SPF:


v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all

Best Practices & Recommendations

✅ Use a dedicated DNS provider (Cloudflare, Route53)
✅ Keep TTL low during migrations
✅ Remove unused MX records immediately
✅ Verify MX using external tools
✅ Implement SPF, DKIM, DMARC together
❌ Do not mix mail providers unless required
❌ Do not use hosting email MX with Google Workspace

Conclusion

Correct MX record configuration is critical for reliable email delivery in Google Workspace.
By ensuring:

Accurate MX entries
Proper priorities
Clean DNS configuration
you guarantee stable inbound mail flow and reduce support incidents.

Always validate DNS changes and complete email authentication to maintain security and deliverability.

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