How to Create an MX Record in Windows DNS Server

An MX record, or Mail Exchanger record, is a vital part of your domain's configuration. It directs incoming emails to the correct mail server for your domain. If you're managing your own DNS server using Windows Server, creating MX records is a straightforward process. This guide will walk you through the steps of setting up an MX record on your Windows DNS server.

Before You Begin:

• Ensure you have access to the Windows Server where your DNS server is running.
• You'll need the hostname or FQDN (Fully Qualified Domain Name) of your mail server. This information is typically provided by your email hosting provider.

Creating an MX Record:

1. Launch DNS Manager:

   • Open the Server Manager on your Windows Server.
   • Navigate to Tools > DNS.
   • Create A record and point to MailServer 
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   • In the DNS Manager window, locate the domain name you want to manage MX records for in the left-hand pane.
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2. Add the MX Record:

   • Right-click on the desired domain name and select New Mail Exchanger (MX)....
   • In the New Resource Record window, configure the following settings:
     • Host name: Leave this blank (denoted by "@" symbol) for the record to apply to the entire domain.
     • Mail server: Enter the hostname or FQDN of your mail server provided by your email hosting service.
     • Priority: This value determines which mail server receives emails first in case of multiple MX records. Lower priority values take precedence. You can typically start with a priority of "10".
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3. Complete the Setup:

   • Review the details you entered to ensure accuracy.
   • Click OK to create the MX record.
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Additional Considerations:

• You can create multiple MX records with different priorities to configure email failover scenarios. Lower-priority MX records act as backups if the primary mail server is unavailable.
• After creating the MX record, it may take some time (usually up to 24 hours) for the changes to propagate throughout the DNS network.
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Verifying the MX Record:

Here are a few tools you can use to verify that your MX record is set up correctly:

• Online MX record checkers: Several free online tools allow you to check your domain's MX records.
• Command prompt: Use the nslookup -type=mx your_domain_name command on your Windows machine to view the MX records for your domain.
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