How Do I Change My MX Records

MX records control where email for your domain is delivered. Changing MX records is free and self-service in cPanel. If you're switching to Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, or any external email provider, you need to change your MX records. If you're switching back to server-hosted email, you need to change them too. This guide covers how to update MX records in cPanel's Zone Editor and the most common configurations.

01. What Are MX Records

MX (Mail Exchanger) records are DNS records that tell the internet which server handles email for your domain. When someone sends an email to you@yourdomain.com, their mail server looks up your domain's MX records to find out where to deliver it.

Each MX record has two parts:

• Priority - a number (lower = higher priority). If you have multiple MX records, the lowest-priority server is tried first
• Server - the hostname of the mail server (e.g., mail.yourdomain.com or ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM)

02. How to Change MX Records in cPanel

1. Log into cPanel > click Zone Editor (in the Domains section)
2. Find your domain and click Manage
3. Filter by MX - click the "MX" filter button to show only MX records
4. Delete existing MX records - click the Delete button next to each one. Confirm each deletion
5. Add new MX records - click "Add Record," select type MX, enter the priority and server hostname for each record your new email provider requires

03. Common MX Configurations

Ultra Web Hosting (Server-Hosted Email)

To use email hosted on your Ultra account:

Priority: 0
Server: mail.yourdomain.com

Or use your server hostname directly:

Priority: 0
Server: webXXX.ultrawebhosting.com

Google Workspace

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

For the full Google Workspace setup including SPF, DKIM, and Email Routing, see our Google Workspace Guide.

Microsoft 365

Priority: 0
Server: yourdomain-com.mail.protection.outlook.com

(Replace yourdomain-com with your actual domain, replacing dots with hyphens. Microsoft provides the exact value in your Microsoft 365 admin panel.)

04. Don't Forget Email Routing

This is the step most people miss. Even after changing MX records, cPanel may still try to deliver email locally. You need to tell cPanel to stop intercepting mail.

1. Go to cPanel > Email Routing
2. Select your domain
3. Choose the correct setting:
   • Remote Mail Exchanger - use this when email is handled by an external provider (Google, Microsoft 365)
   • Local Mail Exchanger - use this when email is handled by your Ultra hosting server
   • Automatic - cPanel decides based on MX records. Usually works, but we recommend setting it explicitly to avoid surprises

05. Troubleshooting

Email Going to Wrong Server

Check both MX records AND Email Routing. Both must agree. Use our DNS Lookup tool to verify your live MX records match what you configured.

Waiting for Propagation

MX changes propagate within a few hours for most providers but can take up to 48 hours worldwide. During propagation, email may arrive at either the old or new server. Don't cancel your old email service until propagation is complete.

Email Authentication After MX Change

After changing MX records, update your SPF record to authorize the new mail server. Otherwise, outgoing email from the new provider may land in spam. See our SPF, DKIM, and DMARC Guide.

Quick Recap: MX Record Changes

If you only do 5 things from this guide, do these:

1. Delete old MX records first - then add the new ones
2. Set Email Routing to match - "Remote" for external providers, "Local" for server email
3. Update your SPF record - authorize the new mail server
4. Wait for propagation - up to 48 hours, keep old service active during this time
5. Test with our DNS Lookup tool - verify your live MX records match your configuration

Last updated March 2026 · Browse all Email articles · See also: Google Workspace Setup | Email Authentication