How do MX records work?

When an email message is sent to an email address at a specific domain, the recipient’s mail server looks up the MX records for that domain to determine the mail server responsible for accepting email for that domain. The email is then sent to that mail server, which delivers it to the correct recipient.

MX records are used to ensure that email messages are delivered to the correct mail server and that they reach their intended recipients. They are important for the proper functioning of email services and are necessary for any domain that wants to receive email.

A domain can have multiple MX records, each with a different priority. The priority is specified in the MX record, with lower numbers indicating higher priority. If the highest-priority mail server is not available, the email is delivered to the next-highest-priority server, and so on. This allows for email delivery to be maintained even if one of the mail servers is down.