MX record lookup: does this domain receive email?

Every domain that receives email lists its mail servers in DNS, in its MX records. Type a domain, an email address or a link and we’ll tell you whether it can receive email, which servers handle it and who runs them. We only read public DNS.

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How to use it

Type a domain such as example.com, or paste an email address or a link: we only use its domain.
Press “Look up MX”. We read the domain’s MX records in public DNS and check that each server has an address.
Read the result: whether the domain receives email, its servers in the order they’re tried and the provider behind them.

What each result means

This domain receives email: It lists its mail servers in DNS, so a message sent to an address at this domain has somewhere to go.
It receives email, but something is wrong: It lists mail servers, but at least one of them is misconfigured, so some messages may be delayed or lost.
This domain doesn’t receive email: It lists no mail servers, or it states that it accepts no email. A message sent to an address at this domain won’t arrive.
This domain doesn’t exist: It isn’t registered or it has no DNS. Nobody can receive email at it, so be wary of a message that claims to come from it.

What each signal means

The domain doesn’t exist in DNS: it isn’t registered or it has expired.
The domain has no MX records, the records that tell other servers where to deliver its email.
The domain publishes a “null MX”, which states that it receives no email at all.
With no MX records, email goes to the domain’s own address. It works, but it’s unusual for a domain that really uses email.
There’s only one mail server: if it goes down, email waits until it’s back. That’s normal for small domains.
At least one mail server has no IP address, so email sent to it can’t be delivered.
An MX record points to an IP address instead of a server name. The standard doesn’t allow it and many senders give up.

Which countries it covers

Works with domains from any country, including names with accents or in other alphabets. We recognise the provider of the big email services (Google, Microsoft 365, Yahoo, iCloud, Zoho, Proton, Fastmail, GMX, IONOS, OVHcloud, Yandex, Mail.ru, QQ, NetEase and Naver), of Amazon SES and of the main email security filters (Mimecast, Proofpoint, Barracuda and Cisco).

We read the domain’s public DNS records. If you type an email address or a link, only its domain leaves your browser. The domain you look up isn’t stored.

Frequently asked questions

What is an MX record?

It’s the DNS record that tells other servers where to deliver a domain’s email. A domain can have several, each with a priority: the lowest number is tried first and the others are backups.

What if a domain has no MX records?

It usually doesn’t receive email. Some servers still try the domain’s own address, which works but is rare for a domain that really uses email. A domain can also publish a “null MX” to say it accepts no email at all.

Can I see who runs a company’s email?

Often, yes: the names of the MX servers show the provider (Google, Microsoft 365, Zoho…) or the security service that filters the email before it arrives. It’s public information that anyone can look up.

Does it tell me whether an email address exists?

No. It tells you whether the domain receives email. Whether one particular mailbox exists is only known to its mail server, and we don’t ask it. To check how an address is written, its domain and its type, use the email address checker.