Adding MX records for external email (Google Workspace, Zoho, etc.)

If you host your website on Omega Digital but want email handled by Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Zoho Mail, or Fastmail, you need to repoint MX records away from our mail server. Here is the exact configuration for each, plus the SPF and DKIM records that make sure your outgoing mail actually delivers.

Before you edit anything

Create your mailbox at the external provider first. Verify you can send and receive between users inside their system. Only then swap MX. Otherwise incoming mail bounces during the window where the provider doesn't recognize the domain yet.

Google Workspace

text

# MX records
Priority   Host   Value
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.

# SPF (TXT record on root)
@   TXT   "v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all"

# DKIM: generate from Admin Console → Apps → Gmail → Authenticate Email
# Add the resulting TXT record at google._domainkey.yourdomain.com

Microsoft 365

text

# MX record (single)
Priority   Host   Value
0          @      yourdomain-com.mail.protection.outlook.com.

# SPF
@   TXT   "v=spf1 include:spf.protection.outlook.com -all"

# Autodiscover for mail clients
autodiscover   CNAME   autodiscover.outlook.com.

# DKIM: enable in Microsoft Defender → Policies → Email authentication
# Add CNAMEs for selector1._domainkey and selector2._domainkey as shown there

Zoho Mail

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# MX records
Priority   Host   Value
10         @      mx.zoho.com.
20         @      mx2.zoho.com.
50         @      mx3.zoho.com.

# SPF
@   TXT   "v=spf1 include:zoho.com ~all"

# DKIM: generate from Zoho Admin → Email Deliverability → DKIM
# Add the TXT at the provided selector, e.g. zoho._domainkey.yourdomain.com

Fastmail

text

# MX records
Priority   Host   Value
10         @      in1-smtp.messagingengine.com.
20         @      in2-smtp.messagingengine.com.

# SPF
@   TXT   "v=spf1 include:spf.messagingengine.com ?all"

# DKIM (three CNAMEs)
fm1._domainkey   CNAME   fm1.yourdomain.com.dkim.fmhosted.com.
fm2._domainkey   CNAME   fm2.yourdomain.com.dkim.fmhosted.com.
fm3._domainkey   CNAME   fm3.yourdomain.com.dkim.fmhosted.com.

Where to edit records

If your nameservers point to Omega Digital, edit records in cPanel → Zone Editor. Delete the existing MX (pointing to mail.yourdomain.com) before adding the new ones. If your nameservers are at Cloudflare or your registrar, edit there instead.

Turn off local mail delivery on the server

A subtle trap: even if you swap MX, cPanel may still try to deliver mail locally for domains it thinks it hosts. Fix it:

01. In cPanel, open Email Routing under the Email section.
02. Select your domain.
03. Change the routing from Local Mail Exchanger (or Automatically Detect) to Remote Mail Exchanger.
04. Save.

Verify the swap actually took effect

bash

# MX should show the external provider
dig +short MX yourdomain.com

# SPF should include the external provider
dig +short TXT yourdomain.com | grep spf

# DKIM check (replace selector)
dig +short TXT google._domainkey.yourdomain.com

# Send a test email, then check headers:
# dkim=pass, spf=pass, dmarc=pass

Common gotchas

· Old MX still present. If the old mail.yourdomain.com MX wasn't deleted, delivery is split between two servers and half your mail disappears.
· Forgetting Remote Mail Exchanger. cPanel keeps delivering mail locally for domains it thinks it hosts. This is the most common cause of mysteriously lost mail after an MX swap.
· SPF hard -all during testing. Use ~all (softfail) while you verify, then switch to -all once delivery is confirmed.
· Multiple SPF records. Only one SPF TXT record is allowed. If you merge providers, combine the includes into one record.

Still stuck?

Email [email protected] and tell us which external provider you're moving to. We'll sanity-check the records with you.