New Google MX Records: Step by Step Guide

Published by Jimit Jain at September 12, 2025

If you’re moving your business email to Google Workspace, you’ll need to update your domain’s DNS so email is delivered to Gmail. Google recently simplified this process by introducing a new Google MX record. Instead of multiple MX entries, you can now point all your email traffic to a single record, making setup faster and easier.

What is the New Google MX Record?

Previously, Google required you to configure several MX records with different priorities. The new Google MX record streamlines this into one record:

Host/Name: @
Priority: 1
Mail server: smtp.google.com

This change makes DNS setup less error-prone and easier to manage.

Step 1: Prepare Your Accounts

Sign in to the Google Admin console with your super-admin account.
Make sure you’ve created user accounts for everyone who needs a Gmail inbox.
Log in to your DNS host (such as GoDaddy, Cloudflare, or Namecheap).

Step 2: Remove Old MX Records

Before you add the new Google MX record, delete any existing MX records that belong to your old email provider. Keeping them can cause messages to get delivered to the wrong place.

Step 3: Add the New Google MX Record

In your DNS settings, add a new MX record:

Type: MX
Host: @ (root domain)
Priority: 1
Destination: smtp.google.com
TTL: Use the default (or 300 seconds for faster changes)

Save the record once you’re done.

Step 4: Wait for Propagation

It may take a few minutes to several hours for DNS changes to spread across the internet. In some cases, it can take up to 72 hours before the new Google MX record is fully active everywhere.

Step 5: Activate Gmail in Google Admin

Go back to the Google Admin console → Domains → Manage domains, and activate Gmail for your domain. This tells Google to start accepting mail for your domain using the new Google MX record.

Step 6: Verify the Change

Use tools like MXToolbox, WhatsMyDNS, or Google Admin Toolbox to confirm your MX records are pointing to smtp.google.com.
Send and receive a few test emails to make sure everything is working.

Step 7: Secure Your Email (SPF, DKIM, DMARC)

After you set up the new Google MX record, it’s important to strengthen your domain’s email security:

Add an SPF record to authorize Google to send on behalf of your domain.
Set up DKIM in the Admin console and publish the DNS record.
Add a DMARC record to monitor and protect your domain from spoofing.

Common Issues & Fixes

Still receiving mail at old provider? → Check for leftover MX records.
Using Cloudflare? → Ensure MX records are set to “DNS only,” not proxied.
Propagation delay? → Be patient; some providers cache records for up to 72 hours.

To know, check out F60 Host LLP.