This article will help set up MX records in your Namecheap account settings. If your domain is pointed to BasicDNS, PremiumDNS, or FreeDNS, you can configure mail service and MX records in your Namecheap account.

NOTE: Before setting up your mail service, be sure that there is no CNAME record created for a bare domain (e.g., yourdomain.tld) in the Host records section, or email will not work correctly. CNAME has the highest priority and prevails over all the other records for the hostname, including MX records which are responsible for mail delivery.

How to Set Up MX Records #

To set up MX records for your domain, follow these steps:

• Sign into your Namecheap account in the top left corner of the page.
• Select Domain List in the left sidebar.
• Click Manage next to the domain name you wish to set DNS records for.
• Navigate to the Advanced DNS tab and go to the Mail Settings section.

Mail Settings Options #

Here, you may choose one of the following Mail Settings depending on the mail service you wish to use:

• No Email Service: If you wish to use no mail service. Your domain will have no MX records.
• Email Forwarding: If you wish to create personalized email addresses for a domain and forward emails to other email accounts of your choice. The MX records will be set up automatically after selecting this option.
• MXE record: Used for forwarding mail to a mail server’s IP address.
• Custom MX: Used to set MX records for third-party mail services, like cPanel webmail service (if you wish to use cPanel mail service with default nameservers), Zoho mail, Outlook.com, etc. It is possible to indicate your domain as the mail server address like mail.domain.tld or domain.tld. Please note that the corresponding A record pointing to the IP address of the mail server should be created in the DNS settings.
• Private Email: If you wish to set up MX records for the Namecheap Private email service. The MX records will be set up automatically after selecting this option.
• Gmail: If you have a G Suite subscription, select the Gmail option to set up the records needed for this mail service.

Once all necessary settings are selected, be sure to save changes. Normally, it takes 30 minutes for newly created records to take effect.

Frequently Asked Questions #

Which Namecheap DNS options support MX record setup? #

You can configure mail service and MX records when your domain is pointed to Namecheap’s BasicDNS, PremiumDNS, or FreeDNS.

Why should I remove a CNAME record for the bare domain? #

CNAME has the highest priority and overrides other records for the hostname, including MX records, so a bare-domain CNAME will prevent email from working correctly.

Where do I set MX records in Namecheap? #

Sign in, select Domain List, click Manage next to your domain, then go to the Advanced DNS tab and the Mail Settings section.

What is Custom MX used for? #

Custom MX lets you set MX records for third-party mail services such as cPanel, Zoho mail, or Outlook.com, with a corresponding A record pointing to the mail server’s IP.

Which options set up MX records automatically? #

Selecting Email Forwarding, Private Email, or Gmail automatically configures the necessary MX records for that service.

How long do Namecheap MX record changes take? #

Normally it takes about 30 minutes for newly created records to take effect after you save changes.