Google Workspace MX Records on Namecheap, GoDaddy, Cloudflare and Hostinger

The records, before the screens

Google Workspace

Host	Type	Priority	Value
@	MX	1	smtp.google.com

That's Google's current instruction for new setups. Domains configured earlier often have the legacy set: ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM (1), ALT1.ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM and ALT2.ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM (5), ALT3.ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM and ALT4.ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM (10). Google says the legacy records keep working, so there's no need to change a domain that already uses them. Don't mix the two sets with another provider's records.

The Google Workspace MX records tool shows both sets and checks what your domain currently publishes.

Microsoft 365

Host	Type	Priority	Value
@	MX	0	yourdomain-com.mail.protection.outlook.com

The value is generated per domain (dots become dashes in the common format, but Microsoft has introduced other formats for some tenants). Copy it from the Microsoft 365 admin center under Settings, Domains, rather than typing it from a guide.

The rest of the setup

MX only routes incoming mail. For a sending domain, you also need SPF (v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all for Workspace, include:spf.protection.outlook.com for Microsoft 365), DKIM generated in the admin console, and a DMARC record. The cold email DNS records generator produces all of them together, and cold email domain setup covers the order.

Step zero: find out where DNS actually lives

Look up the domain's nameservers. If they're *.ns.cloudflare.com, edit at Cloudflare even though you bought the domain at Namecheap or GoDaddy. If they're the registrar's default nameservers, edit at the registrar. Records added anywhere else are invisible to the internet. This one step causes more "MX record not found" errors than anything else; see MX record errors explained.

Namecheap

1. Domain List, then Manage next to the domain.
2. Open Advanced DNS.
3. Under Mail Settings, choose Custom MX. This removes Namecheap's email forwarding MX records; if you previously used forwarding, confirm they're gone.
4. Add a record: Host @, Value smtp.google.com, Priority 1.
5. Save, and delete any other MX rows in the list.

Namecheap appends the domain to the host field, so @ means the root. Don't type the full domain in the host box.

GoDaddy

1. My Products, then DNS next to the domain (newer accounts reach this through Domain Portfolio, then DNS).
2. Delete existing MX records. GoDaddy adds its own mail records on some plans, and they must go.
3. Add New Record: Type MX, Name @, Value smtp.google.com, Priority 1, TTL default.
4. Save.

GoDaddy has a Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 quick-setup option on some accounts. It works, but check afterwards that no old MX rows remain.

Cloudflare

1. Select the domain, then DNS, then Records.
2. Delete existing MX records, including any created by Cloudflare's own Email Routing if you enabled it. Email Routing and Google Workspace can't both receive the root domain's mail.
3. Add record: Type MX, Name @, Mail server smtp.google.com, Priority 1.
4. Save.

MX records in Cloudflare are always DNS only. If you run your own mail server and the MX points at something like mail.example.com, that A record must be DNS only (grey cloud) too. A proxied A record sends port 25 traffic to Cloudflare's HTTP proxy, which doesn't carry mail.

Hostinger

1. hPanel, Domains, then DNS / Nameservers for the domain.
2. Delete Hostinger's default MX records (they point to Hostinger's own mail servers on hosting plans).
3. Add an MX record: Name @, Points to smtp.google.com, Priority 1.
4. Save.

If the domain uses Hostinger email elsewhere on the account, Hostinger may show a warning about removing its mail records. That's expected when you're moving mail to Google or Microsoft.

Check it worked

• Look up the domain with the MX lookup. You should see only the records above.
• Send a test from an outside mailbox to the new address.
• Run the domain through the cold email domain checker to see MX, SPF, DKIM and DMARC together.
• In the Google Admin console, the domain's Gmail setup will show as active once Google sees the MX.

Old records can persist on some resolvers until their TTL expires. If a lookup still shows the old provider after an hour, check from another resolver before changing anything else.

Common mistakes

• Typing the full domain in the host field. Most panels append the domain, so example.com becomes example.com.example.com. Use @.
• Leaving the host's default MX in place. Two providers on one domain means some mail goes to an inbox nobody reads.
• Adding MX on www or mail. Mail for [email protected] is routed by the MX on the root.
• Pointing MX at an IP address. MX targets must be hostnames.
• Setting up a subdomain for cold email but adding MX only to the root. If you send from outreach.example.com, that name needs its own MX to receive replies.

Why this matters before you send

A domain with the wrong MX can't receive replies or bounce notices, so you can't see what your campaign is doing. Fix MX first, then authentication, then warmup.

The list is the last piece, and the one most people skip. Many lead lists contain addresses at companies that have moved providers, gone out of business or never existed. Each of those bounces counts against your new domain. Run the list through the verify page before the first send: every address gets an MX check and a live mailbox check, invalid ones are marked for removal, and catch-all domains (common on Google Workspace, see Google Workspace catch-all verification) come back as risky, never guessed valid.

What it costs

• Pro, $39 a month: Unlimited email verification.*
• Starter, $9 a month: 2,500 emails a month.
• Free: the first 100 checks with a Google sign-in, no card.

*Fair use: the first 100,000 checks a month at full speed, then slower, never cut off.

The MX lookup and domain checkers are free and need no sign-up. See pricing.

More reading: Google Workspace vs Microsoft 365 for cold email, how many domains for cold email.