Easy Tech TutsHow to Find Google Workspace MX Records for Gmail Setup 2026 Easily
By Impran M NLast checked against official docs
Getting Gmail to receive mail for a custom domain comes down to one DNS record: the MX value Google publishes for your account. Older guides send you hunting through the Apps menu for it.
That isn't where it lives anymore. Google also cut the setup from five prioritized mail servers down to a single record, so if a guide or screenshot you're following lists five lines, it's describing an account set up before that change. This guide covers where the setting sits today, what the one record you need looks like, and the two mistakes that cause mail to bounce after you've added it.
Before you start
- A Google Workspace account with the domain already added and verified in the Admin console — Gmail can't be activated for a domain until ownership is verified
- Access to your domain's DNS settings at whatever registrar or host manages that domain
01Start from the Admin console home
Sign in at admin.google.com and you land on the home dashboard: a Manage Workspace section for Users and Billing in the middle, and the full navigation menu down the left side. Two branches in that menu matter for MX setup, Account and Apps, and only one of them gets you there. Billing and Directory hold nothing related to email routing, so don't spend time in either.
02Apps > Google Workspace looks right, but it isn't
Click Apps in the left menu and it expands into an Overview plus a Google Workspace section. Open Google Workspace and a second list unfolds below it, starting with Service status and Moderation.
This branch covers the core apps, Gmail, Calendar, Drive, and more, and it's the natural place to look for anything Gmail-related. It's also a common wrong turn: none of the pages under it handle domain-level mail routing.
03Gmail's own settings page doesn't have it either
Scroll the same list past AppSheet, Calendar, Cloud Search, and Drive and Docs, and click Gmail. That page holds Gmail's operational settings: routing rules, spam and phishing controls, compliance, and similar.
It's genuinely useful for running Gmail day to day, but the MX record for your domain isn't filed there. If you've landed here looking for it, back out and head to Account instead.
04Open Account > Domains > Manage domains
From the left menu, click Account, then Domains, then Manage domains. Each domain on the account is listed with an Activate Gmail link next to it. That link is the actual entry point: click it and the console walks you through the DNS record for that domain, generated for your account, not copied from a generic support page.
05Copy the one MX record Google gives you
Current Google Workspace setups need a single MX record: smtp.google.com at priority 1. That replaced the older five-line set (ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM plus four ALT records at varying priorities) for new activations in 2023.
If your domain was set up before then, you may still see the five-line version in the console; it still works, and there's no need to swap it out for the single record. Whichever version the console shows you, copy it exactly, including the priority number.
06Add the record, remove the old ones, then wait
Log in to wherever your domain's DNS is managed and open its MX records section. Add what Google gave you, then delete any MX records left over from a previous email provider.
Two active sets of MX records on the same domain is the most common reason mail bounces or splits between two inboxes after this step. DNS changes take time to spread; Google's own documentation gives a window of up to 72 hours. Once that's passed, send a test email from an outside address to your custom domain and confirm it lands in the Workspace inbox instead of bouncing.
| Setup | Priority | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Current (2023 onward) | 1 | smtp.google.com |
| Legacy | 1 | ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM |
| Legacy | 5 | ALT1.ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM |
| Legacy | 5 | ALT2.ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM |
| Legacy | 10 | ALT3.ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM |
| Legacy | 10 | ALT4.ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM |
Domains activated before Google's 2023 simplification may still show the six-line legacy set in the Admin console. It still works; there's no need to replace it with the single record.
When it doesn't work
Mail bounces or splits between two inboxes after adding Google's record
Why: MX records from the previous email provider are still active alongside Google's.
Fix: Delete every old MX record for the domain and keep only the one (or, on older domains, five) that Google's Admin console gives you.
Apps > Google Workspace > Gmail doesn't show any MX or DNS information
Why: That branch covers Gmail's operational settings, not domain-level mail routing. Domain and MX setup live in a separate part of the console.
Fix: Go to Account > Domains > Manage domains and click Activate Gmail next to the domain.
The DNS provider's form won't accept the record as given
Why: Some registrars want a trailing period after smtp.google.com, others put the priority and the value on the same line instead of in separate fields.
Fix: Check the registrar's own MX record format before assuming the value itself is wrong.
Mail still isn't arriving after several hours
Why: Either DNS hasn't finished propagating, or Activate Gmail was never clicked in the Admin console, so the domain isn't associated with the record.
Fix: Confirm Activate Gmail shows the domain as active, then wait out the full propagation window before troubleshooting further.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I find my Google Workspace MX record now?
In the Admin console under Account, then Domains, then Manage domains. Click Activate Gmail next to the domain. It is not under Apps > Google Workspace > Gmail, despite that being the more obvious guess.
How many MX records does Google Workspace need?
One, for any domain activated since 2023: smtp.google.com at priority 1. Older domains may still run the legacy five-line set, which continues to work and doesn't need replacing.
Do I need to verify my domain before this works?
Yes. The Admin console won't let you click Activate Gmail for a domain until ownership has been verified.
How long do MX changes take to work?
Google's documentation gives a window of up to 72 hours for DNS changes to propagate, though it's often much faster depending on the registrar.
What happens if I leave my old provider's MX records in place?
Mail delivery can bounce or split between the old provider and Google. Remove the old records once Google's are added.
Do I need to touch anything under Apps > Google Workspace > Gmail for this?
No. That page manages Gmail's own settings, like routing and spam controls. Domain and MX setup are handled separately under Account.
Sources and last check
Click path and screens come from a walkthrough recorded in 2025. The menu location, the single-record setup, and the 72-hour propagation window were re-checked against Google's official Workspace Admin Help documentation in September 2026 — that check is what corrected this guide's previous claim that MX settings live under Apps > Google Workspace > Gmail and that five prioritized records are required.
About the author
Impran M N
I've been hooked on technology for as long as I can remember — especially the new tools and AI apps that seem to land every other week. Easy Tech Tuts is where I write up whatever I've just worked out: I do the task in the real product, record the screen, and turn it into the guide I wish I'd found first.
