Google Workspace MX Record: Value, Steps, Old 5-Record Set

By Umair Ali Sadaqat · Updated November 6, 2026 · Editorial policy

The Google Workspace MX record is a single smtp.google.com entry at priority 1. Setup steps, the legacy aspmx set, and fixes for mail that won't arrive.

Short answer: The Google Workspace MX record is a single entry: type MX, priority 1, value smtp.google.com. Add it at your domain's DNS host, delete any other MX records on that domain, then click Activate Gmail in the Google Admin console. Domains set up before 2023 may use the older aspmx.l.google.com set of five records, which Google says still works (values checked against Google's help pages, November 2026).

The Google Workspace MX record values

Here is what to enter for a current setup:

Field	Value
Type	MX
Name / Host	Blank or `@` (root domain)
Priority	1
Value / Points to	`smtp.google.com`
TTL	Your registrar's default, or 1

Google's help page quotes the TTL guidance as "Use your domain registrar's default value, or enter 1." It also notes two registrar quirks:

Some registrars want a trailing period: smtp.google.com.
Some want priority and destination in one box: 1 smtp.google.com

If you are setting up email on a subdomain (say support.example.com), put the subdomain label in the Name field instead of leaving it blank.

The old 5-record set (aspmx)

Before 2023, Google's setup instructions had you add five MX records. Google's help material lists them like this:

Priority	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`

Google's current page puts it this way: if you started using Google Workspace before 2023, your domain might have different MX values that start with "aspmx", and if your email is working, no changes are required. Treat the five-record set as legacy and as a complete set: don't mix some aspmx records with smtp.google.com.

Two practical rules follow from that:

Mail works today? Leave it alone. Changing working records is a risk with no payoff.
Setting up a new domain? Use the single record. There is no reason to type five entries when one is enough.

Watch for typos when copying the old set from third-party guides. The correct hostnames all include .L. (for example ALT2.ASPMX.L.GOOGLE.COM).

How to set up the MX record step by step

Before you start

You need the Domain settings administrator privilege in the Admin console.
Verify ownership of the domain or subdomain first. Google requires this before Gmail can be set up.
Create your user accounts in Google Workspace before switching mail. Google's guidance on changing MX records also suggests setting up a catch-all address, picking a low-volume time, and telling key contacts about the change. Until the new records are active, mail keeps going to your previous provider.
Not on a plan yet? Our Google Workspace pricing breakdown covers what each tier costs.

The steps

Open your DNS host. This is wherever your domain's nameservers point: your registrar, Cloudflare, your web host, and so on.
Find the existing MX records. Remove any other MX records on that domain or subdomain. Google warns that email might not work correctly if you keep old or incorrect ones.
Add the new record. Type MX, Name blank or @, Priority 1, Value smtp.google.com. Use the TTL default.
Save. Adjust for your registrar's format (trailing period, one-line priority and value).
Open the Admin console. Go to Menu > Account > Domains > Manage domains.
Click Activate Gmail for the domain and follow the on-screen steps. New sign-ups can use the Setup tool instead.
Wait for propagation. Google's MX page says up to 72 hours; its page on avoiding issues says up to 48 hours. Both are upper bounds.
Check the result with Google's Admin Toolbox Dig tool (look up MX for your domain) and confirm the output matches what you entered.
Send test messages both ways: from an outside address to your new Workspace address, and from Workspace to an outside inbox.

Checklist before and after the change

[ ] Domain ownership verified in Google Workspace
[ ] All mailboxes created (and a catch-all considered)
[ ] Old MX records removed, not just supplemented
[ ] One MX record added: priority 1, smtp.google.com
[ ] Gmail activated in Admin console > Domains
[ ] MX lookup shows only Google's value
[ ] Inbound and outbound test emails delivered
[ ] Contacts notified if you migrated from another provider

If mail still isn't arriving

Symptom	Likely cause	Fix
Mail still lands at the old provider	Propagation not finished, or old MX records still published	Re-run an MX lookup; delete leftover records; wait out the propagation window
Admin console won't activate Gmail	Domain not verified, or the record isn't visible yet	Finish verification, then retry after the lookup shows `smtp.google.com`
Record rejected by the registrar	Format mismatch	Try the trailing period, or enter priority and value on one line
Bounces for some senders	Typo in the hostname or a stray extra MX record	Compare each character against the table above
Name field confusion on a subdomain	Entered the full domain in a field that auto-appends it	Enter only the subdomain label

One more mistake worth naming: a consumer gmail.com address uses different mail hosts from a Workspace domain. Don't copy records from a gmail.com lookup; use smtp.google.com (or the legacy aspmx set if your domain already uses it).

MX is only one of the DNS records email needs

MX records control where inbound mail is delivered. Authentication records for outbound mail (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) are separate, and skipping them is the usual reason new Workspace messages end up in spam. Set them up after MX is confirmed working.

If the same domain also runs a website, remember the MX record doesn't touch your site's A or CNAME records, so the two can live side by side. Once the site is live, the Search Console guide walks through verifying it with Google, and the Business Profile optimization guide helps if you serve local customers.

If you still need the site itself, We.Inc's free plan lets you publish up to three sites from ready-made templates; the AI builder that drafts a site from a prompt starts on the Starter plan at $20 a month. You can sign up here.

Frequently asked questions

What is the MX record for Google Workspace?

One record: type MX, priority 1, value smtp.google.com. Google's current help page says the Google Workspace MX record value is smtp.google.com and that any account can use this single record (checked November 2026).

Do I need to change my old aspmx.l.google.com records?

No, not if your mail is working. Google says domains that started before 2023 may have different MX values that start with "aspmx", and that no changes are required if email is working. Those legacy values are still supported.

How long do Google Workspace MX records take to work?

Google's MX setup page says it can take up to 72 hours for new MX records to be recognized, and its page on avoiding issues when changing MX records says up to 48 hours. In practice, plan for a window of a day or two and check with the Admin Toolbox Dig tool.

Can I keep my old email provider's MX records alongside Google's?

Google's instructions say to remove any other MX records and warn that email might not work correctly if you keep old or incorrect ones. Treat Google's records as the only MX set for that domain or subdomain.

What do I enter in the Host or Name field?

Leave it blank or enter @ for the root domain. For a subdomain such as support.example.com, enter the subdomain label (support). Some registrars want a trailing period on the value (smtp.google.com.), and some want priority and value on one line (1 smtp.google.com).

Do I have to verify my domain before adding MX records?

Google's setup page lists verifying ownership of the domain or subdomain as a prerequisite for setting up Gmail. After that you add the MX record and click Activate Gmail in the Admin console.

Related guides and tools

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