How to Add MX Records in Hover - Step-by-Step Guide
Complete guide to adding and managing MX records in Hover's DNS settings for Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, and other email providers.
Hover is a domain registrar known for its clean, no-upsell interface and straightforward DNS management. If your domain is registered with Hover, adding MX records to set up email is a quick process. This guide walks you through it step by step, whether you're connecting Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, or any other email provider.
What Are MX Records?
MX records are DNS entries that tell the internet where to deliver email for your domain. When someone sends an email to [email protected], their mail server looks up your domain's MX records to find out which server should receive the message. Without MX records, there's nowhere for email to go, and messages bounce back to the sender.
Every email provider gives you specific MX record values to add to your domain's DNS. Your job is to log into Hover, add those values, and let DNS propagation do the rest.
Before You Start
Make sure you have the following ready:
Your Hover account credentials. You'll need to log into the account where your domain is registered.
MX record values from your email provider. Your email provider (Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Zoho, etc.) will give you one or more MX records to add. Each record includes a mail server hostname and a priority number. Have these values on hand before you begin.
A plan for existing MX records. If your domain already has MX records (perhaps from a previous email provider or Hover's own email forwarding), you'll need to remove them before adding new ones.
Accessing DNS Settings in Hover
Step 1: Log into Hover at hover.com and go to your dashboard.
Step 2: Select your domain. Click on the domain you want to configure from your domain list.
Step 3: Navigate to DNS. Click the DNS tab at the top of the domain management page. This shows all DNS records currently configured for your domain, including any existing MX records.
Hover's DNS interface is organized in a simple table format. Each row shows the record type, hostname, and value. MX records will be labeled "MX" in the Type column.
Removing Old MX Records
If your domain has existing MX records that you no longer need (from a previous email provider or Hover's default settings), remove them first.
- Find the MX records in your DNS record list
- Click the Delete button (trash icon) next to each MX record
- Confirm the deletion
Remove old records before adding new ones
Leaving old MX records alongside new ones can cause email to be delivered inconsistently, with some messages going to your new provider and others going to the old one. Always start with a clean slate.
Adding New MX Records
Step 1: Click "Add A Record" at the top of the DNS records section.
Step 2: Select "MX" as the record type from the dropdown menu.
Step 3: Fill in the fields:
- Hostname: Enter
@for your root domain. This tells Hover the record applies to yourdomain.com (not a subdomain). - Priority: Enter the priority number your email provider specified. Lower numbers mean higher priority.
- Mailserver/Value: Enter the mail server hostname from your email provider.
Step 4: Click "Add Record" to save.
Step 5: Repeat for each additional MX record your provider requires. Most providers need between one and five records.
Adding Google Workspace MX Records in Hover
If you're setting up Google Workspace, add these five MX records:
| Hostname | Priority | Mail Server |
|---|---|---|
| @ | 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 |
Add each record separately. After all five are saved, your Google Workspace email will begin receiving messages once DNS propagates.
Adding Microsoft 365 MX Records in Hover
Microsoft 365 typically requires a single MX record:
| Hostname | Priority | Mail Server |
|---|---|---|
| @ | 0 | yourdomain-com.mail.protection.outlook.com |
Replace yourdomain-com with your actual domain name, using hyphens instead of dots. You can find the exact value in your Microsoft 365 admin center under Settings > Domains.
Adding Other Provider MX Records in Hover
Here are the MX values for other common email providers:
Zoho Mail:
@ → mx.zoho.com (priority 10)
@ → mx2.zoho.com (priority 20)
@ → mx3.zoho.com (priority 50)
ProtonMail:
@ → mail.protonmail.ch (priority 10)
@ → mailsec.protonmail.ch (priority 20)
Fastmail:
@ → in1-smtp.messagingengine.com (priority 10)
@ → in2-smtp.messagingengine.com (priority 20)
Always check your provider's current documentation for the most up-to-date values.
Hover's Email Forwarding and MX Records
Hover offers a built-in email forwarding feature that lets you forward email from your domain to another address (like a personal Gmail account). This is a lightweight alternative to full email hosting.
Here's what you need to know about how it interacts with custom MX records:
Hover's email forwarding uses its own MX records. When you enable email forwarding, Hover automatically adds MX records pointing to its forwarding servers. These are the records you'll see in your DNS settings by default.
Custom MX records override email forwarding. If you add MX records for Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, or another provider, Hover's email forwarding will stop working. Email will go to your new provider instead of being forwarded. You cannot use both simultaneously.
Disable email forwarding before adding custom MX records. To avoid confusion, go to the Email tab for your domain and disable any active email forwarding before adding your own MX records. Then remove any Hover-added MX records from the DNS tab.
Switching from Hover forwarding to a full provider?
If you've been using Hover's email forwarding and want to upgrade to a full email provider, make sure to set up all mailboxes at your new provider before changing the MX records. Otherwise, email sent to your domain will bounce during the transition.
Verifying Your MX Records
After adding your MX records, verify they're configured correctly.
Use the free MX lookup tool at mxrecordchecker.com to see which MX records are live for your domain. You should see the mail servers you just added with the correct priority values.
Send a test email from an external email account (not the same domain) to your new email address. If the message arrives, your MX records are working.
Check your email provider's admin panel. Most providers (Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, etc.) include a setup wizard or domain verification tool that confirms your MX records are configured correctly.
DNS changes from Hover typically propagate within a few hours, though it can take up to 48 hours in some cases. If your records don't appear right away, wait and check again later.
Troubleshooting Common Hover DNS Issues
MX records saved but email not working. DNS propagation may still be in progress. Wait a few hours and verify again at mxrecordchecker.com. Also confirm that your email provider has your domain fully set up and verified.
Hover's forwarding MX records reappearing. If you re-enable email forwarding (even briefly), Hover may add its own MX records back. Check the DNS tab to make sure only your provider's records are present.
Email bouncing with delivery errors. Verify that the mailbox exists at your email provider. MX records route email to the right server, but if there's no mailbox for the specific address, the message will bounce.
Priority values seem reversed. Remember that lower priority numbers mean higher priority. A record with priority 1 is tried before a record with priority 10. This is a common source of confusion.
Additional Email DNS Records
MX records handle where incoming email is delivered, but for complete email setup and deliverability, you should also add:
SPF record: a TXT record that authorizes your email provider to send email on behalf of your domain. Check yours at spfrecordcheck.com.
DKIM record: a TXT or CNAME record that lets your email provider cryptographically sign outgoing messages. Your provider's admin panel will provide the values. Verify at dkimtest.com.
DMARC record: a TXT record that tells receiving servers what to do with email that fails authentication. Check at dmarcrecordchecker.com.
Adding these records in Hover follows the same process: click "Add A Record," select the appropriate type (usually TXT), and enter the values your provider gives you.