Quick answer
Choose Local Mail Exchanger when this cPanel server receives the domain's mail, or Remote Mail Exchanger when another provider receives it. Match routing to the real mail setup; this control does not edit public MX records.
Applies to
Interactive Online customers with an email-enabled cPanel service and permission to manage the selected domain. Mail hosted at Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, or another provider is managed there. Tools vary by service; the presence of a website does not by itself establish hosted-email entitlement.
Steps
- Identify the current mail provider and the domain's public MX records before changing anything. Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 are examples of external mail hosting.
- Open Email > Email Routing, select the intended domain, and review the current option.
- Select Local Mail Exchanger for delivery handled by this server or Remote Mail Exchanger for external delivery, then save with Change. Use backup-mail options only for a deliberately configured backup-mail service.
- If considering Automatically Detect Configuration, read its detected result carefully. Detection depends on the local DNS zone, which may differ from the authoritative public DNS provider.
Verify the result
Test a message from outside the domain and a message sent from a website or mailbox on this hosting account. Both need to reach the intended provider.
Troubleshooting and support
If external messages arrive but website notifications do not, local routing may be sending them to the wrong place. Check forwarding and the sender configuration as well. Contact support from the account that owns the service. Include the domain, the exact tool, the time and time zone, the last successful step, and a redacted error or screenshot. Leave passwords, private keys, cookies, and complete configuration files out of the ticket.
If incoming messages are missing, record the current routing and authoritative MX records before changing them. Use the missing-email troubleshooting guide to check webmail, storage and delivery status first. If the intended provider or routing is unclear, contact support with the domain and recent change details.
Related help
- Find where your domain's DNS is managed before changing records
- Create a business mailbox on an email-enabled hosting plan
- Make website form notifications use an authorized mail path
- Collect useful evidence when an email message is missing
- Send a website support request with useful troubleshooting details
Official references
Content and source review: November 1, 2026. Interface labels depend on the cPanel version and tools enabled for your service.
Symptom guidance and related-help review: November 1, 2026.
