Cloudflare Email Routing DNS checker
Check the public DNS records that matter when Cloudflare Email Routing is not forwarding custom-domain email correctly.
Cloudflare Email Routing setup can involve both public DNS records and provider-admin steps. Domain Email Doctor checks the public DNS side only.
Cloudflare Email Routing is forwarding, not a full mailbox. It receives mail for your domain and forwards messages to destination addresses you configure.
Use this page to check whether public DNS actually routes incoming mail to Cloudflare and whether the forwarding setup boundaries are clear.
DNS records to check first
| Record | What to check | Safe note |
|---|---|---|
| MX | Confirm the domain's MX records match Cloudflare Email Routing when Cloudflare should receive and forward incoming mail. | Do not mix Cloudflare Email Routing MX with Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, or another mailbox provider unless you intentionally understand the routing. |
| Forwarding routes | Confirm the route exists in Cloudflare and the destination address has been verified. | DNS can send mail to Cloudflare, but Cloudflare still needs an active route and verified destination before forwarding works. |
| SPF | Cloudflare Email Routing is for receiving and forwarding. SPF is usually about services that send mail as your domain. | If you send as the domain through Gmail, Microsoft 365, a website form, or a marketing tool, authenticate that sender separately. |
| DKIM | Forwarding does not replace DKIM setup for the service that sends messages as your domain. | Use the sending provider's DKIM values. Cloudflare Email Routing does not make a separate mailbox provider pass DKIM. |
| DNS-only behavior | Keep MX and email-related TXT/CNAME records as DNS records; Cloudflare proxy settings are for web traffic. | Orange-cloud proxy settings do not fix MX, SPF, DKIM, or DMARC records. |
Common mistakes
- MX still points to Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, or a web host, so Cloudflare never receives the message.
- The forwarding destination address is not verified in Cloudflare.
- Trying to use Cloudflare Email Routing as a mailbox or SMTP sending service.
- Assuming Cloudflare proxy settings affect email routing.
Boundaries
Domain Email Doctor checks public DNS records only.
Cloudflare routes, destination verification, and account configuration stay inside Cloudflare.
Cloudflare Email Routing does not provide a mailbox or outgoing SMTP service by itself.
Related guides
Next step: Run one public DNS scan before changing Cloudflare Email Routing MX records.
Run an email DNS check