Website Works but Email Doesn't: What to Check First

This is one of the most common DNS support situations:

the website still loads, but email stops working.

That usually means the web path and the mail path have drifted apart.

Why this happens so often

Because websites and email do not depend on the exact same DNS records.

A site can still load because the web-facing records are fine, while email fails because:

• MX changed
• TXT auth records changed
• nameservers changed and mail records were not rebuilt

That is why a working website does not prove the rest of the domain is healthy.

What to check first

1. Nameservers
   Confirm you are looking at the authoritative DNS provider.

2. MX records
   Check whether the domain still points at the expected mail provider.

3. TXT records
   Review SPF, DMARC, and provider verification values.

4. Recent DNS changes
   If the provider or nameservers changed recently, check whether the right records were recreated in the new zone.

The usual mistake

People often focus on the website because it is visible.

But in this situation, the website working is exactly why the issue gets misread. The web path looks healthy enough to create false confidence while the mail path is broken underneath.

Useful next reads

• How to Check MX Records for a Domain
• How to Check TXT Records for a Domain
• What Is an MX Record and Why Email Stops Working After DNS Changes?

The short version

If the site works but email does not, start with nameservers, MX, and TXT.

Do not let the healthy website path distract you from the broken mail path.