If your domain uses external MX records and is hosted on a Linux Plesk server, you need to update the settings in Plesk to ensure emails are routed correctly. Follow the steps below to configure your domain for an external email server.
Step 1: Update DNS Records for the Domain
Modify the DNS settings to point to the external email provider:
✅ Change or Add MX Records
- Set MX records to the external email server with the correct priorities.
✅ Modify Mail-Related DNS Records
- Remove CNAME for
mail.domain.comif it’s not needed. - Edit the CNAME to point to the external email server (usually provided by the email provider).
- Add an A record for
mail.domain.comif required, pointing to the external mail server’s IP address.
⏳ DNS propagation may take 12 to 24 hours, so changes might not reflect immediately.
Step 2: Disable Mail Service in Plesk
After configuring the external MX records, disable the Plesk mail service to avoid conflicts.
1️⃣ Log in to Plesk as Admin
2️⃣ Navigate to Domains
3️⃣ Find and select the domain
4️⃣ Click on Mail (dropdown menu)
5️⃣ Select Mail Settings
6️⃣ Under Mail Preferences, uncheck the option:
✅ “Activate mail service on domain”
7️⃣ Click OK to save the changes
Step 3: Update qmail Configuration (If Required)
Once the mail service is disabled, Plesk should automatically remove the domain from qmail’s configuration files. However, if emails are still being routed incorrectly, manually check the following files:
📂 Remove the domain from:
/var/qmail/control/rcpthosts
/var/qmail/control/virtualdomains
After removing entries, the server will fetch MX records from the updated DNS and use the external email provider.
Final Check:
✔ Ensure MX records have propagated using:
dig MX domain.com
✔ Test email delivery by sending emails to and from your domain.
By following these steps, your domain will properly route emails through the external mail server while avoiding conflicts with the Plesk email service.