As an administrator, when you’re setting up your new Google Workspace account, you need to change your MX records so email is directed to your new accounts in Gmail.
It can take up to 48 hours for your Google MX records to propagate. Until the new records are active, emails are directed to your previous email provider. Take the following steps to avoid email bounces and other issues.
Avoid email bounces
Before you change your MX records, create your new Google Workspace user accounts in the Google Admin console.
You can add user accounts individually or in bulk in the Admin console. If you have any mailing lists or nicknames at your domain, you can also add them in the Admin console. For more information, go to:
You can set up a catch-all address to handle messages sent to addresses that are incorrect or haven't been set up in your domain. For details, go to Get misaddressed email in a catch-all mailbox.
Avoid email disruptions
Schedule the change to your MX records when your email volume is low, such as in the evening or on the weekend.
If your domain host is changing your records for you, contact them early and schedule a time when your organization doesn’t receive a lot of email.
Let your key contacts know about the upcoming change to your email system. Be sure to communicate the following points:
- The date and time of the planned change
- Instructions to resend any bounced messages
- Alternative ways to communicate time-sensitive issues
Tip: You can emphasize that any downtime should be brief. Assure contacts that no messages will be lost, but some might need to be resent.
