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Keep your email when the website moves
Email and the website are different DNS records on the same domain. Point www at the new host with a CNAME, and point the apex with an ALIAS or a forward. Leave every MX record, and the TXT records your mail host gave you, exactly as they are.
By Novence · Published · Updated
Which records belong to the website?
Two names serve the site. Everything else on the domain can stay.
A subdomain such as shop.example.com is its own CNAME. It does not affect mail at example.com.
www: a CNAME to the host. On Novence that target isfallback.novence.ai.- The apex,
example.com: an ALIAS to the same target, or a forward tohttps://www.example.com.
Which records belong to email?
Mail hosts publish these. Copy them from the host's admin page rather than from memory.
| Record | What it does |
|---|---|
| MX | Where incoming mail is delivered. Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 each publish their own set. |
| TXT (SPF) | Lists the servers allowed to send as your domain. |
| TXT or CNAME (DKIM) | A key the receiver uses to check the message was not altered. |
| TXT (DMARC) | Tells receivers what to do when SPF or DKIM fails. |
What do I change at the registrar?
Add or edit the website records from the host's instructions. On Novence, novence domains add www.example.com prints them.
Stop there. Do not use a "connect this domain" button that deletes records it does not recognize. Those buttons are how people wipe MX records during a launch.
How do I know mail still works?
Send a message to your domain from a personal account, and reply from the domain to that personal account. Incoming proves the MX records. Outgoing proves SPF and DKIM.
If incoming fails, compare the MX records on the registrar with the list in Google Admin or Microsoft 365. Put back any that disappeared. The website can stay on the new host while you fix mail.
Facts checked 19 October 2026. Sources: Custom domain DNS · Novence domains
FAQ
Will changing my website host cancel Google Workspace?
No. Workspace is tied to the MX records. A website move that only changes the www CNAME and the apex record does not touch them.
Can the apex be a CNAME?
Standard DNS does not allow a CNAME on the apex next to MX records. Use an ALIAS, ANAME, or a forward to www.
What if my registrar replaced all the records?
Put the MX and TXT records back from your mail host's setup page, then send a test message to yourself from another account.
Do I need email on the same company as the website?
No. The usual setup is mail at Google or Microsoft and the site on a host.
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