Who knew that clicking a single “Upgrade Hosting Plan” button could snowball into a full-blown search-and-rescue mission for missing emails and broken domain services? It started with the hope of more storage and better speed. What I got instead? A frantic MX record recovery adventure and a newfound respect for DNS settings.
TLDR
I upgraded my hosting plan, but in the process, all my email accounts stopped working. Turns out, my MX (Mail Exchange) records were wiped. Luckily, I had a backup of my DNS settings. This is a fun (and a bit chaotic) story of how I fixed it and how you can avoid it too.
The Upgrade That Broke Everything
It all started on a quiet Thursday. I needed more space on my site, so I clicked the “Upgrade Hosting Plan” button. It asked for confirmation. I obliged. Boom—new plan! Better performance, more bandwidth, cleaner dashboard.
Except… my emails vanished.
That sweet little convenience came at a price. I couldn’t send or receive emails anymore. My contact forms stopped working. Clients were bouncing. My professional domain-based email addresses were now just… gone.
The Usual Suspects: DNS and MX Records
After panicking for a solid 5 minutes, I dove into the control panel. I checked my domain settings, poked around, and then screamed silently.
The DNS settings had reset to default.
That might not sound terrible, but here’s what that really means:
- All my MX (Mail Exchange) records were gone.
- SPF, DKIM, and DMARC settings? Poof. Gone.
- My domain no longer knew where to send my emails.
It was like telling your mailman, “Yeah, just forget where I live now.”
What Are MX Records Anyway?
Let’s pause for a quick nerdy but simple explanation.
MX records tell the internet where to deliver your email. They’re a type of DNS record that points to your mail server. Without them, emails go…
- Nowhere.
- Or bounce back to the sender.
- Or sit quietly in the void, sipping binary coffee.
So if you erase these, even accidentally, your domain goes “email blind.”
The Backup That Saved the Day
Luckily, past-me was thinking ahead. At least once.
Just before the upgrade, I exported a backup of my DNS zone file. That file included ALL the MX, A, TXT, and CNAME records. Why? Because I’d read a random blog post about “Backing Up DNS Settings Before Hosting Changes.” Thank you, Random Blogger.
With backup in hand, I started to recover things. Slowly. Painfully. But surely.
Step-by-Step: My MX Recovery Workflow
If this ever happens to you, here’s how to fix it (without losing your cool completely):
- Confirm the Problem: Use an online DNS checker like MXToolbox to scan your domain. You’ll likely see “No MX Records Found.”
- Check Your Hosting’s DNS Manager: Go into your cPanel, Plesk, or custom dashboard and open your DNS zone editor.
- Locate Those Missing Records: From your backup file (or your email provider’s documentation), input the correct:
- MX records (e.g., mail.yourdomain.com)
- SPF record in TXT (ensures your domain authorizes your email server)
- DKIM and DMARC if you use email authentication
- Save and Wait: DNS propagation can take time. In my case, it took about an hour. Check again using MXToolbox.
Making Backups: The Right Way
From that day on, I made it a weekly habit to back up my DNS configurations. There are a few ways to do this easily:
- Manual Export: Many hosts let you export a zone file (.txt or .ini format).
- Screenshot Everything: Seriously. A single image can help you restore a lost setting fast.
- Use External DNS Services: Cloudflare, for example, stores and logs everything smartly. Handy in case your host drops the ball.
Bonus Tips to Keep Emails Safe Forever
- Add Redundancy: Have a backup email address on another domain or a Gmail fallback.
- Set TTL Low Before Changes: TTL controls how long a record is cached. Lower it before changes so errors don’t linger long.
- Test First: If possible, set up a staging domain. Try the upgrade there first.
And don’t forget: If your website and email are hosted on the same server, they are both at risk during changes. Consider separating them. For example, use a dedicated email host like Zoho, Google Workspace, or ProtonMail.
What I Learned (in a Very Nerdy Way)
This wasn’t just a tech mistake. It was a mindset lesson.
I learned to:
- Prepare before making changes. Not after.
- Always have logs, backups, and history.
- Treat DNS like a recipe. Don’t ever lose it.
Emails now working? Yes. Peace of mind? Restored. Tech knowledge? Upgraded—along with my hosting plan.
Now I just smile when I hit “Upgrade.” Because this time, I know what to double-check first.
Final Thoughts (and a Gentle, Nerdy Reminder)
If you’re reading this after your emails went dark, take a deep breath. It’s recoverable.
Track down your email host’s MX and SPF records. Restore them manually or from a backup. And if you didn’t keep a backup? Start now—right now.
Your future self will thank you when things inevitably go sideways again someday.