PTR Record (Pointer Record) (PTR Record)
Why PTR Record Matters
PTR records are critical for email deliverability. Most mail servers perform a reverse DNS lookup on incoming connections and reject or flag email from servers without a valid PTR record. If your mail server's IP address does not have a PTR record matching your domain, your emails are more likely to be marked as spam.
The PTR record should match the A record in a forward-confirmed reverse DNS (FCrDNS) setup. This means the PTR for IP 1.2.3.4 should return mail.example.com, and the A record for mail.example.com should return 1.2.3.4. Mail servers check for this bidirectional match as an anti-spam measure.
Unlike most DNS records that you manage in your domain's zone, PTR records must be set by whoever controls the IP address block. For cloud hosting, this usually means configuring reverse DNS through your provider's control panel (AWS, DigitalOcean, etc.). For dedicated servers, the hosting provider sets it upon request.
Checking Your Setup
A DNS health checker verifies that your mail server's IP address has a valid PTR record and that it matches the forward DNS (FCrDNS check). If PTR is missing or mismatched, contact your hosting provider to configure reverse DNS for your server's IP.