DNS Lookup
Query A, AAAA, MX, TXT, NS, SOA, CNAME, SRV and CAA records for any domain.
Enter a domain to see its live DNS records. This queries the domain's authoritative nameservers through our resolver and shows every record type in one place, with the TTL for each so you can tell how long a change will take to circulate.
Use it to confirm a site points at the right server, verify that mail records are in place before moving a mailbox, or check that a change you just made has actually taken effect.
How it works
Every domain publishes a set of records that tell the internet where to send different kinds of traffic. The most useful ones:
- A and AAAA — the IPv4 and IPv6 addresses a domain points to. This is what a browser looks up to find your website.
- MX — where email for the domain should be delivered. The lower the priority number, the more preferred the server.
- TXT — free-form text, in practice used for SPF, DKIM, DMARC and domain-ownership verification.
- NS — the authoritative nameservers. If these are wrong, nothing else about the domain works.
- CNAME — an alias pointing one hostname at another.
- SOA — administrative metadata for the zone, including the serial number, which increments on every change.
- CAA — which certificate authorities may issue certificates for the domain.
The TTL (time to live) on each record is how many seconds resolvers may cache it. A record with a TTL of 3600 can be served from cache for up to an hour after you change it, which is the usual reason a change appears to have "not worked" when it has.
Frequently asked questions
Why do I see different results here than on my computer?
Your computer, router and ISP all cache DNS. This tool queries through our resolver, so it often sees a change before you do. If the results differ, you are usually looking at a cached copy locally — the propagation checker shows what resolvers around the world are returning.
How long do DNS changes take to take effect?
Up to the TTL of the old record. If the previous record had a TTL of 3600 seconds, allow an hour. Before a planned migration, lower the TTL to 300 a day in advance so the cutover is fast.
My domain has no MX record. Can it still receive email?
Sending servers fall back to the A record if no MX exists, so mail may still arrive — but this is fragile and widely discouraged. If you want email on the domain, publish explicit MX records.
What does an empty result mean?
That the domain publishes no record of that type. It is completely normal to have no CAA, SRV or PTR records. An empty NS or A result, however, usually means the domain is misconfigured or not registered.
Why is my TXT record split into pieces?
A single DNS string cannot exceed 255 characters, so long values such as DKIM keys are stored as several chunks that resolvers join back together. We show the joined value.
What is the difference between a CNAME and an A record?
An A record maps a name directly to an IP address. A CNAME maps a name to another name, which is then resolved in turn. You cannot put a CNAME on the root of a domain alongside other records, which is why root domains normally use A records.
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