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Free DNS record checker and lookup
This tool looks up the common DNS record types for a domain. Enter a domain to see A, AAAA, MX, TXT, NS, CAA, and SOA records.
Background
What is a DNS record?
A DNS record is an entry in a domain’s zone that answers one kind of question about a name, such as its IP address, its mail servers, or a verification value. Every record has a name, a type, a value, and a TTL that sets how long resolvers may cache the answer.
How to read the result
Choose the record type for the system you are checking. A and AAAA records route a name to IP addresses, MX records route incoming email, TXT records carry verification values and email policies, and NS and SOA records describe who hosts the zone.
Each record shows its TTL, which is how long resolvers may cache the answer.
Coverage
What this tool checks
- A and AAAA address records
- CNAME aliases
- MX mail routing records
- TXT records for verification and email policy
- NS and SOA records that describe the DNS zone
- CAA records that limit which certificate authorities can issue certificates
Reference
DNS record types
| Type | What it holds | Example value |
|---|---|---|
| A | An IPv4 address. | 192.0.2.1 |
| AAAA | An IPv6 address. | 2001:db8::1 |
| CNAME | An alias to another hostname. | app.example.net. |
| MX | A mail server and its priority. | 10 mx1.example.net. |
| TXT | Text, such as SPF policies and verification values. | v=spf1 -all |
| NS | An authoritative nameserver for the zone. | ns1.provider.example. |
| CAA | A certificate authority allowed to issue certificates. | 0 issue "letsencrypt.org" |
| SOA | The zone’s primary nameserver, contact, and timers. | ns1.provider.example. hostmaster.example.com. … |
Troubleshooting
Common problems and how to fix them
- Record missing
- Check the exact hostname and record type. Records on the root domain do not apply to its subdomains.
- Old value returned
- Resolvers keep cached answers until the previous TTL expires. Wait for it to pass, then check again.
- CNAME conflicts with other records
- A hostname with a CNAME cannot have other record types. Move the other records to a different name or replace the CNAME.
- Changes don’t appear
- Confirm you edited DNS at the provider the domain is delegated to. Run a nameserver check to see which provider that is.
Example
example.com. 3600 A 192.0.2.1
example.com. 3600 AAAA 2001:db8::1
example.com. 3600 MX 10 mx1.example.net.
example.com. 3600 TXT "v=spf1 include:spf.example.net -all"FAQ
Questions about DNS records
- What is DNS propagation?
- DNS changes reach everyone as cached answers expire. How long that takes depends on the TTL of the old record and how each resolver caches.
- What is TTL?
- Time to live is how many seconds a resolver may cache a DNS answer before it asks again.
- Which records should I check for email?
- Check MX for incoming mail, the TXT record at the domain for SPF,
selector._domainkeyfor DKIM, and_dmarcfor DMARC. The dedicated checkers validate each one. - Why do different resolvers show different answers?
- Resolvers may hold cached values from different times, and some DNS providers return different answers by location.
Keep checking
Related tools
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MX record checker
Find the mail servers that receive email for a domain and compare their priorities.
-
Free SPF checker
Validate a domain’s SPF policy, inspect mechanisms, and count DNS lookups.
-
Nameserver checker
Find a domain's authoritative nameservers and identify the DNS provider.