What's the difference between A and AAAA records?

A records contain IPv4 addresses (32 bits). AAAA records contain IPv6 addresses (128 bits). A modern hostname typically has both, with the resolver and client choosing which to use based on what they support.

Time-to-live, expressed in seconds. The TTL tells caching resolvers how long they can serve the cached value before re-querying. Common values are 300 (5 minutes), 3600 (1 hour), and 86400 (24 hours).

Why do my DNS changes take time to propagate?

Resolvers cache records for up to the TTL. After you update a record, downstream caches continue serving the old value until their cache expires. Lower TTL ahead of planned changes to speed propagation.

What's the difference between A and CNAME?

A maps a name to an IP address. CNAME maps a name to another name, which is then resolved separately. CNAMEs cannot exist at the apex of a domain (example.com itself); use ALIAS or ANAME at apex if your provider supports it.

What are MX priorities?

MX records include a priority number; lower is higher priority. Mail servers try the lowest-priority MX first, then progressively higher numbers if the first is unavailable. Setting multiple MX records with different priorities provides failover.

Why does my SPF record need to be in TXT format?

SPF originally had its own record type (SPF), but RFC 7208 deprecated that in favor of TXT records starting with v=spf1. Modern systems read SPF from TXT, not from the deprecated SPF type.

Is the lookup using my local DNS settings?

The tool queries authoritative servers directly to bypass cache effects. This shows current values rather than what your local resolver has cached.

Can I look up a non-existent domain?

Yes. The lookup returns NXDOMAIN if no records exist. This confirms the domain has no DNS configuration, distinct from a domain that exists but has no record of the type you queried.

DNS Record Lookup & Query

About DNS Lookup

DNS (Domain Name System) translates human-readable hostnames like example.com into IP addresses computers route packets to. A DNS lookup queries the DNS hierarchy — root servers, TLD servers, authoritative servers — to retrieve records for a given name. Common record types include A (IPv4 address), AAAA (IPv6 address), MX (mail exchange), TXT (arbitrary text often used for SPF, DKIM, verification), NS (name servers), CNAME (canonical name alias), and SOA (start of authority).

DNS lookups underpin almost everything on the internet. Web browsers do them on every navigation; email servers consult MX records when delivering mail; software updaters check TXT records for verification; CDNs return different A records to different clients for traffic routing.

This tool performs DNS queries for any record type you choose against authoritative servers. Results show the records exactly as the authoritative server returned them, including TTL values and any associated metadata.

Why Use DNS Lookup

Diagnosing DNS issues requires direct visibility into what the authoritative servers are returning. Browser-based DNS uses cached results that may not reflect recent changes; the lookup tool fetches fresh records and shows what the authoritative source actually says.

Setting up domain configuration also benefits from immediate verification. After updating MX records, SPF, DKIM, or other DNS settings, looking up the records confirms propagation and that the values match expectations.

How to Look Up DNS Records

Enter a hostname, choose record type, see the records.

Enter the hostname: Type or paste the domain or subdomain to query. Both apex domains (example.com) and subdomains (www.example.com, mail.example.com) work.
Choose record type: A for IPv4, AAAA for IPv6, MX for mail servers, TXT for verification and policy records (SPF, DKIM), NS for authoritative name servers, CNAME for aliases, SOA for zone information.
Run the lookup: The tool queries authoritative servers for the chosen record type. Results include the records returned, TTL values, and the responding server.
Inspect the records: TTL indicates how long the record is valid for caching. Multiple records may appear (MX records typically include several mail servers with different priorities).

Common Use Cases

Verifying DNS changes have propagated — After updating records at a registrar, lookup confirms when the new values are live at authoritative servers.
Diagnosing email delivery issues — MX records reveal which servers receive a domain's mail. SPF (in TXT) and DKIM (in TXT under selectors) records show authentication setup.
Checking SPF, DKIM, and DMARC for email authentication — TXT records control which servers are allowed to send mail and how recipients should handle authentication failures.
Confirming CDN or load balancer configuration — A or CNAME records reveal how a hostname routes. Multiple A records (or geographic DNS) indicate a CDN or load balancer setup.
Investigating domain ownership — NS records show which name servers are authoritative; SOA records include administrative contact info; TXT records often include domain verification tokens for various services.

Technical Details

DNS uses a hierarchical query process. A resolver starts at root servers, follows referrals to TLD servers (.com, .org, .net), then to authoritative servers for the specific zone, and retrieves records from there. The lookup shows the final answer from the authoritative source.

Records have a TTL (time-to-live) indicating how long they should be cached. Short TTLs allow rapid changes; long TTLs reduce DNS query load. After a record changes, downstream caches may serve stale data for up to the old TTL.

Common record types: A (IPv4 address, 32 bits), AAAA (IPv6 address, 128 bits), MX (mail exchanger with priority), TXT (arbitrary text up to 255 chars per string, multiple strings allowed), NS (name server delegation), CNAME (canonical name alias to another hostname), SOA (start of authority — zone metadata), PTR (reverse DNS).

Best Practices

Bypass the local resolver for DNS testing — Local resolvers cache results; lookup tools that query authoritative servers directly show the current state, which is what you usually want when debugging.
Watch the TTL — Short TTL values mean changes propagate quickly. Long TTLs trade propagation speed for reduced query load. For records you change frequently, lower the TTL ahead of changes.
Verify all relevant types — A, AAAA, and MX cover most cases, but TXT records carry many policy and verification entries. After major changes, verify TXT records too.
Cross-check with multiple resolvers — Different resolvers may return different cached values during propagation. Querying authoritative servers directly gives you the actual current value.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between A and AAAA records?: A records contain IPv4 addresses (32 bits). AAAA records contain IPv6 addresses (128 bits). A modern hostname typically has both, with the resolver and client choosing which to use based on what they support.
What is a TTL?: Time-to-live, expressed in seconds. The TTL tells caching resolvers how long they can serve the cached value before re-querying. Common values are 300 (5 minutes), 3600 (1 hour), and 86400 (24 hours).
Why do my DNS changes take time to propagate?: Resolvers cache records for up to the TTL. After you update a record, downstream caches continue serving the old value until their cache expires. Lower TTL ahead of planned changes to speed propagation.
What's the difference between A and CNAME?: A maps a name to an IP address. CNAME maps a name to another name, which is then resolved separately. CNAMEs cannot exist at the apex of a domain (example.com itself); use ALIAS or ANAME at apex if your provider supports it.
What are MX priorities?: MX records include a priority number; lower is higher priority. Mail servers try the lowest-priority MX first, then progressively higher numbers if the first is unavailable. Setting multiple MX records with different priorities provides failover.
Why does my SPF record need to be in TXT format?: SPF originally had its own record type (SPF), but RFC 7208 deprecated that in favor of TXT records starting with v=spf1. Modern systems read SPF from TXT, not from the deprecated SPF type.
Is the lookup using my local DNS settings?: The tool queries authoritative servers directly to bypass cache effects. This shows current values rather than what your local resolver has cached.
Can I look up a non-existent domain?: Yes. The lookup returns NXDOMAIN if no records exist. This confirms the domain has no DNS configuration, distinct from a domain that exists but has no record of the type you queried.

DNS Record Lookup & Query

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About DNS Lookup

Why Use DNS Lookup

How to Look Up DNS Records

Common Use Cases

Technical Details

Best Practices

Frequently Asked Questions

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