Free DNS Lookup Tool
Query DNS records for any domain
What is DNS?
The Domain Name System (DNS) is the internet's phonebook, translating human-readable domain names like example.com into numeric IP addresses that computers use to route traffic. Every website visit, email, and API call relies on DNS resolution to connect you to the correct server.
DNS Record Types Explained
| Record Type | Purpose | Example Value |
|---|---|---|
| A | Maps domain to IPv4 address | 93.184.216.34 |
| AAAA | Maps domain to IPv6 address | 2606:2800:220:1:248:1893:25c8:1946 |
| MX | Specifies mail servers for a domain | 10 mail.example.com |
| CNAME | Creates an alias to another domain | www.example.com |
| TXT | Holds text data (SPF, DKIM, verification) | v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all |
| NS | Identifies authoritative name servers | ns1.example.com |
| SOA | Zone administrative information | ns1.example.com admin.example.com 2024010101 |
A Record
An A (Address) record maps a domain name to an IPv4 address. This is the most fundamental DNS record type and is used to direct web traffic to the correct server. For example, an A record for example.com might point to 93.184.216.34. You can geolocate the IP from an A record using our IP Lookup tool to see where a domain's server is physically hosted. Most domains have at least one A record, and many have multiple for load balancing and redundancy.
AAAA Record
An AAAA (Quad-A) record is the IPv6 equivalent of an A record. It maps a domain name to an IPv6 address, which uses the newer 128-bit address format. As IPv4 address space becomes exhausted, AAAA records are increasingly important for ensuring your domain is reachable over modern networks. An example value might look like 2606:2800:220:1:248:1893:25c8:1946.
MX Record
MX (Mail Exchange) records specify which mail servers are responsible for receiving email on behalf of a domain. Each MX record includes a priority value — lower numbers indicate higher priority. When someone sends an email to your domain, the sending server looks up MX records to determine where to deliver the message. Domains typically have multiple MX records for redundancy.
CNAME Record
A CNAME (Canonical Name) record creates an alias from one domain name to another. Instead of pointing directly to an IP address, a CNAME points to another domain name, which then resolves to an IP. This is commonly used for subdomains like www.example.com pointing to example.com, or for pointing to CDN or cloud service endpoints.
TXT Record
TXT (Text) records hold arbitrary text data associated with a domain. They are widely used for domain ownership verification, email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), and other purposes. For example, an SPF record stored as a TXT record specifies which mail servers are authorized to send email on behalf of your domain, helping to prevent email spoofing.
NS Record
NS (Name Server) records identify the authoritative DNS servers for a domain. These are the servers that hold the definitive DNS records for the domain and respond to queries about it. When you register a domain or change your hosting provider, updating NS records delegates DNS authority to the correct servers. Each domain typically has at least two NS records for redundancy.
SOA Record
The SOA (Start of Authority) record contains administrative information about a DNS zone, including the primary name server, the email address of the domain administrator, the domain serial number, and timers for refreshing and retrying zone transfers. Every DNS zone must have exactly one SOA record, and it plays a critical role in DNS zone management and synchronization between name servers.
After looking up DNS records, you can verify domain SSL configuration with our SSL Certificate Checker to ensure HTTPS is properly configured.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does DNS propagation take?
DNS propagation can take up to 24-48 hours in the worst case, but in practice most changes propagate within 1-4 hours. The propagation time depends on the TTL (Time To Live) value set on the old DNS records. Recursive resolvers around the world cache records until the TTL expires, so lowering your TTL before making changes can speed up propagation.
What DNS server should I use?
Popular public DNS resolvers include Google Public DNS (8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4), Cloudflare DNS (1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1), and Quad9 (9.9.9.9). Cloudflare is often the fastest, Quad9 focuses on security by blocking known malicious domains, and Google is widely regarded as reliable. Any of these are a good choice over your ISP's default DNS servers.
What is the difference between A and CNAME records?
An A record maps a domain name directly to an IPv4 address (e.g., 93.184.216.34), while a CNAME record maps a domain name to another domain name (e.g., www.example.com to example.com). A records point to a final destination, while CNAMEs create aliases that must ultimately resolve to an A or AAAA record. CNAMEs cannot be used at the zone apex (the bare domain) according to the DNS specification.
Why is my DNS not resolving?
Common reasons DNS fails to resolve include: incorrect or missing NS records at your domain registrar, DNS changes still propagating (wait up to 48 hours), stale cached records on your local resolver (try flushing your DNS cache), misconfigured DNS zone files on the authoritative server, or the domain has expired. Use this DNS lookup tool to query authoritative servers directly and pinpoint the issue.