Look up DNS records for any domain. Check A, MX, CNAME, NS, TXT and more. Free, no signup.
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The Domain Name System (DNS) translates human-readable domain names into machine-readable IP addresses. Every time someone types your domain into a browser, DNS resolvers query your nameservers to find the correct destination.
A records map a domain to an IPv4 address (e.g. 93.184.216.34). AAAA records map to IPv6 addresses (e.g. 2606:2800:220:1:248:1893:25c8:1946). Most websites need at least one A record. IPv6 adoption is growing, and adding AAAA records future-proofs your setup.
A CNAME (Canonical Name) record creates an alias from one domain to another. For example, www.example.com might CNAME to example.com. CNAMEs cannot coexist with other record types on the same hostname, which is why the root domain typically uses A records instead.
MX (Mail Exchange) records direct email to the correct mail servers. Each MX record has a priority value; lower numbers are tried first. A typical setup has two MX records for redundancy. If you use Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, or another email provider, they'll give you specific MX records to add. Proper MX configuration is part of the web development work we do for clients.
NS (Nameserver) records identify which DNS servers are authoritative for your domain. When you register a domain or change hosting, you update NS records to point to your provider's nameservers. Changes to NS records can take up to 48 hours to propagate globally.
TXT records hold arbitrary text, commonly used for SPF (email sender verification), DKIM (email signing), DMARC (email policy), and domain ownership verification for services like Google Search Console, Microsoft 365, and various SaaS tools.
The SOA (Start of Authority) record contains administrative information about the zone: the primary nameserver, the responsible party's email, a serial number, and timing parameters for zone transfers and caching. The serial number should increment with every DNS change.
Whether you're launching a new website, migrating hosting, or setting up email, DNS is the foundation. Incorrect DNS configuration is one of the most common causes of website and email downtime.
Point your A record to your hosting server's IP address. Add a CNAME for www pointing to your root domain. If using a CDN like Cloudflare, you'll proxy through their network instead.
Add your email provider's MX records. Then set up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC TXT records to authenticate outgoing email and prevent spoofing. Missing these records is a common reason email ends up in spam folders.
Before migrating, lower your TTL values to 300 seconds (5 minutes) a day in advance. This ensures the old cached records expire quickly once you switch the A record to the new server's IP. After confirming the new site works, raise TTLs back to normal (3600+). If you're planning a website redesign with a host change, DNS preparation is part of the process.
Many SSL providers require a CNAME or TXT record to prove domain ownership. CAA records can further restrict which certificate authorities are allowed to issue certificates for your domain, adding a layer of security.
When your website or email isn't working, DNS is often the first place to check.
Verify your A record points to the correct IP. Check that nameservers are responding. Use this NS lookup tool to compare what DNS returns against your expected configuration.
Check MX records are present and point to your email provider. Verify SPF and DKIM TXT records are correctly formatted. A missing or malformed SPF record is the most common cause of email deliverability issues.
If you recently changed records, check the TTL of the old record. Resolvers worldwide will cache the old value until the TTL expires. You can flush your local DNS cache, but other resolvers must wait. Use this tool to see current server-side records regardless of local caching.
If you're seeing unexpected behaviour on a subdomain, check for CNAME conflicts. A CNAME record cannot coexist with any other record type (A, MX, TXT) on the same hostname. This is a common misconfiguration when adding third-party services.