### DNS Record Lookup Query DNS records for any domain - A, AAAA, MX, TXT, CNAME, NS, SOA, PTR - using Google DNS The domain is sent to Google Public DNS over the network. Results can be cached, incomplete, or differ from another resolver; a failed query does not mean a record is absent. _Enter domain name (e.g., example.com)_ Lookup DNS Select Record Types to Query: Select All Clear All A (IPv4 Address) Maps domain to IPv4 address AAAA (IPv6 Address) Maps domain to IPv6 address MX (Mail Exchange) Mail server records TXT (Text Records) Text information and verification CNAME (Canonical Name) Domain aliases and redirects NS (Name Servers) Authoritative name servers SOA (Start of Authority) Zone authority information PTR (Reverse DNS) Reverse IP to domain mapping # Free DNS Record Lookup Tool - Check A, MX, TXT, CNAME, NS, SOA & PTR Records Instantly Query selected public DNS record types, such as A, AAAA, MX, TXT, CNAME, NS and SOA, through Google Public DNS. Responses may be cached and can differ between resolvers. Check the relevant domain or subdomain for each record, and treat failed or empty responses carefully. After reviewing the selected records from Google Public DNS, try [HTTP Header Viewer](https://www.toolcomb.com/http-header-viewer) for response headers a target exposes to your browser. DNS answers and web-server responses are different checks and may be cached or restricted. ## What is a DNS Record Lookup? A **DNS record lookup** (also called a **DNS query** or **DNS check**) is the process of querying the Domain Name System to retrieve configuration records stored for a specific domain. Every domain on the internet has DNS records - structured data stored on authoritative name servers - that tell browsers, email clients, and other internet services where to direct traffic. When you type "google.com" into your browser, your device silently performs a DNS lookup to find the A record (IP address) for that domain, then connects to the server at that IP. Our online DNS lookup tool makes this process visible and accessible, letting you inspect every record type for any public domain - no command-line tools like `nslookup` or `dig` required. DNS lookups are performed millions of times per second across the internet. Understanding what DNS records are configured for your domain - and being able to quickly check, verify, and troubleshoot them - is an essential skill for webmasters, developers, system administrators, email deliverability specialists, and SEO professionals. ## All DNS Record Types Explained ### A Record (Address Record) The **A record** is the most fundamental DNS record type. It maps a domain name (like `example.com`) to an IPv4 address (like `93.184.216.34`). When someone visits your website, their browser first performs a DNS A record lookup to find the IP address of your server. A records are also used in round-robin DNS load balancing, where multiple A records are configured for the same domain, each pointing to a different server IP. This distributes incoming traffic across multiple servers. **Common uses:** Website hosting, API endpoints, load balancing, CDN origin servers. ### AAAA Record (IPv6 Address) The **AAAA record** (pronounced "quad-A") maps a domain to an IPv6 address - the next-generation IP protocol with a vastly larger address space than IPv4. IPv6 addresses look like `2606:2800:220:1:248:1893:25c8:1946`. As the internet transitions from IPv4 to IPv6, having both A and AAAA records configured ensures your domain is accessible to all users regardless of whether their ISP supports IPv6. Most modern hosting providers and CDNs support dual-stack (IPv4 + IPv6) configurations. **Common uses:** Modern websites, dual-stack hosting, mobile networks (which heavily use IPv6). ### MX Record (Mail Exchange) The **MX record** specifies the mail servers responsible for accepting incoming email for a domain. Without correct MX records, email delivery fails completely. Each MX record includes a priority value - lower numbers indicate higher priority, so if the primary mail server is down, email is routed to the next one. For example, Google Workspace uses MX records like `aspmx.l.google.com` with various priority values. Microsoft 365 uses records like `domain-com.mail.protection.outlook.com`. Checking your MX records is the first step in troubleshooting email deliverability problems. **Common uses:** Email hosting setup, Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, email deliverability troubleshooting, SPF/DMARC verification. ### TXT Record (Text Record) The **TXT record** stores arbitrary text data in the DNS and is used for an enormous variety of purposes. The most common uses are email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), domain verification for Google Search Console, site ownership proofs for SSL certificate issuance, and BIMI records for email brand logos. An SPF TXT record looks like: `v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all`. A DMARC record looks like: `v=DMARC1; p=reject; rua=mailto:reports@example.com`. Checking TXT records is critical when troubleshooting email ending up in spam folders. **Common uses:** SPF records, DKIM verification, DMARC policies, Google Search Console, domain ownership verification, BIMI. ### CNAME Record (Canonical Name) A **CNAME record** (Canonical Name) creates an alias that points one domain name to another domain name (not directly to an IP address). For example, `www.example.com` might CNAME to `example.com`, or `shop.example.com` might CNAME to `your-store.myshopify.com`. CNAME records are widely used in CDN setups (Cloudflare, Fastly, AWS CloudFront), email service verification (SendGrid, Mailchimp), and SaaS integrations where your subdomain needs to point to an external service. Important: CNAME records cannot be used at the root/apex of a domain - that's what ALIAS or ANAME records (not shown here) solve. **Common uses:** CDN configuration, subdomain aliases, SaaS integrations, email service verification. ### NS Record (Name Server) The **NS record** (Name Server record) identifies which DNS servers are authoritative for your domain - meaning which servers hold the official DNS records. When you register a domain, you point it to your DNS provider's name servers (e.g., Cloudflare's `ns1.cloudflare.com`, or AWS Route 53's `ns-xxx.awsdns-xx.com`). NS records are critical during domain migrations and hosting transfers. After changing name servers, DNS propagation can take 24–72 hours globally. Checking NS records lets you verify that your domain is still pointing to the correct DNS provider and that changes have propagated. **Common uses:** DNS provider verification, domain migration, nameserver change verification, delegation troubleshooting. ### SOA Record (Start of Authority) The **SOA record** (Start of Authority) is the most authoritative record in a DNS zone. It contains essential information about the zone: the primary name server, the email address of the domain administrator (in DNS format), and key timing parameters like the zone's serial number, refresh interval, retry interval, expire time, and minimum TTL. The serial number in the SOA record is critical - it must be incremented every time DNS records are changed, so secondary name servers know to refresh their cached copies. SOA records are checked during DNS zone audits and when troubleshooting DNS replication issues between primary and secondary name servers. **Common uses:** DNS zone administration, zone transfer troubleshooting, DNS audit tools, nameserver synchronization debugging. ### PTR Record (Pointer / Reverse DNS) The **PTR record** (Pointer record) is used for **reverse DNS lookup** - the opposite of a standard DNS query. Instead of mapping a domain to an IP address, it maps an IP address back to a domain name. PTR records are stored in the special `in-addr.arpa` domain (for IPv4) or `ip6.arpa` (for IPv6). PTR records are critically important for email server reputation. Many spam filters reject email from servers whose IP address does not have a PTR record, or whose PTR does not match the server's hostname (a technique called forward-confirmed reverse DNS). PTR records are set by your hosting provider or ISP, not in your domain's DNS settings. **Common uses:** Email server reputation, spam filter compliance, network troubleshooting, security auditing, server identity verification. ## How to Use the DNS Record Lookup Tool Using our DNS record lookup tool is fast and straightforward. Follow these steps to check DNS records for any domain: 1. **Enter the domain name** in the input field above. You can enter a bare domain (like `example.com`), a subdomain (like `mail.example.com`), or even a full URL with https:// - the tool automatically strips the protocol prefix and path. 2. **Select which DNS record types** you want to query. By default, A, MX, TXT, and CNAME records are selected. For a full DNS audit, click "Select All" to query all eight record types simultaneously. 3. **Click "Lookup DNS"** or press Enter to execute the query. The lookup runs in real time so the results reflect the current DNS state. 4. **Review the results** displayed below the tool. Records are grouped by type and show the record name, value, and TTL (Time to Live). Click the copy icon to copy any record value to your clipboard. The tool supports both simple single-type queries (e.g., just check MX records to verify email configuration) and comprehensive multi-type audits where you check all record types at once. Query times are displayed in milliseconds so you can assess DNS server response performance. ## Common DNS Lookup Use Cases ### Email Deliverability Troubleshooting For email troubleshooting, check MX and relevant TXT records. SPF is commonly on the sending domain, DMARC uses its own subdomain, and DKIM uses a selector-specific name. Run separate lookups for the applicable names; this tool does not validate an email configuration. ### Domain & Hosting Migration After a hosting or DNS change, compare A, CNAME or NS responses over time. This tool queries one public resolver, which may return cached data; it does not establish worldwide propagation. ### Security & Compliance Auditing Security teams use DNS record lookups to audit domain configurations for missing DMARC policies, weak SPF records, misconfigured DNSSEC, or unauthorized subdomain delegations that could expose the domain to DNS hijacking or phishing attacks. ### SEO & Website Verification SEO professionals use DNS lookups to verify domain ownership through TXT records (Google Search Console, Bing Webmaster Tools), check CDN configuration via CNAME records, and confirm that www and non-www versions of a domain resolve correctly. ### Competitive Research Checking a competitor's DNS records can reveal insights about their hosting infrastructure - which cloud provider they use (from A records and NS records), whether they use Cloudflare (from NS records), and which email marketing platforms they use (from TXT and CNAME records). ### Developer & DevOps Workflows Developers frequently check DNS records when setting up SSL/TLS certificates (verifying ACME challenge TXT records), configuring Kubernetes ingress (checking CNAME records), setting up custom domains for SaaS products, and debugging microservice connectivity issues. ## Understanding DNS TTL (Time to Live) Every DNS record has a **TTL (Time to Live)** value measured in seconds. This tells DNS resolvers how long they should cache the record before fetching a fresh copy from the authoritative name server. Understanding TTL is crucial for planning DNS changes and managing propagation times. 300s (5 min) Low TTL - use before planned migrations. Changes propagate quickly but increases DNS server load. 3600s (1 hr) Standard TTL - good balance between propagation speed and DNS query efficiency. 14400s (4 hr) Moderate TTL - common for stable records like A records on production servers. 86400s (24 hr) High TTL - reduces DNS query load but means changes take 24 hours to propagate globally. Pro tip: Before migrating a website or changing DNS servers, lower your TTL to 300 seconds (5 minutes) at least 24 hours in advance. This minimizes downtime during the cutover since DNS caches will expire quickly. After the migration is complete and stable, raise the TTL back to a higher value. ## DNS Lookup Tool vs. Command-Line Tools (nslookup, dig) Command-line tools like `nslookup` (available on Windows, macOS, Linux) and `dig` (available on macOS and Linux) are powerful alternatives for DNS lookups. However, our online DNS lookup tool has several significant advantages: - **No installation required:** Works instantly in any browser. No need to open Terminal or Command Prompt. - **Query multiple record types simultaneously:** A single click can query all 8 record types at once. With dig, you need to run 8 separate commands. - **Cleaner results presentation:** Results are formatted and grouped by type with TTL shown in human-readable format (5m, 1h, 1d) instead of raw seconds. - **Uses Google DNS:** Queries dns.google, ensuring you see what major public DNS resolvers return - not just your ISP's potentially-cached version. - **One-click copy:** Copy any record value instantly without manually selecting text in a terminal window. - **Accessible to non-technical users:** Product managers, marketers, and content creators can check DNS records without needing to learn command-line syntax. ## Frequently Asked Questions About DNS Record Lookup ### How long does DNS propagation take after changing records? DNS propagation typically takes between a few minutes and 72 hours, depending on your record's TTL setting. If you lowered your TTL to 300 seconds before making changes, most of the world will see your new records within 5–15 minutes. With a 24-hour TTL, full propagation can take up to 48–72 hours in rare cases where ISPs ignore TTL values and cache records longer. ### Why are DNS lookup results different from what I see in my DNS control panel? Your DNS control panel shows the records you've configured, but this tool shows what the live public DNS system actually returns. There's often a delay between saving changes in your control panel and those changes propagating to public DNS servers. Additionally, your DNS provider may cache records differently. If results differ, check whether your SOA serial number was incremented and whether propagation is still in progress. ### What's the difference between DNS lookup and DNS propagation check? A DNS lookup queries a resolver and returns what it currently sees. A DNS propagation check queries multiple DNS resolvers located in different countries around the world, showing whether your DNS changes have propagated globally. Use a DNS lookup for basic record verification; use a propagation checker when you need to confirm worldwide propagation after making DNS changes. ### Can I check DNS records for any domain, including competitors? Yes. DNS records are public by design - they must be publicly accessible for the internet to function. Any tool (including command-line tools like dig and nslookup) can query DNS records for any domain. This is completely legitimate and is a standard practice for system administrators, security researchers, and developers. ### Why do some domains return no results for certain record types? Not all record types are configured for every domain. For example, a domain that doesn't have email service won't have MX records. A domain without IPv6 support won't have AAAA records. If a query returns no results, it simply means that record type isn't configured for that domain - it's not an error. ### What is the difference between an A record and a CNAME record? An A record maps a domain directly to an IP address (e.g., example.com → 93.184.216.34). A CNAME record maps a domain to another domain name (e.g., www.example.com → example.com), which then resolves to an IP through its own A record. A records are slightly faster (one fewer DNS lookup step) but CNAMEs are more flexible - when the underlying IP changes, you only need to update the A record, and all CNAMEs pointing to it automatically update. ## Related Tools Discover more free tools that might help with your next task. [Reverse IP Lookup Resolve an IPv4 address to its reverse DNS PTR hostname Use Tool](https://www.toolcomb.com/reverse-ip-lookup) [Lighthouse Score Simulator Estimate a Lighthouse-style performance score from page metrics Use Tool](https://www.toolcomb.com/lighthouse-simulator) [Domain to IP Convert domain names to IP addresses Use Tool](https://www.toolcomb.com/domain-to-ip) [HTTP Header Viewer View HTTP headers for websites Use Tool](https://www.toolcomb.com/http-header-viewer) [Ping Test Test network connectivity and latency Use Tool](https://www.toolcomb.com/ping-test) [SSL Certificate Checker Check SSL certificate details and validity Use Tool](https://www.toolcomb.com/ssl-certificate-checker) ### Related guides Read the how-to, then come back to this tool when you are ready to run it locally. - [Why Chrome Says “Not Secure” (and What to Check First) HTTP pages, mixed content, name-mismatch certificates, and expired TLS. How to tell a padlock problem from a DNS problem without scanning hosts you do not own.](https://www.toolcomb.com/blog/why-chrome-says-not-secure) - [How to Check Security Headers on a Live Site CSP, HSTS, X-Frame-Options, cookies, and noindex - what to look for in HTTP headers, how a header viewer helps, and what it will never prove.](https://www.toolcomb.com/blog/how-to-check-security-headers-on-a-live-site) - [Why Your DNS Change Isn’t Showing Yet You updated A or CNAME records but the site still hits the old server. TTL, cache, recursive resolvers, and how to look up public DNS without confusing it with your laptop’s cache.](https://www.toolcomb.com/blog/why-dns-changes-are-not-showing) [View All Tools](https://www.toolcomb.com/tools)