About the DNS Lookup
The DNS lookup tool queries a public DNS-over-HTTPS resolver live and shows the records other people's computers see right now — website addresses, mail servers, verification text records, nameservers and certificate authority rules, each with its TTL.
What a DNS lookup actually tells you
Every domain name on the internet is backed by a small set of records that tell browsers, mail servers and apps where to send traffic. A DNS lookup reads those records live and shows you exactly what the rest of the world sees right now — the IP address behind a hostname, the mail servers that accept its email, the text records that prove ownership, and the nameservers that publish the whole zone.
This lookup tool queries a public DNS-over-HTTPS resolver from your browser, so results come from a real recursive resolver rather than a cached copy on our side. If you have just changed a record, this is the fastest honest answer to the question "has it propagated yet?"
The record types, in plain language
An A record maps a hostname to an IPv4 address, and AAAA does the same for IPv6. CNAME points one hostname at another, which is how most site builders and CDNs ask you to connect a www subdomain. MX lists the mail servers for a domain, each with a priority number where lower wins.
TXT holds free-form text and is where SPF, DKIM and DMARC email-authentication policies live, along with the verification strings Google, Microsoft and Facebook ask you to add. NS lists the authoritative nameservers. SOA carries the zone's serial number and timing values. CAA restricts which certificate authorities are allowed to issue SSL certificates for the domain.
Reading TTL and understanding propagation
Every record comes back with a TTL — time to live, in seconds. It tells resolvers how long they may cache the answer before asking again. A TTL of 3600 means some resolvers will keep serving the old value for up to an hour after you change it.
This is why DNS changes seem to "propagate" unevenly: there is no broadcast, only caches expiring at different moments. The practical trick is to lower the TTL to 300 seconds a day before a planned migration, make the change, then raise it again once traffic has settled.
Common problems a lookup solves in seconds
Email going missing is usually an MX or TXT problem: no MX record, or an SPF record that does not include the service actually sending your mail. Checking both takes two lookups.
A site that loads for you but not for a colleague often means an A record was changed and one of you is holding a cached answer. A new SSL certificate that will not issue is frequently a CAA record naming a different certificate authority. A subdomain that 404s often has a CNAME pointing at a host the provider no longer serves.
Tips for using the results well
Check the apex domain and the www hostname separately — they are different names in DNS and can point to different places. If a lookup returns nothing, try the NS record: if that is also empty, the domain itself may be unregistered or expired rather than merely misconfigured.
Compare what you see here with the records in your DNS provider's dashboard. If they disagree, either the change has not been published yet or you are editing a zone at a provider your nameservers no longer point to — a surprisingly common situation after a host migration.
Privacy and limits
The domain you type is sent to a public DNS resolver in order to answer the query, exactly as it would be when you visit the site in your browser. Nothing is stored on our side and no account is needed.
This tool reads public DNS data only. It does not show registrar WHOIS details, historical records, or records that exist inside a private internal network.
What each record type is for
A records map a name to an IPv4 address — the actual server your website lives on — and AAAA records do the same for IPv6. CNAME records make one name an alias of another, which is how www is usually pointed at the apex domain or a hosting provider's hostname. MX records name the servers that accept email for the domain, with a priority number so senders know which to try first.
TXT records are the miscellaneous drawer: verification strings for Google and Microsoft, SPF rules listing which servers may send your email, DKIM keys and DMARC policies. If email from your domain lands in spam, the answer is almost always a missing or wrong TXT record. NS records name the authoritative nameservers, and the SOA record carries the zone's serial number and the responsible party's contact address.
TTL and why changes are not instant
Every record carries a TTL — time to live — telling resolvers worldwide how many seconds they may remember the answer before asking again. A TTL of 3600 means a change can take up to an hour to be visible everywhere; resolvers that asked just before your edit will hold the old answer longest.
The practical trick before a migration is to lower the TTL to a few minutes a day ahead of the change, make the change, then raise it again afterwards. This tool shows the TTL next to each record so you can see exactly how long the world may keep caching the current answer.
Troubleshooting with DNS instead of guesswork
Most 'the website is down' reports are DNS in disguise. A lookup answers the key questions in order: does the name resolve at all? Does it resolve to the server you expect? Do the nameservers match the provider you think manages the zone? Each answer narrows the fault to the registrar, the DNS host or the web server before you touch any of them.
For email problems, check MX first, then the TXT records for SPF and DMARC. For a verification that 'will not validate', check whether the TXT record the service asked for is actually visible publicly — services can only see what the DNS shows, and this tool shows exactly that.
How to use the DNS Lookup
- Enter a domain or hostname.
- Choose the record type you need, such as A, MX or TXT.
- Read the returned values and their TTLs.
- Switch record types to check email, SSL or nameserver settings.
Why use this tool?
Eight record types
A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT, NS, SOA and CAA from a single box.
Live resolver results
Answers come straight from a public recursive resolver, so nothing is cached here.
TTL shown
See how long resolvers will keep caching each answer before a change takes effect.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a DNS change take to propagate?
Up to the TTL of the previous record, commonly one hour but sometimes 24-48 hours. Lower the TTL before a planned change.
Why is my email not arriving?
Check MX records exist and point at your mail provider, and that your TXT record includes a correct SPF entry for whoever sends your mail.
What is a CAA record for?
It lists which certificate authorities may issue SSL certificates for your domain. A wrong CAA record blocks certificate issuance.