DNS (Domain Name System) is the internet's directory. It translates human-readable domain names (example.com) into IP addresses (93.184.216.34) that computers use to route traffic. Every time you type a URL into a browser, a DNS lookup happens to find the server's IP address.

What are the different DNS record types?

A records map a domain to an IPv4 address. AAAA records map to an IPv6 address. MX records specify mail servers for a domain. TXT records hold arbitrary text, commonly used for SPF, DKIM, and DMARC email authentication policies. CNAME records create an alias from one domain to another. NS records specify the authoritative name servers. SOA records contain administrative information about the zone.

What is DNS propagation and how long does it take?

DNS propagation is the time it takes for changes to DNS records to spread across all DNS servers worldwide. The speed depends on the TTL (Time to Live) of the old record; lower TTL means faster propagation. After a DNS change, full propagation typically takes 24 to 48 hours, though most users see the change within a few hours.

What is TTL in DNS records?

TTL (Time to Live) is measured in seconds and tells DNS resolvers how long to cache a record before re-querying the authoritative name server. A TTL of 3600 means resolvers cache the record for one hour. Lower TTL values speed up propagation after changes but increase DNS query load.

How can I check if DNS has propagated for my domain?

Use this DNS Lookup tool to query the record type you changed. If the new value appears, the change has reached Google's DNS servers. For a global view, check multiple resolvers; different ISPs and regions may still be serving the old cached value.

What are MX records used for?

MX (Mail Exchange) records specify which mail servers should receive email for a domain. Each MX record has a priority value; lower numbers have higher priority. Mail senders query MX records to know where to deliver email. Missing or incorrect MX records cause email delivery failures.

Is DNS Lookup free to use?

Yes. DNS Lookup uses Google's free DNS-over-HTTPS API, which is publicly available with no API key required. The tool itself is completely free on ToolBox with no sign-up or usage limits.

DNS Lookup

About DNS Lookup

DNS checker tools let you query live DNS records to verify propagation, debug email issues, and inspect security policies. Enter any domain and select the record type to see real-time DNS data via Google's public resolver. Results show record values and TTL for each entry. Free, browser-based, no installation needed.

DNS Lookup queries real-time DNS records for any domain using Google DNS-over-HTTPS. Select from A, AAAA, MX, TXT, CNAME, NS, or SOA record types, enter a domain name, and see the live DNS response including record values, TTL, and record count. DNS (Domain Name System) is the internet's address book: it translates human-readable domain names like example.com into IP addresses that computers use to route traffic. This tool is used by system administrators verifying DNS propagation after a migration, developers debugging email delivery (MX records), and security researchers checking TXT records for SPF, DKIM, and DMARC policies. For the reverse operation of looking up what information is associated with an IP address, see IP Address Lookup. To check whether a specific port is responding on a server, see Port Checker.

DNS resolution happens in multiple stages. When you type a domain name, your browser first checks its own cache, then the OS resolver cache, then queries your configured DNS resolver (usually your ISP or a public resolver like 8.8.8.8 or 1.1.1.1). If none have the record cached, the resolver performs a recursive query: it asks the root name servers for the TLD servers (.com, .net, etc.), then asks the TLD servers for the authoritative name servers of the specific domain, and finally asks the authoritative servers for the actual record. This entire process typically completes in under 100ms. DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH) encrypts DNS queries in HTTPS traffic, preventing ISPs and network observers from seeing which domains you query. It was standardized in RFC 8484 in 2018 and is now supported by all major browsers. Google and Cloudflare both operate free public DoH endpoints (dns.google and cloudflare-dns.com). TXT records have become a critical security mechanism: SPF (Sender Policy Framework) records specify which servers are allowed to send email for a domain, DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) records provide public keys for verifying email signatures, and DMARC records tell receiving mail servers what to do when SPF or DKIM checks fail. Checking these records is the first step in diagnosing email deliverability problems.

How to use DNS Lookup

Enter a domain name (e.g. example.com, without http://).
Select the record type: A, MX, TXT, CNAME, NS, AAAA, or SOA.
Click Lookup to see live DNS records, then copy all results with one click.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is DNS?: DNS (Domain Name System) is the internet's directory. It translates human-readable domain names (example.com) into IP addresses (93.184.216.34) that computers use to route traffic. Every time you type a URL into a browser, a DNS lookup happens to find the server's IP address.
What are the different DNS record types?: A records map a domain to an IPv4 address. AAAA records map to an IPv6 address. MX records specify mail servers for a domain. TXT records hold arbitrary text, commonly used for SPF, DKIM, and DMARC email authentication policies. CNAME records create an alias from one domain to another. NS records specify the authoritative name servers. SOA records contain administrative information about the zone.
What is DNS propagation and how long does it take?: DNS propagation is the time it takes for changes to DNS records to spread across all DNS servers worldwide. The speed depends on the TTL (Time to Live) of the old record; lower TTL means faster propagation. After a DNS change, full propagation typically takes 24 to 48 hours, though most users see the change within a few hours.
What is TTL in DNS records?: TTL (Time to Live) is measured in seconds and tells DNS resolvers how long to cache a record before re-querying the authoritative name server. A TTL of 3600 means resolvers cache the record for one hour. Lower TTL values speed up propagation after changes but increase DNS query load.
How can I check if DNS has propagated for my domain?: Use this DNS Lookup tool to query the record type you changed. If the new value appears, the change has reached Google's DNS servers. For a global view, check multiple resolvers; different ISPs and regions may still be serving the old cached value.
What are MX records used for?: MX (Mail Exchange) records specify which mail servers should receive email for a domain. Each MX record has a priority value; lower numbers have higher priority. Mail senders query MX records to know where to deliver email. Missing or incorrect MX records cause email delivery failures.
Is DNS Lookup free to use?: Yes. DNS Lookup uses Google's free DNS-over-HTTPS API, which is publicly available with no API key required. The tool itself is completely free on ToolBox with no sign-up or usage limits.

DNS Lookup

About DNS Lookup

How to use DNS Lookup

Frequently Asked Questions

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