DNS Record Lookup Tool
What is DNS?
The Domain Name System (DNS) translates human-readable domain names into IP addresses. Each domain can have multiple types of DNS records: A records point to IPv4 addresses, AAAA records point to IPv6, MX records handle email routing, TXT records store text data, and CNAME records create aliasing rules.
How this tool works
This tool directly queries Google's public DNS servers (8.8.8.8) via their secure DNS-over-HTTPS API. All queries are made directly from your browser, ensuring no latency introduced by intermediary web servers and keeping your browsing private.
Frequently Asked Questions
What DNS record types should I check when setting up a domain?
At minimum: A record (points to your server's IPv4 address), MX records (email routing — required to receive email), and TXT records (SPF and DKIM for email authentication). If you use a CDN or load balancer, you may use CNAME records instead of A records. NS records show which nameservers are authoritative for the domain.
What does TTL mean in DNS records?
TTL (Time To Live) is the number of seconds a DNS resolver can cache the record before re-querying. A TTL of 3600 means the record is cached for 1 hour. Lower TTLs (300–600) are useful when you're about to make changes — set them low a day before so the change propagates faster. Higher TTLs (86400) reduce DNS query load once records are stable.
Why does my DNS change not show up immediately?
DNS changes must propagate across all resolvers worldwide. Resolvers cache records for the duration of the TTL. If your record had a TTL of 86400 (24 hours), some users may see the old record for up to 24 hours after you make a change. To speed this up, lower your TTL before making changes.
What is the difference between an A record and a CNAME record?
An A record maps a hostname directly to an IPv4 address (e.g., example.com → 93.184.216.34). A CNAME maps a hostname to another hostname (e.g., www.example.com → example.com), which is then resolved further. CNAMEs cannot be used at the root domain (apex) — only subdomains. Use A/AAAA records for the root domain.
How does this tool perform DNS lookups?
This tool queries Google's DNS-over-HTTPS API (8.8.8.8) directly from your browser. All queries run client-side — no request goes through our servers. This means queries are private and reflect current DNS state rather than a cached server-side result.