DNS Lookup - Query Any DNS Record Type

Check DNS records for any domain instantly. Our free DNS lookup tool queries authoritative nameservers to show A, AAAA, MX, TXT, NS, SOA, and CNAME records.

Related guides: How to fix "DNS server not responding" and how to flush your DNS cache.

Enter a domain only (no http/https). Use the options below to choose a record type.

DNS Records for example.com

A Records

A example.com
Class: IN
Ttl: 300
Ip: 172.66.147.243
A example.com
Class: IN
Ttl: 300
Ip: 104.20.23.154

AAAA Records

AAAA example.com
Class: IN
Ttl: 33
Ipv6: 2606:4700:10::ac42:93f3
AAAA example.com
Class: IN
Ttl: 33
Ipv6: 2606:4700:10::6814:179a

MX Records

MX example.com
Class: IN
Ttl: 260

NS Records

NS example.com
Class: IN
Ttl: 86400
Target: elliott.ns.cloudflare.com
NS example.com
Class: IN
Ttl: 86400
Target: hera.ns.cloudflare.com

TXT Records

TXT example.com
Class: IN
Ttl: 300
Txt: _k2n1y4vw3qtb4skdx9e7dxt97qrmmq9
Entries: _k2n1y4vw3qtb4skdx9e7dxt97qrmmq9
TXT example.com
Class: IN
Ttl: 300
Txt: v=spf1 -all
Entries: v=spf1 -all

SOA Records

SOA example.com
Class: IN
Ttl: 1800
Mname: elliott.ns.cloudflare.com
Rname: dns.cloudflare.com
Serial: 2405749864
Refresh: 10000
Retry: 2400
Expire: 604800
Minimum-ttl: 1800

Create a shareable link to these results (expires in 7 days)

About DNS Lookup

What does this tool do?

Our DNS lookup tool queries the Domain Name System to retrieve and display all DNS records associated with a domain name. It provides comprehensive information about how a domain is configured, including website hosting, email routing, and security settings.

Why is DNS lookup important?

DNS is the foundation of how the internet works, translating human-readable domain names into IP addresses that computers can understand. DNS lookup is essential for troubleshooting connectivity issues, verifying configurations, and ensuring proper domain management.

Who uses this tool?

  • Web developers and administrators - Verify domain configurations and troubleshoot website issues
  • Email administrators - Diagnose email delivery problems and configure mail servers
  • IT professionals - Investigate network connectivity and domain resolution issues
  • Domain managers - Monitor DNS settings and plan domain migrations
  • Security professionals - Verify email authentication records and security configurations

How to use this tool

  1. Enter a domain name in the search field (without http:// or www)
  2. Choose record type (optional) - select "All Records" for comprehensive results or a specific type
  3. Click "Lookup DNS" to perform the query
  4. Review the results organized by record type
  5. Copy the share link to save or share your findings

Example

Try looking up google.com to see how a major website configures its DNS records, or github.com to see a typical web service setup with multiple A records and comprehensive TXT records.

Understanding DNS record types

A Records
Map domain names to IPv4 addresses (like 192.168.1.1). These are the most common records that tell browsers where to find your website.
AAAA Records
Map domain names to IPv6 addresses (like 2001:db8::1). The IPv6 equivalent of A records for modern internet infrastructure.
MX Records
Mail Exchange records specify which servers handle email for the domain. They include priority numbers to determine backup mail servers.
TXT Records
Store text-based information for various purposes including domain verification, SPF (email authentication), DKIM keys, and DMARC policies.
NS Records
Name Server records identify which DNS servers are authoritative for the domain. These control all other DNS records.
SOA Records
Start of Authority records contain administrative information about the DNS zone, including refresh intervals and responsible parties.
CNAME Records
Canonical Name records create aliases, pointing one domain name to another. Commonly used for subdomains like www.

Important notes about DNS

  • Propagation delays: DNS changes can take 24-48 hours to propagate globally
  • Caching effects: Your local DNS cache may show outdated information
  • Multiple records: Domains often have multiple A or MX records for redundancy
  • TTL values: Time To Live determines how long records are cached

Common use cases

Website troubleshooting

When a website is unreachable, check A and AAAA records to verify the domain points to the correct server IP addresses. Compare with your hosting provider's information.

Email delivery issues

Examine MX records to ensure they point to the correct mail servers. Check TXT records for SPF, DKIM, and DMARC configurations that affect email deliverability.

Domain migration planning

Before changing hosting providers, document all existing DNS records to ensure nothing is missed during the transition. This prevents service interruptions.

Security verification

Verify that security-related TXT records (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) are properly configured to prevent email spoofing and improve domain reputation.

Technical details

DNS Resolution Process

When you request a domain, your computer follows this process:

  1. Check local DNS cache
  2. Query configured DNS servers (usually your ISP's)
  3. Query root name servers if needed
  4. Query authoritative name servers for the domain
  5. Return the IP address to your browser

Understanding TTL (Time To Live)

TTL values determine how long DNS records are cached:

  • Low TTL (300-3600 seconds): Changes propagate quickly but increase DNS query load
  • High TTL (86400+ seconds): Reduces DNS queries but slows change propagation
  • Best practice: Lower TTL before making changes, raise it afterward

Common DNS Issues and Solutions

❌ No records found

  • Domain may not be properly configured
  • Name servers might not be responding
  • Domain could be expired or suspended

⚠️ Inconsistent records

  • DNS propagation may still be in progress
  • Different name servers may have different data
  • Recent changes might not be fully propagated

✅ Healthy DNS configuration

  • All record types present and consistent
  • Reasonable TTL values
  • Redundant MX and NS records for reliability

Email Authentication Records

Modern email security relies on several TXT record types:

SPF (Sender Policy Framework)
Specifies which servers are allowed to send email for your domain
DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail)
Provides cryptographic signatures to verify email authenticity
DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication)
Defines policies for handling emails that fail SPF or DKIM checks
DNS Security Note: DNS queries are typically unencrypted. For sensitive operations, consider using DNS over HTTPS (DoH) or DNS over TLS (DoT) for additional privacy and security.

Frequently Asked Questions

What DNS records can I lookup?
You can lookup A (IPv4), AAAA (IPv6), MX (mail servers), NS (nameservers), TXT (text records), CNAME (aliases), SOA (authority), and SRV (service) records for any domain.
How long does DNS propagation take?
DNS changes typically propagate within 24-48 hours globally, though some changes may be visible within minutes. TTL (Time To Live) values affect how quickly changes propagate.
Why do I see different DNS results than others?
Different DNS servers may cache records for different durations, and geographic DNS routing can serve different IPs based on location. Recent DNS changes may not have propagated to all servers yet.
What does 'NXDOMAIN' mean?
NXDOMAIN means 'Non-Existent Domain' - the domain name you queried doesn't exist in DNS. Check for typos or verify the domain is properly registered and configured.
Can I check DNS records for subdomains?
Yes, you can lookup DNS records for any subdomain (like mail.example.com or www.example.com) in addition to root domains.
What's the difference between authoritative and cached DNS results?
Authoritative results come directly from the domain's nameservers (always current). Cached results come from intermediate DNS servers and may be outdated until the cache expires (based on TTL).
Why does my DNS lookup show different results than my ISP?
Your ISP's resolver caches answers for the duration of each record's TTL, so it may still serve an old value after you change a record. This tool queries the authoritative nameservers directly, showing the live record before your ISP's cache expires. Geographic DNS (GeoDNS) and CDN steering can also legitimately return different IPs to different resolvers.
What does SERVFAIL mean, and how is it different from NXDOMAIN?
NXDOMAIN means the name definitively does not exist. SERVFAIL means the resolver could not complete the query, often because the zone is DNSSEC-signed but the chain of trust is broken (expired signatures or a missing DS record), the nameservers are unreachable, or the zone is misconfigured. NXDOMAIN points to a typo or unregistered name; SERVFAIL points to a server-side or DNSSEC fault.
Why can't I put a CNAME on my root (apex) domain?
RFC 1034 forbids a CNAME from coexisting with any other record at the same name, and the apex always has SOA and NS records. So a CNAME at example.com is invalid. Use your DNS provider's ALIAS, ANAME, or CNAME-flattening feature, which resolves the target and returns A/AAAA records at the apex instead.
Last reviewed: Reviewed by the

How this tool works: This tool runs in your browser and on our server in real time. Depending on the tool, results are computed directly from the input you provide or retrieved from live, authoritative data sources at the moment you run a lookup. We do not sell your data, and your lookups are kept private — any history shown here is stored only on your device.