All tools
Network tools

DNS Lookup

Query any DNS record type for any domain instantly — A, AAAA, MX, TXT, CNAME, NS, SOA or all at once.

A AAAA MX TXT CNAME NS SOA ALL
Get started free Sign in

Free · No credit card · 50 credits/day

DNS record types explained

Every record type supported — what it stores and when you'd query it.

A
IPv4 address

Maps a hostname to an IPv4 address. The most common record — what resolves example.com to 93.184.216.34.

example.com → 93.184.216.34
AAAA
IPv6 address

Same as A but for IPv6 addresses. Required for IPv6-only network access.

example.com → 2606:2800:220:1:248:1893:25c8:1946
MX
Mail server + priority

Lists the mail servers that accept email for the domain, with priority values (lower = higher priority). Check these when debugging email delivery.

10 mail.example.com
TXT
Arbitrary text

Used for SPF, DKIM, DMARC, domain ownership verification (Google, GitHub, etc.) and many other protocol extensions.

v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all
CNAME
Canonical hostname

An alias that points one hostname to another. www.example.com → example.com. Cannot be used at the zone apex.

www.example.com → example.com
NS
Authoritative nameserver

Lists the nameservers responsible for a domain's DNS zone. These are the servers that answer DNS queries for the domain.

ns1.example.com, ns2.example.com
SOA
Zone authority data

The Start of Authority record — contains the primary nameserver, admin email, serial number and TTL defaults for the zone.

ns1.example.com. admin.example.com. 2024010101 3600 900 604800 300

When to run a DNS lookup

📧
Debug email delivery
MX + TXT

Check MX records to see which mail servers handle your domain. Query TXT records to verify SPF, DKIM and DMARC are configured — missing or misconfigured email auth is the #1 cause of email landing in spam.

🌐
Verify DNS propagation
A / CNAME

After updating DNS, use the lookup to confirm the new A or CNAME records are live. Compare the TTL — a high TTL means old records may still be cached for hours.

🔗
Check domain ownership verification
TXT

Google Search Console, GitHub, Stripe and many other services ask you to add a TXT record to prove you own a domain. Query TXT to confirm the record was added correctly.

🛡️
Audit email security
TXT

Query TXT records and look for v=spf1 (SPF), v=DKIM1 (DKIM at the selector subdomain) and v=DMARC1 at _dmarc.yourdomain.com. All three should be present on any sending domain.

🔄
Investigate redirect chains
CNAME

Follow CNAME chains to understand where traffic ultimately resolves — useful when debugging CDN configurations, load balancers and third-party integrations.

🖥️
Find authoritative nameservers
NS

Query NS records to identify which DNS provider manages a domain. Useful when you need to add records or investigate who controls DNS for a third-party domain.

Understanding TTL (Time To Live)

Every DNS record has a TTL — the number of seconds resolvers are allowed to cache it. A TTL of 3600 means caches hold the record for 1 hour before re-querying. Before making DNS changes, lower your TTL to 300 (5 min) so the change propagates faster. After propagation is confirmed, raise it back to reduce DNS query load.

Frequently asked questions

What is a DNS lookup?

A DNS lookup queries the Domain Name System to retrieve records associated with a domain. Different record types store different information — A records store IPv4 addresses, MX records store mail server hostnames, TXT records store arbitrary text used for email authentication and domain verification.

How long does DNS propagation take?

DNS changes propagate based on each record's TTL. A record with TTL 3600 can take up to 1 hour to update across all resolvers worldwide. Lower your TTL to 300 before making changes so propagation is faster.

What is an SPF record and where is it stored?

An SPF (Sender Policy Framework) record is a TXT record that lists which mail servers are authorised to send email on behalf of your domain. Query TXT records to see your SPF record.

What is the difference between a CNAME and an A record?

An A record maps a hostname directly to an IPv4 address. A CNAME maps a hostname to another hostname, which is then resolved to an IP. CNAMEs are useful for aliases but cannot be used at the zone apex (the root domain itself).

Related network & security tools

More tools to audit domains and infrastructure.

SSL Certificate Checker

Check certificate expiry, issuer and SANs for any domain.
Security Headers Checker

Audit HTTP security headers and get an A–F grade instantly.
WHOIS Lookup

Query domain registration details — registrar, expiry and nameservers.

Look up DNS records now

Free account. 50 credits per day. Access to 75+ tools instantly.

Create free account →