Free DNS lookup checker
A DNS lookup checker that queries live DNS for a domain and returns every common record type in one view — A, AAAA, MX, TXT, NS and CNAME — with the raw values. The command-line dig, without the command line.
One lookup, every record
DNS is the address book of the internet: it turns the domain a person types into the server that answers, routes the domain’s email, and carries the text records that prove ownership and authenticate mail. Checking it normally means running a separate command-line query for each record type and remembering the syntax for each. This tool asks live DNS for all of them at once and lays out the raw values, so you can confirm in one glance that a domain points where it should.
What each record is telling you
The A and AAAA records are the ones that point the domain at a server — if these are wrong, the site is unreachable. MX records route email; if they are missing, mail bounces. TXT records are the workhorses: they hold domain-verification strings and the SPF and DKIM rules that keep your email out of spam folders. NS records name the servers that are authoritative for the domain, which tells you which provider is actually in charge of answering.
When a record is missing
The commonest reason a record you know you created does not appear is propagation: DNS changes ripple out as caches expire, which can take from a few minutes to a day or two. This tool queries live with a short timeout, so what you see is what public resolvers can answer right now — a useful way to tell whether a change has actually taken effect yet, rather than trusting that it has because you saved it in a control panel.
Where this fits
DNS is the layer beneath everything else on a host. Once it resolves, the SSL certificate checker confirms the HTTPS on the server it points to, the HTTP header checker reads what that server returns, and the domain age checker shows when the domain was registered. For the site those records lead to, scored in one pass, run the free website checker, and what counts as a good score explains the result.
DNS lookup questions
- What does a DNS lookup checker do?
- A DNS lookup checker queries the live Domain Name System for a domain and returns its records in one view: the A and AAAA records that point the domain at a server, the MX records that route its email, the TXT records that hold verification and email-authentication rules, the NS records that name its authoritative servers, and any CNAME aliases. It saves you running separate command-line lookups for each record type.
- What are the main DNS record types?
- An A record maps a domain to an IPv4 address and AAAA to an IPv6 address — these are what point your domain at a server. MX records direct email to the right mail servers. TXT records hold free-form text used for domain verification and email rules like SPF and DKIM. NS records name the authoritative nameservers for the domain. A CNAME makes one hostname an alias for another. Together they describe where a domain lives and how it behaves.
- What is an SPF record and why does it matter?
- SPF (Sender Policy Framework) is a TXT record that lists which mail servers are allowed to send email for your domain. It is one of the core defenses against someone spoofing your address, and mailbox providers check it when deciding whether your mail is legitimate. A missing or misconfigured SPF record is a common reason legitimate email lands in spam, so this tool checks for one among the TXT records.
- Why can't I find a record I know exists?
- DNS changes are not instant. When you add or edit a record, it takes time to propagate as caches around the world expire — anywhere from minutes to a day or two, depending on the record's TTL (time to live). If a record you just created is not showing yet, it is usually propagation, not a mistake. This tool queries live with a short timeout, so it reflects what public resolvers can see right now.
- Do DNS records affect SEO?
- Indirectly but importantly. DNS is the first step in reaching your site: if the A record is wrong or the nameservers are misconfigured, the domain simply does not resolve and nothing else matters. Fast, reliable DNS also shaves time off the very start of every connection. DNS is not a ranking factor in itself, but broken DNS is the most complete way to be invisible to both users and crawlers.
- What is the difference between a domain and its nameservers?
- A domain is the name people type; the nameservers (listed in its NS records) are the servers that hold the authoritative answers for that name. When you change DNS hosting — moving from a registrar's default DNS to a provider like Cloudflare, for example — you change the nameservers, and all the domain's records then need to exist at the new host. Checking the NS records confirms which provider is actually answering for the domain.
- How do I check the DNS records for a domain?
- Enter the domain above and this tool queries its public DNS and returns the records it finds, including A, AAAA, MX, TXT, CNAME and NS entries. This reads the same authoritative data a mail server or browser uses, so it is the quickest way to confirm a record is actually published.
- How long do DNS changes take to propagate?
- DNS changes usually take effect within a few minutes to a few hours, but can take up to about 48 hours to reach everywhere because resolvers cache records for the length of the TTL. Lowering the TTL before a planned change shortens how long the old value lingers.
- What is the difference between an A record and a CNAME record?
- An A record maps a hostname directly to an IP address, while a CNAME maps one hostname to another hostname, which is then resolved to an IP. Use an A record for the root domain, since a CNAME is not allowed there, and a CNAME for subdomains that should follow another host.
- What is a TXT record used for?
- A TXT record holds arbitrary text and is most often used for verification and email authentication, including SPF, DKIM and DMARC policies and domain-ownership tokens for services like Google. Because a domain can hold several TXT records, adding one for a new service rarely disturbs the others.
- What is an MX record?
- An MX record tells other mail servers where to deliver email for your domain, pointing to the hostname of your mail provider with a priority value. Without a correct MX record your domain cannot receive email, which is why a missing or wrong MX is the first thing to check when mail stops arriving.