DNS Records Checker

What the DNS Records Checker Does

The Domain Name System, or DNS, is the internet's address book. It translates a domain name such as example.com into the information computers need to reach the website, deliver email and prove who owns what. That information is stored in DNS records. The DNS Records Checker on WebTOOLkt looks up the records for a domain you enter and shows them in a readable list, so you can see exactly how the domain is configured.

Webmasters, developers, IT staff and marketers use it when they launch a site, move hosting, set up email or chase down a mysterious outage.

How to Use the DNS Records Checker

1. Enter the domain name you want to examine, without https:// or any path.
2. Choose a record type if the tool offers a selector, or look up all available types.
3. Run the lookup.
4. Read the values returned for each record type.
5. Compare them with what your hosting or email provider told you to configure.

If you recently changed a record and the old value still appears, wait a while and test again, since DNS changes do not appear everywhere instantly.

Common DNS Record Types

• A record. Points a domain or subdomain to an IPv4 address.
• AAAA record. Does the same for an IPv6 address.
• CNAME record. Makes one name an alias of another name.
• MX record. Says which mail servers receive email for the domain, and in what priority.
• NS record. Lists the name servers that hold the domain's DNS information.
• TXT record. Holds text used for verification and email security such as SPF and DKIM.

Cloudflare's guide to DNS records describes each type in more detail.

Understanding Propagation and TTL

Each record has a time to live, or TTL, measured in seconds. It tells DNS resolvers how long they may keep a copy before asking again. When you change a record, some resolvers will keep serving the old answer until its TTL runs out. This is often called propagation, and it explains why a website may work for you but not for a colleague right after a change. Lowering the TTL a day before a planned migration makes the switch faster. The ICANN overview of DNS gives helpful background on how the system works.

Troubleshooting With DNS Records

• Website not loading. Check the A record points to the correct server address.
• Email not arriving. Confirm the MX records match your email provider's instructions.
• Domain moved hosts. Make sure the NS records show the new provider.
• Verification failing. Look for the TXT record a service asked you to add.
• Suspicious changes. Unexpected records can signal a hijack or a mistake, so review them regularly.

Best Practices

Keep a note of your DNS settings before you change anything, so you can restore them if something breaks. Remove records for services you no longer use, and protect your registrar and DNS accounts with strong passwords and two factor authentication. Where possible, set up SPF, DKIM and DMARC records to protect your domain from email spoofing. A DNS error can take a whole website or mailbox offline, so change one thing at a time and test after each step.

Why Use This Tool Instead of Other Options

Command line tools can query DNS, but they require comfort with a terminal and differ between systems. The DNS Records Checker brings the answer to any browser, with readable output and no setup. It works next to domain tools on WebTOOLkt, so a single visit can cover DNS, ownership, hosting and server checks.

Related WebTOOLkt Tools

• Domain to IP to find the address a domain resolves to.
• WHOIS Domain Lookup to see registration details.
• IP Address Lookup to learn about an IP address.
• Hosting Checker to find out who hosts a site.
• Server Status Checker to test whether a server responds.
• Domain Age Checker to check how old a domain is.

Useful External Resources

• Cloudflare Learning Center: DNS records
• ICANN: DNS
• MDN: DNS glossary

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do my changes not show up yet?

Resolvers cache records until their TTL expires, so updates can take time to appear everywhere.

Is it safe to look up someone else's DNS records?

Yes. DNS records are public by design, since browsers and mail servers must read them to work.

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

An A record points a name directly to an IP address, while a CNAME points a name to another name.

Syed M

Creator/Developer

Enjoy the little things in life. For one day, you may look back and realize they were the big things. Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.