DNS Record Types
| Type | Purpose | Example value |
|---|---|---|
| A | Maps domain to IPv4 address | 93.184.216.34 |
| AAAA | Maps domain to IPv6 address | 2606:2800:220:1:248:1893:25c8:1946 |
| CNAME | Alias pointing to another hostname | www → example.com |
| MX | Mail exchange server with priority | 10 mail.example.com |
| TXT | Arbitrary text (SPF, DKIM, verification) | v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all |
| NS | Authoritative nameservers for the domain | ns1.example.com |
| SOA | Start of Authority — zone metadata | Primary NS, admin email, serial |
How to Use It
1
Open the tool
Go to Network & Security and scroll to the DNS Lookup.
2
Enter a domain
Type the domain name (e.g. example.com). You can also query subdomains like mail.example.com.
3
Select record type
Choose A, AAAA, MX, CNAME, TXT, NS, SOA or ALL to query all record types at once.
4
Read the results
View the returned records with their values and TTL (time to live in seconds).
Pro Tips
💡To check email authentication, query TXT records for
_dmarc.yourdomain.com (DMARC), default._domainkey.yourdomain.com (DKIM) and the root domain (SPF).💡Lower TTL values before a DNS migration so changes propagate quickly. After migration, raise TTL back to reduce load on nameservers.
💡If DNS changes aren't visible yet, the old record is likely still cached by resolvers. Wait for the TTL to expire or flush your local DNS cache (
ipconfig /flushdns on Windows).Frequently Asked Questions
What is a DNS A record?
Maps a domain name to an IPv4 address. When you visit a domain, your browser queries the A record to find which server to connect to.
What is an MX record?
Specifies which servers handle email for a domain. Multiple MX records can have different priorities — lower numbers are tried first.
What is a TXT record used for?
Stores arbitrary text. Common uses: SPF email authentication, DKIM keys, DMARC policies, domain verification for Google/AWS, and ACME challenges for TLS certificates.
What is TTL?
Time To Live — how long in seconds resolvers cache a DNS record. 3600 = 1 hour. Lower TTL = faster propagation when records change but more queries to nameservers.
Look up DNS records now
Open the DNS Lookup and query any record type for any domain — free, instant, no login required.
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