DNS Lookup Tool

Intro

Query live DNS records for any domain using Google DNS over HTTPS.

A DNS lookup helps you see how a domain is configured on the internet. This includes checking where a website points, which mail servers handle email, what name servers are authoritative, and whether text records such as SPF, DKIM, or domain verification entries are present.

This tool supports common record types including:

• A
• AAAA
• MX
• TXT
• NS
• CNAME

It is useful for troubleshooting website issues, checking DNS changes, diagnosing email problems, and confirming that a domain is resolving the way you expect. The live page already positions the tool around those record types and uses Google DNS over HTTPS for lookups.

What Is a DNS Lookup Tool?

A DNS Lookup Tool lets you query Domain Name System records for a domain so you can see how that domain is configured.

DNS records control how services connect to a domain, including:

• website routing
• email delivery
• subdomain behavior
• domain verification
• service integrations
• name server delegation

A lookup tool is especially helpful when you need to:

• verify a recent DNS change
• troubleshoot a website that is not loading
• check mail routing
• confirm a TXT verification record
• inspect a CNAME for a subdomain
• review which name servers are authoritative

Common DNS Record Types

This tool supports several of the most important DNS record types used in day-to-day web and infrastructure work. The current page lists A, AAAA, MX, TXT, NS, and CNAME as supported lookups.

A Record

An A record points a domain or subdomain to an IPv4 address.

Use it for:

• main website records
• subdomains
• direct server mapping

Example use case:

• pointing example.com to a web server IP

AAAA Record

An AAAA record points a domain or subdomain to an IPv6 address.

Use it for:

• IPv6-enabled websites
• dual-stack environments
• modern network deployments

Example use case:

• confirming a site supports IPv6 traffic

MX Record

An MX record tells the internet which mail servers receive email for a domain.

Use it for:

• email delivery troubleshooting
• mail migration checks
• verifying custom domain email setup

Example use case:

• checking whether example.com mail goes to Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, or a self-hosted mail server

TXT Record

A TXT record stores text values associated with a domain.

Use it for:

• SPF
• DKIM
• DMARC
• domain verification
• service validation
• custom metadata

Example use case:

• confirming a Google verification record or SPF policy is live

NS Record

An NS record shows which name servers are authoritative for a domain.

Use it for:

• verifying DNS delegation
• checking which provider controls DNS
• troubleshooting mismatched name server setups

Example use case:

• confirming whether a domain is using Cloudflare, a registrar DNS service, or a hosting provider’s name servers

CNAME Record

A CNAME record aliases one hostname to another hostname.

Use it for:

• subdomain mapping
• CDN integration
• SaaS verification
• pointing one hostname to another managed service

Example use case:

• pointing www.example.com to another canonical hostname

When to Use Each Record Type

A quick way to think about record types is:

• use A when you need a hostname to point to an IPv4 address
• use AAAA when you need a hostname to point to an IPv6 address
• use MX when checking where email should be delivered
• use TXT when verifying email policies or ownership records
• use NS when checking which DNS provider is authoritative
• use CNAME when one hostname should follow another hostname

If a website is down, start with:

• A
• AAAA
• NS
• CNAME

If email is failing, start with:

• MX
• TXT
• NS

What TTL Means

TTL stands for Time To Live. It tells resolvers how long they may cache a DNS record before asking again.

TTL matters because:

• DNS changes do not appear everywhere instantly
• old values may remain cached for a while
• troubleshooting can be confusing if one resolver still sees old data

In practice:

• a lower TTL usually allows changes to refresh faster
• a higher TTL can reduce DNS query traffic but may slow visible updates

If you change a record and do not see the update right away, TTL is one of the first things to check.

Why DNS Changes Sometimes Look Delayed

DNS updates often appear inconsistent because different resolvers and networks may cache results for different periods.

A recent DNS change may still look wrong because:

• your local device has cached the old answer
• your ISP resolver has not refreshed yet
• browser caching is involved
• the record was changed in one DNS provider but the domain is delegated elsewhere
• the TTL has not expired

This is why DNS troubleshooting often involves checking the same record from more than one resolver.

Common DNS Problems

DNS issues usually come down to a small set of common mistakes.

Wrong IP Address

An A or AAAA record may point to the wrong server.

This can cause:

• website downtime
• wrong site loading
• broken subdomains
• failed migrations

Incorrect Name Servers

A domain may be using different name servers than the ones you expected.

This can happen when:

• you changed DNS records at one provider
• but the domain still points to another provider’s name servers

Missing MX Records

Without valid MX records, email delivery may fail or route incorrectly.

This is common during:

• email migrations
• registrar changes
• DNS cleanup mistakes

Broken TXT Records

TXT records are often used for email authentication and verification.

Problems here can break:

• SPF
• DKIM
• DMARC
• Google verification
• Microsoft 365 verification
• third-party service validation

CNAME Conflicts

A CNAME should not usually exist alongside certain other record types for the same hostname.

This can lead to:

• invalid DNS behavior
• failed subdomain routing
• confusing resolver results

Old Cached Results

A record may already be fixed at the source, but cached answers still make it appear broken.

DNS Troubleshooting Checklist

When a DNS issue appears, work through this order:

• confirm the correct domain or subdomain
• check the record type you actually need
• verify the current live record value
• confirm which name servers are authoritative
• review TTL
• compare results from another DNS resolver
• check whether the problem is website-related, email-related, or verification-related
• confirm there are no typos in hostnames, IP addresses, or record values

This simple process helps separate real DNS misconfiguration from normal propagation delay.

Example Lookup Scenarios

Website Not Loading

Check:

• A record
• AAAA record
• CNAME for www
• NS records

This helps confirm whether the site is pointing to the right server and DNS provider.

Email Not Arriving

Check:

• MX records
• SPF TXT record
• DKIM TXT record
• DMARC TXT record
• NS records

This helps confirm that mail routing and domain authentication are configured correctly.

Domain Verification Failed

Check:

• TXT record
• CNAME record if the service uses one
• NS records if the change does not appear

This is a common workflow for Google, Microsoft, Cloudflare, and other platforms.

Subdomain Not Resolving

Check:

• A record
• AAAA record
• CNAME record
• NS records if the subdomain uses separate delegation

Best Practices for DNS Checks

To use DNS lookup results more effectively:

• verify the exact hostname you are testing
• use the correct record type for the problem
• account for TTL before assuming a change failed
• compare results when troubleshooting propagation
• confirm your domain uses the expected name servers
• document DNS changes before and after edits
• recheck mail-related DNS carefully after migrations

For production systems, careful DNS documentation saves time and reduces mistakes during cutovers.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a DNS lookup show?

A DNS lookup shows the current records published for a domain or subdomain, such as IP addresses, mail servers, text records, aliases, and authoritative name servers.

Why is my DNS change not showing yet?

The most common reasons are TTL, resolver caching, local caching, or editing records at the wrong DNS provider.

What record should I check for website issues?

Usually start with A, AAAA, CNAME, and NS records.

What record should I check for email issues?

Usually start with MX and TXT records, especially SPF, DKIM, and DMARC.

What is the difference between A and CNAME?

An A record points directly to an IP address. A CNAME points one hostname to another hostname.

Why do name servers matter?

Name servers determine which DNS provider is authoritative for the domain. If the wrong name servers are in use, your record edits may have no effect.

Related Tools

You may also find these tools useful:

• Reverse DNS Lookup
• WHOIS Lookup
• Port Lookup Tool
• HTTP Header Checker
• SSL Certificate Checker

Final Note

Use it not just to view records, but to troubleshoot problems more systematically. A quick lookup can often tell you whether the issue is a DNS misconfiguration, a propagation delay, or a service-level problem somewhere else.

This DNS Lookup Tool is useful for checking live DNS records and understanding how a domain is configured for websites, email, subdomains, and connected services.