DNS Lookup Tool
Check A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT, NS, SOA and CAA records for any domain — compared side-by-side across Cloudflare and Google DNS in one click.
What is a DNS lookup?
A DNS lookup queries the Domain Name System to find out what records are associated with a domain — the IP address it points to, its mail servers, its authoritative name servers, and any text-based configuration values like SPF or domain verification codes. This tool queries two independent public resolvers, Cloudflare (1.1.1.1) and Google (8.8.8.8), and shows both results side by side so you can spot propagation delays or misconfigurations at a glance.
Common DNS record types
| Type | Purpose |
|---|---|
| A | Points a domain to an IPv4 address |
| AAAA | Points a domain to an IPv6 address |
| CNAME | Aliases a domain to another domain name |
| MX | Specifies the mail servers responsible for the domain |
| TXT | Holds arbitrary text, commonly used for SPF, DKIM, and domain verification |
| NS | Lists the authoritative name servers for the domain |
| SOA | Stores administrative details about the DNS zone, including the refresh/retry timers |
| CAA | Specifies which certificate authorities are allowed to issue SSL certificates for the domain |
Why do results differ between resolvers?
Every DNS record has a TTL (Time To Live) that controls how long a resolver caches it before checking again. If you recently changed a record, one resolver might already show the new value while another is still serving its cached copy until the TTL expires. This is what's commonly called "DNS propagation" — it isn't a single global event, it's each resolver independently catching up on its own schedule.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a DNS lookup?
A DNS lookup queries the Domain Name System to find the records associated with a domain, such as its IP address (A/AAAA record), mail servers (MX record), or text-based configuration values (TXT record). It translates human-readable domain names into the data computers use to connect.
Why do Cloudflare and Google sometimes show different results?
Differences usually mean a DNS change hasn't fully propagated yet. Each resolver caches records for the duration of the TTL (Time To Live), so a resolver that queried the domain more recently may still be serving an older cached answer while another has already refreshed.
How long does it take for DNS changes to show up everywhere?
It depends on the record's TTL setting, typically anywhere from a few minutes to 24-48 hours. Lowering the TTL a day or two before making a planned change can help new records take effect faster everywhere.
What's the difference between an A record and a CNAME record?
An A record points a domain directly to an IPv4 address. A CNAME record points a domain to another domain name instead of an IP address, which is useful for subdomains that should follow whatever address the target domain currently uses.