What DNS records do
The Domain Name System turns names people remember into the numbers computers use, and stores other facts about a domain: which server hosts its website, which servers receive its email, and text records used for email security and to prove ownership to services like Google and Facebook.
Record types
- A / AAAA: the IPv4 / IPv6 address of the website’s server.
- CNAME: an alias pointing to another name, common for www and for services like Shopify or Vercel.
- MX: the mail servers that receive email, with a priority — lower numbers are tried first.
- NS: the name servers that hold the domain’s records; they show where the DNS is managed (Cloudflare, your host, your registrar).
- TXT: free text, used for SPF, DKIM, DMARC and site verification.
- SOA, CAA, DS, DNSKEY: zone details, which certificate authorities may issue SSL for the domain, and DNSSEC.
How to use the DNS lookup
- Enter a domain — or an IP address to find its reverse DNS name.
- Pick a record type, or leave “All common types”.
- Choose a resolver if you want to compare what different DNS services see.
Frequently asked questions
How do I check the MX records of a domain?
Enter the domain and choose MX. The mail servers are listed with their priority; the lowest number is used first.
Why do I see an old IP address after changing DNS?
Resolvers keep answers for the record’s TTL. Wait for it to expire, or use the DNS Propagation Checker to see which resolvers already have the new value.
Is this the same as nslookup or dig?
It answers the same questions, from public resolvers instead of your own computer’s settings, so you can check from anywhere.