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DNS Lookup

This DNS lookup checks A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT, NS, SOA, SRV and CAA records for a domain at once, or any one of 15 record types, including PTR, DS, DNSKEY and HTTPS. Enter a domain, a URL or an IP address and press Lookup. You choose the resolver: Google, Cloudflare, Quad9, OpenDNS and several more public DNS services, or our own server. Every record shows its TTL, MX, SRV, CAA and DNSSEC records come back as tables, and a badge tells you whether the zone is signed with DNSSEC. An email panel shows SPF, DMARC and, if you give a selector, DKIM. An IP address runs a reverse (PTR) lookup. Copy any value, or download everything as CSV or text.

Always freeNo sign upRuns in your browser

An IP address runs a reverse DNS (PTR) lookup.

Records

How to use

01

Enter a domain, URL or IP

Type example.com or a deeper name like mail.example.com. A full URL works too, because the protocol, path and port are removed. An IP address such as 8.8.8.8 runs a reverse DNS lookup.

02

Pick records and a resolver

Keep All common records or choose one type, then pick a resolver from the list. Add a DKIM selector if you know it. Press Lookup and the queries run in parallel.

03

Read, copy or export

Check the DNSSEC badge and the email panel, then the records with their TTLs. Copy one value, copy all, download CSV or TXT, or open the matching dig and nslookup commands.

Why DNS Lookup

DNS record types and what they do

These are the nine types in All common records mode, plus three more you can pick one at a time, with what each one controls and the kind of value you will see. Most problems with websites and email come down to one of the first five.

TypeWhat it doesExample value
APoints a name to an IPv4 address203.0.113.10
AAAAPoints a name to an IPv6 address2001:db8::10
CNAMEMakes a name an alias of another nameshop.example.com to shops.myshopify.com
MXNames the servers that receive email, with priority10 mail.example.com
TXTFree text for SPF, DMARC and ownership checksv=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all
NSLists the nameservers that answer for the zonens1.example-dns.com
SOAZone settings: primary server, admin email, serial, timersns1.example-dns.com hostmaster 2024010101
SRVPoints a service to a host and port10 5 5060 sip.example.com
CAASays which certificate authorities may issue SSL certificates0 issue "letsencrypt.org"
PTRReverse DNS: maps an IP address back to a hostname8.8.8.8 to dns.google
DSDNSSEC link stored in the parent zone2371 13 2 1F987CC6...
DNSKEYThe zone's DNSSEC public keys257 3 13 mdsswUyr...

The same checks with dig and nslookup

If you prefer a terminal, these commands run the same queries, and the tool shows the matching dig and nslookup lines under every result. dig ships with macOS and most Linux systems, and nslookup is built into Windows, macOS and Linux. Adding +short to dig prints only the values. Querying a public resolver such as 8.8.8.8 or 1.1.1.1 directly shows whether your change has reached it, which helps when your own ISP's cache is still serving the old record. To see the answer straight from the source, query one of the domain's own nameservers, which you can find with the NS lookup.

  • A record: dig example.com A +short
  • MX records: dig example.com MX +short, or nslookup -type=MX example.com
  • TXT and SPF: dig example.com TXT +short
  • DMARC: dig _dmarc.example.com TXT +short
  • Nameservers: dig example.com NS +short
  • Ask a specific resolver: dig @1.1.1.1 example.com A
  • Reverse lookup of an IP: dig -x 203.0.113.10 +short

Common questions

What is a DNS lookup?
A DNS lookup asks the Domain Name System what records are published for a name. Browsers do it to turn a domain into an IP address, and mail servers do it to find where to deliver email. This tool shows you the same answers so you can check them yourself.
How do I check all DNS records for a domain at once?
Enter the domain, keep All common records selected and press Lookup. The tool queries the nine common types in one go and lists each separately. DNS has no reliable way to list every record a zone holds, and most resolvers refuse ANY queries, so records on other names, such as www or _dmarc, need their own lookup.
Why do DNS changes take time to show up in a lookup?
Every record has a TTL, a number of seconds resolvers may cache it. If the old record had a TTL of 3600, resolvers can keep serving it for up to an hour after you change it. Lower the TTL a day before a planned change so the switch spreads faster.
What is the difference between an A record and a CNAME record?
An A record points a name straight at an IPv4 address. A CNAME points a name at another name, and the resolver then looks that name up. A CNAME cannot sit on the root domain alongside other records, which is why the bare domain usually uses A records and www often uses a CNAME.
How do I check MX records for email with this DNS lookup?
Look at the MX table, which is sorted by priority. Lower numbers are tried first, so priority 10 is used before priority 20. If the MX section is empty, most mail servers will not deliver to the domain.
What do the SPF and DMARC badges in the DNS results mean?
SPF found means a TXT record starting with v=spf1 exists on the domain. More than one SPF record is an error that makes SPF fail, so the badge warns about it. DMARC is read from the TXT record on _dmarc and shows its policy: none, quarantine or reject. DKIM sits under a selector name, so enter the selector, such as google or selector1, to check it.
Can this DNS tool do a reverse DNS (PTR) lookup for an IP address?
Yes. Type an IPv4 or IPv6 address instead of a domain. The tool builds the in-addr.arpa or ip6.arpa name for you and queries its PTR record, which is the hostname the address points back to. Mail servers in particular should have one.
Why does a DNS query show no records found for some types?
Most domains do not use every type. SRV and CAA records are fairly rare, and a root domain usually has no CNAME. An empty section is information, not an error.
Are the DNS lookup results live or cached?
The queries run when you press Lookup, through the resolver you picked. Any resolver can still hold a cached answer until the record's TTL runs out, and the TTL shown counts down in cached answers. To see how widely a change has spread, compare several resolvers, or use the DNS Propagation Checker to ask them all at once.
Why is a long DKIM or TXT value shown as one string in the DNS results?
DNS stores TXT data in pieces of up to 255 characters, so a long DKIM key is published as several strings. The tool joins them into one value, the same way receiving mail servers read it. Compare that joined value with what your provider gave you.

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