DNS Lookup Tool help

Quick start

1. Enter a domain or host name such as example.com or mail.example.com.
2. Choose the record type you want to inspect.
3. Choose Google DNS or Cloudflare DNS as the resolver.
4. Select Lookup DNS or press Enter.
5. Review the records, raw response details, and response metadata.

Record types and providers

• A and AAAA map names to IPv4 and IPv6 addresses.
• MX identifies mail exchangers; lower preference values are tried first.
• TXT carries values such as SPF, DKIM, and service verification records.
• CNAME points a name at another canonical name; NS and SOA describe zone authority.
• PTR supports reverse-DNS data, SRV locates services, and CAA restricts certificate authorities.
• Google and Cloudflare may differ briefly because of cache location, propagation, or resolver policy.

Lookup tips

• Query the exact host name involved in the problem; records at example.com and www.example.com can be different.
• Compare both providers when checking recent DNS changes.
• An empty answer can be a valid DNS response for the selected record type, not necessarily a failed lookup.
• Cache entries are scoped by domain, record type, and provider, so changing any of them performs or retrieves a distinct query.

Privacy and saved data

DNS queries are sent over HTTPS to the selected public resolver. Lookup history and a five-minute response cache are stored locally in this browser. Clear history from the tool; saved data for all tools can also be managed from the site's Saved Data page.

Troubleshooting

• If no records appear, verify the spelling and try A, AAAA, NS, or SOA to confirm the name exists.
• If a query times out, switch resolver and retry after checking the network connection.
• DNS answers are cached at several layers; compare TTLs and wait for propagation before assuming a change failed.