The most important DNS records
| Type | What it is for |
|---|---|
A | The IPv4 address of the server that hosts your website. |
AAAA | The IPv6 address of the server. Optional, but increasingly common. |
CNAME | An alias pointing to another name, for example www to the main domain. |
MX | The servers that accept email for your domain. The lower number has priority. |
NS | The name servers responsible for your domain. This is where you change all other records. |
TXT | Free text, mostly for SPF, verifications for Google or Microsoft and other proofs. |
CAA | Defines which authorities may issue SSL certificates for your domain. |
SOA | Administrative data of the zone, such as the primary name server and a serial number. |
I changed a record, but it does not show up
DNS answers are cached. How long is set by the record’s TTL, often between 5 minutes and one day. Our lookup queries the public resolvers of Cloudflare and Google. If it already shows the new value but your computer does not, restarting your router or simply waiting a little usually helps.
Learn more in our guide DNS records explained.
Frequently asked questions: DNS Lookup
How do I look up the DNS records of a domain?
Enter the domain into the DNS lookup. We query all important records from the public resolvers of Cloudflare and Google and explain what each record is for.
How long does it take for a DNS change to show up?
It depends on the TTL of the record, usually between five minutes and one day. If our DNS lookup already shows the new value but your computer does not, restarting your router or a little patience helps.
How do I find out which mail server handles my domain?
In the DNS lookup, the mail servers of your domain are listed under “MX”. The lower number in front has priority.