Query A, AAAA, MX, TXT, NS, CNAME, SOA and PTR records for any domain via Google public DNS — with propagation check and DNS health score.
💡 Tip: ALL queries A, AAAA, MX, TXT, NS and CNAME at once and lets you filter results below.
✍️ Author: ToolsNovaHub•📅 Last Updated: 13 September 2026
QUERYING DNS...
🧡 DNS Health Score
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📄 DNS Records —
Name
Type
TTL
Data
⏳ TTL (Time To Live) shows how many seconds a resolver caches this record. Lower TTL (e.g. 300s = 5 min) means changes propagate faster; higher TTL (e.g. 86400s = 24h) reduces DNS traffic but slows updates.
🌐 DNS Propagation Status
Checks the current record against 3 major public DNS resolvers to confirm your changes have propagated globally.
Resolver
Result
Status
What is DNS Lookup?
DNS (Domain Name System) is the internet's directory — it translates domain names into IP addresses and stores infrastructure configuration for every domain. DNS Lookup lets you query specific record types to understand a domain's configuration, diagnose email delivery failures, verify ownership, or investigate infrastructure.
Different record types serve distinct purposes: A records map domains to IPv4 addresses; MX records direct email to mail servers; TXT records store SPF, DKIM, DMARC, and domain verification strings; NS records list authoritative nameservers; CNAME creates aliases; SOA contains administrative zone data; PTR performs reverse DNS. This tool queries Google's public DoH (DNS over HTTPS) resolver for accurate, real-time results.
How to Use It?
Enter a domain name (without http:// or www) and click the record type button you want to query, then click Lookup →. Results show in a monospaced panel with record name, TTL, type, and data. Use ❏ Copy Results to save all records to clipboard.
💡 Real-World Example
Example: A business just configured Google Workspace email for their domain but emails aren't arriving. Running a DNS Lookup for MX records on their domain shows no MX record was saved — only the default parking page record. After fixing the DNS record at the registrar, a follow-up MX lookup confirms aspmx.l.google.com is now correctly listed.
🌐 DNS Propagation Explained
When you change a DNS record at your registrar/DNS provider, that change must spread across thousands of resolving DNS servers worldwide — a process called propagation. It is NOT instant: each resolver caches the OLD record until its TTL (Time To Live) expires, then fetches the new value on its next lookup.
This is why two people in different countries (or even the same office, using different ISPs) can see different results for the same domain immediately after a change. The DNS Propagation Status section above queries Google, Cloudflare and Quad9 resolvers directly so you can see this in real time — if all three agree, propagation is essentially complete for most users.
⏳ TTL Explained & How DNS Caching Works
TTL (Time To Live) is a number, in seconds, attached to every DNS record that tells resolvers: "you may cache this answer for this long before checking again." Common values:
TTL Value
Duration
When to Use
300
5 minutes
Just before a planned migration — minimises downtime
3600
1 hour
Records that change occasionally (staging environments)
14400
4 hours
Balanced default for most records
86400
24 hours
Stable records (NS, MX) that rarely change
DNS caching happens at multiple layers: your browser, your OS, your router, your ISP's resolver, and public resolvers like Google/Cloudflare all cache independently. This is why clearing your browser cache alone often doesn't "fix" a DNS issue — the stale record may be cached at your ISP's resolver, which only YOUR ISP's users are affected by. Other people on different ISPs may already see the new record.
⚠️ Common DNS Errors Explained
❌ NXDOMAIN (domain not found)
The domain does not exist in DNS at all — either it was never registered, has expired, or has zero nameservers configured. Check with WHOIS Lookup to confirm registration status.
⚠️ SERVFAIL
The domain's nameservers are unreachable or misconfigured (e.g. a broken DNSSEC signature, or the authoritative server is down). This is a server-side configuration problem at the DNS host, not a propagation delay.
📧 "Email works but MX lookup shows nothing"
Email may be routed via a subdomain (try mail.yourdomain.com) or through a third-party gateway that doesn't require MX on the apex domain. Always verify against your email provider's documented setup.
🔄 "I updated my A record but my site still shows the old server"
This is almost always TTL-related caching at your specific ISP/resolver — not a sign the change failed. Use the DNS Propagation Status tool above; if Google/Cloudflare/Quad9 already show the new IP, your change IS live — just wait for your local resolver's cache to expire.
❓ CNAME and other records conflict
A name CANNOT have a CNAME record alongside any other record type (A, MX, TXT, etc.) at the same name — this is a DNS protocol rule (RFC 1034). If you need both, use an ALIAS/ANAME record (provider-specific) or move the CNAME to a different subdomain.
📊 Understanding Your Results
Name
The exact domain/subdomain the record applies to. For root-domain records this matches your input; for subdomains it may include extra labels.
TTL
Time to Live in seconds — how long resolvers cache this record. Lower TTL (e.g. 300 = 5 min) means changes propagate faster but increases DNS query load.
Type
The record type you queried (A, MX, TXT, etc.) — confirms the response matches your request.
Data
The actual record value: an IP address for A/AAAA, a mail server + priority for MX, a text string for TXT, a hostname for NS/CNAME.
Empty result
No records of that type exist for the domain — e.g. querying MX on a domain with no email configured will return nothing, which is valid.
⚠️ Common Errors & What They Mean
❌ "Domain not found" / NXDOMAIN
The domain doesn't exist, is misspelled, or has expired/been deleted. Double-check spelling and try the WHOIS Lookup to confirm registration status.
⚠️ MX query returns nothing for a domain with email
Email may be hosted on a subdomain (check mail.example.com), or DNS changes haven't propagated yet (wait up to 48 hours after a change).
🔄 Results differ from what I configured at my registrar
DNS changes take time to propagate due to TTL caching. Google's resolver (used by this tool) may show old cached data until the previous TTL expires.
💡 Advanced Tips
📧
Debug email delivery
Check MX (mail server), then TXT for SPF (v=spf1...) and look for a _dmarc TXT record — missing any of these commonly causes emails to land in spam.
🌐
Verify CDN/proxy setup
CDN/Proxy setups
If using Cloudflare or similar, the A record will point to the CDN's IP, not your origin server — this is expected and intentional.
⏳
Plan migrations with TTL
Before switching servers, lower your A record's TTL to 300 seconds a day in advance — this minimises downtime during the actual cutover.
🔎
SOA for zone info
The SOA record shows the primary nameserver and a serial number that increments with every zone change — useful for confirming your DNS provider received an update.
📜 DNS Record Types Compared
Type
Purpose
Example Data
A
Domain → IPv4 address
203.0.113.10
AAAA
Domain → IPv6 address
2606:4700::6810:85e5
MX
Mail server + priority
10 aspmx.l.google.com
TXT
Verification, SPF, DKIM, DMARC
v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all
CNAME
Alias to another domain
www → example.com
NS
Authoritative nameservers
ns1.cloudflare.com
📰 The Complete Guide to DNS — The Internet's Phone Book
This tool runs a live DNS query and shows you the records. For the deeper picture — how DNS actually works end to end — see the in-depth guide below.
ToolsNovaHub tools are built and independently maintained with a focus on accurate, no-signup network and security utilities. Spotted an error? Let us know.
🎓
Expert Tip
DNS and mail records can take up to 48 hours to fully propagate — if DNS Lookup shows an unexpected result right after a change, wait and re-check before assuming misconfiguration.
⭐
ToolsNovaHub Pro Tip
Run DNS Lookup from more than one network (office Wi-Fi + mobile data) to rule out local resolver caching before reporting a bug.
⚠️
Common Beginner Mistake
Editing a live DNS or mail record without noting the previous value first. Always save the old record from DNS Lookup's output so you can roll back instantly if something breaks.
DNS (Domain Name System) is the internet's directory — it translates domain names into IP addresses and stores infrastructure configuration for every domain.
How to Use It? +
Enter a domain name (without http:// or www) and click the record type button you want to query, then click Lookup → .
Is DNS Lookup free to use? +
Yes, DNS Lookup is free to use • no account required, and no hidden charges. It queries a third-party provider live, so usage is subject to that provider's own rate limits under heavy or automated use, not a cap we impose.
Do I need to create an account to use DNS Lookup? +
No account or registration is required. DNS Lookup runs directly in your browser and returns results instantly.
Does DNS Lookup store or log my queries? +
DNS Lookup is built to avoid storing personal query data server-side; lookups are processed and returned without building a profile of your activity.
Can I use DNS Lookup on mobile? +
Yes, DNS Lookup is fully responsive and works on any modern mobile browser without needing an app.
How accurate is DNS Lookup? +
DNS Lookup pulls from live, authoritative data sources at query time, so results reflect the current state rather than a cached snapshot — though any third-party data source can occasionally lag by minutes.
Is there a limit to how many times I can use DNS Lookup? +
There's no hard daily limit for normal, human use; automated bulk scraping may be rate-limited to keep the service fast for everyone.
Does DNS Lookup work in all browsers? +
DNS Lookup works in all modern browsers including Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari — no plugins or extensions needed.
Can I embed or link directly to DNS Lookup results? +
You can link directly to the DNS Lookup page from your own site or documentation; direct linking to a specific query result depends on the tool's URL parameters.
Why do DNS changes take time? +
Records have a TTL (Time to Live) that controls caching. After a change, propagation takes minutes to 48 hours depending on TTL settings and ISP resolver caching.
What is a TXT record used for? +
TXT records store arbitrary text. Common uses: SPF (authorised sending servers), DKIM keys, DMARC policies, Google Search Console verification, and domain ownership tokens.
What is a CNAME record? +
A CNAME creates an alias mapping one domain name to another. For example, www.example.com can CNAME to example.com, so both resolve to the same IP.