Website won't load
Make sure your domain points to the right server, and that www goes to the same place.
Free domain tool
Domain DNS Checker
See the A, MX, NS, TXT and other DNS records of any domain, live. Find out why a website or email isn't working, or check that a change has gone through.
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Checked live, two ways. Every lookup asks Google Public DNS and Cloudflare, so you see what visitors see and can spot a change that's still spreading. Subdomains like mail.yourbusiness.com work too.
Why check DNS
What a DNS check helps you fix
Many website and email problems after a move or a new setup come down to a single record. These are the ones to look at first.
Email isn't arriving
See which servers receive your mail, and whether SPF and DMARC are set so messages don't land in spam.
Just changed hosts?
Compare what two big public resolvers see. If they don't match yet, the change is still spreading.
DNS explained
How DNS finds your website
DNS is the internet's address book. It turns a name people can remember into the numbers computers use. This is what happens in the moment after someone types your domain.
- 01You type the nameA visitor enters your domain in their browser.
yourbrand.com - 02A resolver asks aroundTheir ISP, Google or Cloudflare looks the name up.
Who is yourbrand.com? - 03Your nameservers answerThey hold your DNS zone and reply with the record.
ns1.yourhost.com - 04The site opensThe browser connects to the address it was given.
203.0.113.10
Record types, explained
The checker shows all of these. Each one does a single job.
- AWebsite address
Points a name to an IPv4 address. This is what makes your website load.
203.0.113.10 - AAAAIPv6 address
The same as an A record, for visitors on IPv6.
2001:db8::10 - CNAMEAlias
Makes one name an alias of another. Often used for www.
www → yourbrand.com - MXMail servers
Lists the servers that receive email for the domain, lowest number first.
10 mail.yourbrand.com - NSNameservers
Names the servers that hold the DNS zone. Changing them moves your whole DNS.
ns1.yourhost.com - TXTText
Free text used for SPF, DMARC and proving you own a domain to other services.
v=spf1 include:… ~all - SOAStart of authority
The zone’s main settings: primary nameserver, admin contact and timers.
serial 2026102501 - CAASSL permission
Says which certificate authorities may issue SSL certificates for the domain.
0 issue "letsencrypt.org"
A note from our director
When a website or email stops working, DNS is one of the first things we check. We built this tool so you can see your records the way we do. If something still looks wrong, our team is one message away.
FAQs
DNS checker questions
Short answers to what people ask most about DNS records and changes. If something is still unclear, our team is happy to help.
What does a DNS checker do?
It looks up the public DNS records of a domain: the addresses its website uses, the servers that receive its email, its nameservers and its text records. Our checker asks Google Public DNS and Cloudflare at the same time, so you see what visitors see and can tell if they disagree.
Which records can I check?
A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, NS, TXT, SOA and CAA records, plus the DMARC record of the main domain. You also get quick health checks for the website address, nameservers, mail servers, SPF, DMARC, DNSSEC, IPv6 and whether the two resolvers agree.
Why do Google and Cloudflare show different answers?
Usually because a record changed recently. Resolvers keep an answer for as long as its TTL (time to live) says, so some still hold the old value until that time runs out. A few services also give different answers depending on where the visitor is.
How long does DNS propagation take?
A changed record reaches everyone once the old TTL has run out, which is often between a few minutes and a few hours. Changing nameservers at the registrar can take longer, sometimes up to 24 to 48 hours. Lowering the TTL a day before a planned move makes the switch faster.
My website shows the wrong site or does not load. What should I check?
Check the A record (and AAAA if you have one) of both yourdomain.com and www.yourdomain.com. They should point to your hosting server. If they look right, check the NS records: if the nameservers belong to another provider, your record changes have to be made there.
My email is not arriving. Which records matter?
MX records decide where email is delivered, so they must point to your mail server. SPF and DMARC, both TXT records, help receivers trust your email and keep it out of spam. DKIM matters too, but it lives under a selector name that only your email provider knows, so check it in their settings.
Can I check a subdomain?
Yes. Type it in full, for example mail.yourdomain.com or shop.yourdomain.com. Records such as A, CNAME, MX and TXT are checked for the subdomain itself, while NS, SOA and DMARC come from the main domain.
What does "not found" (NXDOMAIN) mean?
The name does not exist in DNS. For a main domain, it is usually not registered, expired, misspelled or has no DNS zone set up yet. For a subdomain, it means no record has been added for it. A WHOIS lookup shows whether the domain is registered.
How do I change DNS records for my domain?
Records are changed wherever the domain's nameservers point. If your domain uses HostElevate hosting, edit them in cPanel under Zone Editor. If the NS records show another provider, such as your registrar or a CDN, make the change in that provider's dashboard.
Is the DNS checker free?
Yes. It is free and you do not need an account. Answers are kept for up to a minute, so a change you made seconds ago may need a moment to show. To keep it fast for everyone, there is a fair-use limit on how many checks one visitor can run in a few minutes.