DNS Lookup

Check any domain's DNS records online: A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, NS, TXT, SOA and CAA. See where a domain points, its mail servers and its nameservers.

This tool asks our server for public information only. Nothing you enter is stored.

How to use the DNS Lookup

  1. Type a domain name, such as example.com (no https:// needed).
  2. Pick a record type, or leave All records.
  3. Press Look up and read each record with its TTL.

About this tool

Enter a domain name and see its DNS records: A and AAAA (the IP addresses of the website), CNAME, MX (mail servers), NS (nameservers), TXT (SPF, DKIM, DMARC and verification codes), SOA and CAA, each with its TTL. Our server does the lookup, not your computer, so an old answer cached on your PC or router doesn't get in the way. That makes it handy right after you move hosting or connect a new domain.

What is a DNS lookup?

DNS turns names into the numbers computers use. A DNS lookup asks a domain's nameservers for its records: the A record gives the IPv4 address of the website, MX says which servers receive its email, and TXT holds text such as SPF rules and Google or Microsoft verification codes. Every visit to a website starts with one, and the answer is cached for the record's TTL.

DNS lookup in cmd and PowerShell on Windows

Windows has nslookup built in. Open cmd and type the commands below; add a resolver such as 8.8.8.8 (Google Public DNS) or 1.1.1.1 at the end to ask it instead of your own. PowerShell has Resolve-DnsName, which gives tidier output.

nslookup example.com
nslookup -type=mx example.com
nslookup -type=txt example.com 8.8.8.8
Resolve-DnsName example.com -Type MX
ipconfig /all          # the DNS servers your PC uses
ipconfig /flushdns     # clear the Windows DNS cache

Reverse DNS lookup: from IP to name

A reverse lookup asks which name belongs to an IP address, using a PTR record. On Windows, run nslookup with the IP, for example nslookup 8.8.8.8, which answers dns.google. Mail servers check this: email sent from an IP without a matching PTR record often lands in spam. Our What is my IP tool shows the reverse name of your own connection.

Tracing a DNS lookup with dig

On Linux and Mac, dig shows the same records, and dig +trace follows the lookup from the root servers down to the domain's own nameservers. Use it when a domain answers differently in different places, for example halfway through a nameserver change.

dig example.com A +short
dig example.com MX
dig @8.8.8.8 example.com TXT
dig +trace example.com

Google's DNS tools

Google Public DNS has a web page at dns.google that shows what its resolver returns for a name, and the Google Admin Toolbox has a Dig tool. They answer from Google's resolver only. This page answers from our server, so comparing the two tells you whether a change has spread.

GuideHow to Connect a Domain to Hosting (GoDaddy, Namecheap, Hostinger and Your Own Server)

Frequently asked questions

What is a DNS lookup?

Asking the DNS for a domain's records: which IP address the website is on, which servers take its email, and so on. Browsers do it on every visit; this tool shows you the answers.

How do I look up a domain's DNS servers?

Choose NS above to see the nameservers a domain uses. To see the DNS servers your own computer uses, run ipconfig /all on Windows.

What is the best DNS lookup tool?

For a quick check from any device, an online tool like this one. For detail, dig on Linux and Mac or Resolve-DnsName on Windows. Checking from two places helps while a change is spreading.

How do I trace a DNS lookup?

Run dig +trace example.com on Linux or Mac. It shows each step from the root servers to the domain's nameservers and which server gave the final answer.

Why do I still see the old IP after changing DNS?

Resolvers keep the old answer until its TTL runs out, often up to a few hours. Clear your own cache with ipconfig /flushdns and compare with this tool.

Is my lookup stored?

No. We fetch public DNS records and show them; nothing you enter is saved.

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