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DNS Record Checker

Changed a DNS record? Ask two big public resolvers for it and see whether they return the same answer. A quick propagation check, with the TTL to tell you how long to wait.

Try:

Your browser sends the query straight to Cloudflare and Google over HTTPS (DNS over HTTPS). It does not go through our server.

What a DNS record checker is for

When you change a DNS record, the change is not seen everywhere at once. Resolvers around the world keep the old answer until its TTL runs out. This checker asks Cloudflare and Google for the same record, side by side, and shows whether the answers match. If they differ, one of them is still holding the old record or has already picked up the new one.

How to use it

  1. Enter the domain, or the full name such as www.example.com or _dmarc.example.com.
  2. Choose the record type, or All common records.
  3. Press Check. The table shows the answer from each resolver and a result: Same, Different or No records.

Why the answers can differ

  • Propagation and caching. A resolver keeps an answer for the TTL of the record. If the old record had a TTL of 24 hours, some resolvers will show it for up to a day.
  • Load balancing and geographic DNS. Some services return different addresses depending on where the question comes from, so two good answers can differ.
  • Round robin. A name with several A records can be returned in a different order, which the checker ignores when it compares.
  • A real problem. If the difference does not go away after the TTL has passed, the name servers of the domain may not agree with each other, or the change was made at the wrong DNS provider.

What to do while you wait

  • Lower the TTL, for example to 300 seconds, a day before a planned change, so that the change spreads quickly.
  • Check that you edited the zone at the provider that your domain's NS records point to. Use the DNS lookup and look at the NS records.
  • Clear the cache of your own computer: ipconfig /flushdns on Windows, sudo dscacheutil -flushcache on macOS, or resolvectl flush-caches on many Linux systems.

Limits of this check

Two public resolvers are a good signal, but not proof for the whole world. The tool does not query the authoritative name servers directly, because browsers cannot. For that, use dig @ns1.example.com example.com from a command line.

See also the DNS lookup, the A record lookup, the MX lookup and the TXT lookup, and read the DNS records guide.

Frequently asked questions

How do I check DNS propagation?

Enter the name and record type and press Check. If Cloudflare and Google return the same records, the change has reached both. If not, wait for the old TTL to pass and check again.

How long does DNS propagation take?

It depends on the TTL of the old record. It can be minutes if the TTL was low, and up to a day or more if it was high.

Why does the checker say Different?

One resolver still has the old answer cached, or the service gives different answers by location. Check again after the TTL has passed.

Does this query the authoritative name servers?

No. It asks two public resolvers. To query the authoritative servers, use dig from a command line.