What is a DNS lookup?
A DNS lookup asks a Domain Name System resolver for records connected to a domain or hostname. DNS records help browsers, email services and other applications find the correct server and understand how a domain is configured.
Enter a name such as example.com, select a record type and run the lookup. This tool uses Google Public DNS and shows the answer returned by that resolver, including the record value and remaining TTL when available.
How to check DNS records
- Enter a domain or hostname without https:// or a page path.
- Select the DNS record type you want to inspect.
- Choose Lookup DNS to view the returned values and TTL.
How this DNS lookup sends and validates a query
My IP sends the selected hostname and record type directly to the Google Public DNS JSON API. The request does not include browser credentials, uses a no-referrer policy and sets the EDNS client subnet value to 0.0.0.0/0. This asks the resolver not to tailor the DNS answer to a more specific client network through EDNS Client Subnet.
Before the request is sent, the tool removes a final dot, converts the name to lowercase and checks the hostname format. URLs, page paths and standalone IP addresses are rejected because this form expects a DNS name. Internationalized domains should be entered in their ASCII punycode form beginning with xn--.
The response is accepted only when it contains a valid DNS status. The tool distinguishes a name that does not exist (NXDOMAIN) from a resolution failure (SERVFAIL), a refused query (REFUSED) and a successful response that simply contains no record of the selected type. This distinction matters: an empty MX result, for example, is not the same as a nonexistent domain.
Repeatable DNS tests
Use example.com with record type A for a simple IPv4 lookup. The answer should contain one or more IPv4 records together with a TTL. Because a resolver may already have the answer cached, the displayed TTL can be lower than the value originally configured by the zone owner.
Use gmail.com with type MX to see how mail exchanger records include both a priority and a mail server hostname. A lower MX preference number is normally tried before a higher one; it is not a speed score.
Use _dmarc.google.com with type TXT to inspect a record published at a specific subdomain. This demonstrates why querying only the root domain does not reveal every TXT record used by services such as DMARC or DKIM.
Which DNS record should you check?
A and AAAA records
An A record points a hostname to an IPv4 address. An AAAA record points it to an IPv6 address. Use these records when checking where a website or hostname is directed.
MX records
MX records list the mail servers responsible for receiving email for a domain. Their preference values help sending systems choose which server to try first.
NS and SOA records
NS records identify a domain's authoritative nameservers. The SOA record contains administrative and timing information for the DNS zone.
TXT, CNAME, CAA and SRV
TXT records are commonly used for verification, SPF, DKIM and DMARC. CNAME creates an alias, CAA controls certificate issuers and SRV describes service locations.
How to interpret DNS lookup results
The result name is the hostname answered by the resolver. The type identifies the kind of record, the value contains its destination or data, and TTL indicates how long the response may remain cached. A resolver can show the remaining cache time rather than the original TTL configured by the domain owner.
Recent changes may not appear everywhere at the same moment because resolvers keep cached answers until their TTL expires. This is commonly described as DNS propagation, although the visible delay is usually caused by caching. Compare results carefully before concluding that a configuration failed.
What common DNS responses mean
NOERROR with answers
The resolver completed the query and returned records. Check the record type, value and remaining TTL rather than relying only on the success message.
NOERROR without answers
The name may exist but have no record of the selected type. Try the record type that matches the service you are investigating before assuming the domain is unavailable.
NXDOMAIN
The resolver reports that the queried name does not exist. Check spelling and remember that a missing subdomain does not mean the root domain is unregistered.
SERVFAIL or timeout
Resolution could not be completed. Causes can include nameserver problems, DNSSEC validation failures, network errors or a temporary resolver issue. Retry before drawing a final conclusion.
Limits of a single-resolver check
Results on this page represent Google Public DNS at the time of the query. Another resolver can temporarily return a different cached answer. This tool does not query every authoritative server, compare multiple regions or perform a complete DNSSEC, SPF, DKIM or DMARC audit. It shows the supported record response so that you can investigate one part of a configuration accurately.
When documenting a DNS change, record the queried name, record type, returned value, TTL and check time. For questions about the methodology, visit About My IP. To report a reproducible problem, contact the site maintainer.
DNS lookup questions
What is a DNS lookup?
A DNS lookup asks a resolver for records associated with a domain or hostname, such as IP addresses, mail servers, nameservers and verification records.
Which DNS record type should I check?
Use A or AAAA for website IP addresses, MX for mail servers, NS for nameservers, TXT for verification and email policies, and CNAME for aliases.
Why do DNS results differ between resolvers?
Resolvers may hold cached records with different remaining TTL values. Recent DNS changes can therefore appear at different times until older answers expire.
Does a missing DNS record mean the domain is offline?
No. A domain may not use the selected record type, and a missing answer does not prove that the domain or every service associated with it is offline.
Is this DNS lookup tool free?
Yes. You can check supported DNS record types for free without creating an account.