DNS Lookup
Look up DNS records for any domain — A, AAAA, MX, TXT, NS, CNAME and more.
How to use DNS Lookup
Enter Your Domain Name
Type or paste your domain name into the text input field labeled 'Domain Name'. Enter just the domain (e.g., example.com) without http:// or www prefix. Click the blue 'Lookup' button to initiate the search.
Select DNS Record Types
Choose which DNS record types to query using the checkboxes below the input field. Options include A, AAAA, MX, TXT, NS, CNAME, SOA, and SRV records. Leave all selected for a complete DNS profile, or uncheck specific types to focus on particular records.
View DNS Results Table
Results appear instantly in a structured table showing Record Type, Name, TTL (Time To Live), Class, and Value columns. Scroll horizontally on mobile to view all columns. Copy any record value by clicking the copy icon next to each result.
Export or Share Results
Click the 'Export as JSON' or 'Export as CSV' button at the bottom to download your DNS records. Use the share icon to copy a results link or export findings for documentation and troubleshooting purposes.
Related Tools
DNS lookup online: query domain records instantly
DNS lookup online: query domain records instantly
Need to check what DNS records a domain has? ToolHQ's DNS Lookup tool queries any domain's DNS records in real time, showing A, AAAA, MX, TXT, CNAME, NS, and other record types in a clean, readable format. Free, no account required.
ToolHQ's DNS Lookup tool is a free online tool that queries the Domain Name System (DNS) for any domain you enter, returning current DNS records including A, MX, TXT, CNAME, NS, and AAAA records in real time.
The Domain Name System is the internet's address book: it translates human-readable domain names like example.com into the IP addresses and mail server configurations that computers actually use. DNS lookup lets you inspect those records directly, which is useful for troubleshooting email delivery, verifying domain ownership, checking propagation after DNS changes, and auditing security configurations.
Key Takeaways
- Queries A, AAAA, MX, TXT, CNAME, NS, and other DNS record types
- Shows current live DNS records for any domain
- Useful for troubleshooting email, verifying SSL, and checking propagation
- Only the domain name you enter is queried
- Free with no account required
What DNS records mean and why they matter
DNS is a distributed database that stores multiple types of records for each domain. Each record type serves a specific purpose.
A record (Address record): Maps a domain name to an IPv4 address. example.com → 93.184.216.34. This is the record your browser looks up when you type a web address.
AAAA record: Maps a domain name to an IPv6 address. IPv6 is the newer IP addressing format with a much larger address space.
MX record (Mail Exchange record): Specifies which mail servers accept email for the domain. Essential for email delivery. When you send an email to user@example.com, your mail server looks up example.com's MX records to find where to deliver the message.
TXT record: Stores text-based information attached to a domain. Used for email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC records), domain ownership verification (Google Search Console, SSL certificate validation), and other purposes.
CNAME record (Canonical Name): Creates an alias from one domain name to another. www.example.com → example.com. CNAMEs are commonly used for subdomains and CDN configurations.
NS record (Name Server record): Specifies which DNS servers are authoritative for the domain. When your domain registrar's nameservers are updated, NS records reflect the new delegation.
SOA record (Start of Authority): Contains administrative information about the DNS zone, including the primary nameserver, responsible email address, and timing parameters.
According to Wikipedia's overview of the Domain Name System, DNS operates as a hierarchical distributed naming system. A single domain can have multiple records of different types, and these records can change as configuration evolves.
When you need a DNS lookup tool
DNS lookups are useful in a wide range of technical and administrative scenarios.
Troubleshooting email delivery problems: If emails from your domain are not reaching recipients (or landing in spam), MX record and TXT record configuration (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is often the cause. DNS lookup lets you inspect the exact configuration that receiving mail servers see.
Checking DNS propagation: After you change DNS records (updating nameservers, changing hosting, adding a new subdomain), DNS changes can take up to 48 hours to propagate globally. A DNS lookup tool lets you check what records are visible now and confirm when propagation is complete.
Verifying domain ownership: Google Search Console, Cloudflare, and other services require you to add a specific TXT record to your DNS to prove ownership. A DNS lookup confirms the record is correctly published.
Auditing security configuration: Checking whether a domain has DMARC, SPF, and DKIM records tells you how well-protected it is against email spoofing. Looking up TLS/SSL certificate verification records helps confirm security posture.
Finding the hosting provider: An A record lookup shows the IP address a domain resolves to. Reverse IP lookup then shows the hosting provider or server associated with that address.
Checking competitor or partner domain configuration: Understanding a domain's infrastructure (CDN usage, email service provider via MX records, hosting configuration) is useful for technical and competitive analysis.
Mini-story: In February 2026, Tomasz, an IT administrator at a manufacturing company in Warsaw, was troubleshooting a situation where company emails were bouncing when sent to a specific partner's domain. He used ToolHQ's DNS Lookup to query the partner domain's MX records. The result showed only a single MX record pointing to an exchange server IP address. A follow-up TXT record check showed no SPF record was configured. He flagged this to the partner company's IT contact, who confirmed their MX configuration had been broken during a hosting migration two days earlier. The partner fixed their DNS within the hour and email delivery resumed. The DNS lookup took 30 seconds and saved hours of trial-and-error troubleshooting.
Look up DNS records now, free, no account needed
How to use ToolHQ's DNS lookup tool: step by step
A DNS lookup takes seconds.
- Open the tool. Go to https://www.toolhq.app/tools/dns-lookup. No login required.
- Enter a domain name. Type the domain you want to look up (e.g.,
example.com). Nohttp://orwww.prefix needed unless you specifically want to look up a subdomain. - Select record type (optional). Choose a specific record type to query (A, MX, TXT, CNAME, NS, AAAA) or select "All" to see all available records.
- Query. The tool queries DNS resolvers and returns the current live records.
- Read the results. Records are displayed with their type, value, and TTL (Time to Live, which indicates how long the record is cached by resolvers).
Common DNS record troubleshooting reference
| Problem | Records to check | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Emails bouncing | MX, TXT (SPF, DMARC) | Valid MX records pointing to your mail server; correct SPF record |
| Email landing in spam | TXT (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) | SPF includes your sending server; DMARC policy configured |
| Website not loading after move | A, CNAME | Correct IP address for new hosting |
| DNS propagation check | A, NS | Whether new records are visible globally |
| Domain ownership verification | TXT | Verification record matches what service requires |
| Subdomain not resolving | A, CNAME | Correct record configured for the subdomain |
Mini-story: Amara, a developer at a SaaS startup in Lagos, set up email sending through a transactional email service in December 2025. The service required adding three DNS records: a CNAME for tracking, a TXT record for DKIM, and a TXT record for SPF. After adding the records through her domain registrar, she used ToolHQ's DNS Lookup to verify each one. The CNAME resolved correctly. The DKIM TXT record appeared correctly. The SPF TXT record showed the old SPF value from before the update, but with a 1-hour TTL indicated it would refresh soon. She waited 65 minutes, checked again, and found the new SPF value. Email sending from the new service began working correctly within the day.
For related network tools, the Email Validator uses MX record checks to validate email addresses. The What Is My IP tool shows your current IP address. Browse all network tools in ToolHQ's network category.
Frequently asked questions
What is DNS propagation and how long does it take?
When you update DNS records, the changes need to spread across DNS servers worldwide. This process is called propagation. Most records propagate within a few hours; full global propagation can take up to 48 hours depending on TTL values set in the original records.
Is my query private?
Only the domain name you enter is queried through public DNS infrastructure. Your personal information is not collected. DNS queries are inherently public, as DNS is a publicly accessible distributed system.
Why does a DNS lookup show different results than what I configured?
DNS records are cached by resolvers for the duration of their TTL. If you recently changed a record, you may be seeing the cached old value. Wait until the TTL expires for the new record to appear.
What does TTL mean in DNS records?
TTL (Time to Live) is the number of seconds DNS resolvers are instructed to cache the record before requesting a fresh copy from the authoritative nameserver. A 300 TTL means resolvers cache the record for 5 minutes; a 86400 TTL means 24 hours.
How do I check if DNS has propagated globally, not just for me?
A standard DNS lookup queries from a single location and shows what that resolver sees. For global propagation checking, you need a tool that queries from multiple DNS servers in different countries simultaneously. If DNS has propagated to some locations but not others, you need to wait longer or investigate if the change reached the authoritative nameserver. Services like dnschecker.org and whatsmydns.net specifically show results from 20-100+ DNS servers worldwide. After making a DNS change, a global propagation check shows which regions have the new record and which are still seeing the old cached value. This is especially useful when troubleshooting why users in one country see your site correctly but users elsewhere don't.
Can I look up DNS records for any domain?
Yes. DNS records are publicly accessible by design. The DNS system is not a private database; anyone can query any domain's records.
Conclusion: the short version
DNS records control how email is delivered, how websites are found, and how domains are secured. ToolHQ's DNS Lookup tool queries any domain's live records in seconds, showing A, MX, TXT, CNAME, NS, and other types in a readable format. Only the domain name you enter is queried. Free, no account, instant results.
For email troubleshooting, hosting verification, propagation checks, or security auditing, DNS lookup is the first tool to reach for.
Look up DNS records now, free, instant, no account needed
For related tools, use Email Validator to verify email deliverability and What Is My IP for network information. See all network tools in ToolHQ's network section.