DevTools Logo

DNS Lookup Tool

DNS Lookup Tool

Query DNS records and resolve domain names to IP addresses

DNS Query

Enter hostname and select record type

Quick Examples

    Examples

    A record for a public domain

    Input
    Domain:      example.com
    Record type: A
    Output
    Status:    success
    Query time: ~30 ms
    Records:   example.com. 86400 IN A 93.184.216.34

    The IPv4 address that the resolver returns for the apex. The result card shows the name, TTL (in seconds), the IN class, the A type, and the resolved address — a useful sanity check before you point a record at a new host.

    MX records for an email domain

    Input
    Domain:      gmail.com
    Record type: MX
    Output
    Status:    success
    Records:
      gmail.com. 300 IN MX 5  gmail-smtp-in.l.google.com.
      gmail.com. 300 IN MX 10 alt1.gmail-smtp-in.l.google.com.
      gmail.com. 300 IN MX 20 alt2.gmail-smtp-in.l.google.com.
      …

    Mail exchange records sorted by priority. Lower numbers are preferred; here Google returns priority 5, 10, 20 and so on, so a sending MTA will try `gmail-smtp-in.l.google.com` first.

    Reverse DNS (PTR) for an IPv4

    Input
    IP:         8.8.8.8
    Record type: PTR
    Output
    Status:    success
    Records:   8.8.8.8.in-addr.arpa. 86400 IN PTR dns.google.

    Reverse lookup translates an IP back into a hostname using the in-addr.arpa zone. Confirming that the PTR for your mail server's IP matches your sending domain is one of the easiest ways to improve deliverability.

    About this tool

    The DNS Lookup tool queries DNS records for a domain or reverse-resolves an IP, returning A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, NS, SOA, TXT and PTR records in a structured, easy-to-read layout. It's the everyday companion for debugging mail delivery, verifying domain ownership, and checking that a DNS change has propagated worldwide.

    The actual DNS query is performed server-side through a Next.js server action, so the tool does not depend on `dns.resolve*` being available in your browser. Each result includes the record name, type, TTL, and data — and for MX records, the priority. The most recent 10 lookups are kept in a scrollable list so you can iterate on a name and a record type side by side.

    Quick Examples pre-load the input with three useful starting points: `google.com` for an A record, `github.com` for MX, and `8.8.8.8` for a reverse PTR lookup. Use them as a sanity check that the service is reachable, then paste your own domain. The result panel shows the query time so you can spot slow resolvers or intermittent failures.

    How to use

    1. Enter a domain or IP

      Type a fully qualified domain name (e.g. `example.com`) into the Domain Name or IP Address input. For a reverse lookup, paste an IPv4 or IPv6 address.

    2. Pick a record type

      Choose A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, NS, SOA, TXT or PTR from the Record Type dropdown. Each option shows a one-line description of what it returns.

    3. Click Lookup DNS

      Press the button or hit Enter. The result card appears in the DNS Results column on the right, with name, TTL, type and data for every record returned.

    4. Copy or repeat

      Use the copy icon in the result header to copy a plain-text dump of the result, or run another lookup — up to 10 results stay visible for comparison.

    Use cases

    Verifying that a DNS change has propagated

    After updating an A or CNAME record, run a lookup from the tool to see the new value and the resolver's TTL — useful before tearing down the old infrastructure or rolling out a migration.

    Debugging mail delivery

    Check the MX, SPF (TXT) and PTR records for your sending domain in one place. A missing PTR or an MX that points at a stale host is the most common reason mail ends up in spam.

    Confirming a domain's nameservers

    Query the NS record type to see which nameservers the registry delegates to — and confirm those are the nameservers your hosting provider actually expects.

    Auditing SPF, DKIM and DMARC TXT records

    Look up the TXT records for the apex and the common `_dmarc` and selector subdomains to verify that your email-authentication policy is published correctly.

    Common mistakes

    Mistake:Looking up a domain that doesn't exist and reading the error as a network failure.

    Fix:An NXDOMAIN result is a valid DNS response — the record type `no_records` is what the tool surfaces for an empty answer set. Always check the Status field before assuming the service is down.

    Mistake:Expecting a CNAME at the apex of a zone to work.

    Fix:The DNS specification forbids a CNAME at the apex when other records (NS, MX, SOA) coexist — that's the `no_records` error you'll see if you try it. Move the CNAME to a subdomain like `www` and use the apex for the A/AAAA record instead.

    Mistake:Reading the resolver's TTL as a cache lifetime you control.

    Fix:The TTL is the *remaining* time a resolver is allowed to cache the record. The authoritative TTL is set in the zone file; what you see here is whichever resolver the tool used and how long since it last refreshed.

    Mistake:Treating the lookup as authoritative for the user's perspective.

    Fix:DNS is hierarchical and cached: a record that resolves to one value here may resolve to a different value for a client in another region until propagation completes. Combine this tool with a public DNS checker (e.g. `dig +trace`) for a fuller picture.

    Frequently asked questions

    References & standards