Free Tool

DNS Record Lookup

Published a DNS record but not sure it's propagated yet? A cached old record looks correct locally but fails at ISPs. Query any DNS record type — A, AAAA, MX, CNAME, TXT, NS, SOA — and verify what's actually resolving globally.

For deeper analysis, try our specialized checkers:

These tools validate record syntax, parse tags, and provide actionable recommendations.

DMARC SPF DKIM BIMI

Understanding DNS Records

What are DNS records?

DNS records map domain names to various types of data. A records point to IP addresses, MX records route email, TXT records hold text data like SPF and DMARC policies, and NS records delegate to nameservers.

What is TTL?

Time To Live (TTL) is how long DNS resolvers should cache a record before checking for updates. Lower TTLs (300s) mean faster propagation but more DNS queries. Higher TTLs (86400s) mean better performance but slower updates.

Why check MX records?

MX (Mail Exchange) records tell the internet where to deliver email for your domain. Misconfigured MX records mean you won't receive email. Priority values determine the order servers are tried.

What are TXT records used for?

TXT records store text data for various purposes: SPF (email authentication), DMARC (email policy), DKIM (email signing keys), domain verification (Google, Microsoft), and other service configurations.

Related Free Tools

Deliverability Checker → DMARC Checker → SPF Checker → Email Blacklist Checker →

Why We Built This Tool

Published DNS records don't resolve instantly. ISPs cache old records; new entries require DNS propagation time. Manual nslookup commands are cryptic. This tool surfaces exactly what's resolving globally for each record type.

What Goes Wrong Without This

DNS configuration breaks silently. A domain's MX records can be correct locally but fail in production DNS resolvers. Old TXT records (SPF/DMARC) stay cached for hours, preventing authentication fixes from taking effect. Without global DNS visibility, teams can't diagnose delivery failures tied to configuration.

Who This Tool Is For

E-commerce & DTC Brands

Verify MX and SPF/DMARC TXT records after publishing — confirm propagation before sending campaigns to avoid silent delivery failures.

Email Marketing Agencies

Debug DNS configuration for multiple client domains simultaneously. Surface global propagation status to confirm changes took effect across different ISP resolvers.

B2B SaaS & Outbound Teams

Troubleshoot DNS issues for sending domains, email forwarding, and subdomain delegation. Verify DNS alignment when moving to new ESPs or rotating authentication keys.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does DNS propagation take time?

DNS changes don't propagate instantly. Recursive resolvers cache records based on TTL values (from seconds to 24+ hours). ISPs, carriers, and corporate DNS servers may cache even longer. This tool queries public resolvers globally to show what's actually resolving now versus what's cached locally.

What's the difference between A, AAAA, and MX records?

A records point to IPv4 addresses, AAAA records point to IPv6 addresses, and MX records specify mail servers. For email, MX records are critical — if they're misconfigured, email won't be delivered to your domain. Priority values in MX records determine which mail server is tried first.

How do I know if my email authentication records are live?

Query the TXT records for your domain. SPF records start with 'v=spf1', DMARC records are published at _dmarc.yourdomain.com and start with 'v=DMARC1', and DKIM public keys are at selector._domainkey.yourdomain.com. If these don't appear in your TXT results, they haven't propagated or were published with errors.

Do I need an InboxEagle account to use this tool?

No. This tool is completely free and requires no account or sign-up. InboxEagle provides it as a standalone resource for email marketers, developers, and agencies.

DNS Records Change. Your Deliverability Monitoring Shouldn't.

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