What Is a DNS Record? A Plain English Guide
Every time you type a domain into your browser, send an email, or click a link, a DNS record supplies the technical information your device needs to connect. This guide explains what a DNS record is, what the seven most common record types do, and how you can check any domain's records for free.
What is a DNS record?
A DNS record is an entry stored in a domain's DNS zone. Together, these records form a directory that maps a human readable domain name to the machine readable information computers actually use, such as IP addresses and mail server names. Without DNS records, you would need to remember a numeric IP address for every website you visit instead of a name.
The seven record types explained
A record
An A record points a domain, or a subdomain, to an IPv4 address, a numeric address such as 192.0.2.1. This is the most fundamental record type. Without it, a browser has no address to connect to.
AAAA record
An AAAA record performs the same job as an A record, but it points to an IPv6 address instead. IPv6 uses a much larger address space than IPv4, and many domains publish both record types so they remain reachable over either protocol.
CNAME record
A CNAME record creates an alias. Instead of pointing directly at an IP address, it points one
hostname at another domain name. Site owners commonly use CNAME records for subdomains, for example
pointing shop.example.com at a third party ecommerce platform without needing to know
that platform's actual IP address.
MX record
An MX record tells the internet which mail servers accept email for a domain, and in what priority order. A domain without any MX record generally cannot receive email at all, even when its website works perfectly. Our MX lookup guide covers this in more depth.
NS record
An NS record lists the nameservers that hold authority over a domain's DNS zone, meaning they store the real, current copy of every other record. Checking NS records is usually the first step when a domain will not resolve at all. Read our NS lookup guide for a full walkthrough.
TXT record
A TXT record holds arbitrary text. Site owners use it for domain ownership verification and, more importantly, for email security. SPF and DMARC policies, which help prevent email spoofing, both publish through TXT records.
SOA record
The SOA record, short for start of authority, stores administrative information about the zone itself: the primary nameserver, an administrative contact, a serial number that increments with each change, and timers that tell secondary nameservers how often to check for updates.
How DNS resolution actually works
When you visit a website, your device performs several steps behind the scenes. First, it asks a
DNS resolver, often your router or your ISP, to look up the domain. The resolver checks whether it
already holds a cached answer and returns it if so. If not, the resolver queries a root nameserver,
which directs it to the correct top level domain nameserver, for example the servers responsible for
.com. That server then names the domain's own authoritative nameserver, which finally
returns the actual record. Your device receives that record and connects to the resulting address.
Each record carries a TTL, or time to live, measured in seconds. The TTL tells resolvers how long they may cache an answer before checking again. A low TTL lets changes propagate faster but generates more DNS traffic. A high TTL reduces traffic but delays how quickly changes reach every resolver on the internet. This single setting explains why a DNS change can take anywhere from a few minutes to 48 hours to reach everyone.
Check any domain's records for free
You can see all seven record types for any domain using our free DNS Lookup tool. Choose "All Records" to view every type on one page with clear section headings, or select a single record type for a focused result. For a broader picture of a domain's overall setup, try our DNS health check guide, which walks through six checks covering nameservers, mail servers, and email authentication together.
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