DNS propagation checker
Changed your nameservers, pointed your domain at new hosting or moved your email? This checks what three of the biggest public DNS services see for your domain right now, and how long they'll keep their current answer.
We don't see or save what you type. Your browser asks Cloudflare, Google and Alibaba's public DNS services directly.
Your result
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Choose a record type and your result appears here in a second or two.
How the checker works
When you change a DNS record, other computers don’t find out straight away. DNS services keep a copy of each answer for a set time, called the TTL (time to live), and only ask again when it runs out. That delay is what people call propagation.
The checker asks Cloudflare (1.1.1.1), Google (8.8.8.8) and Alibaba for the record you choose, and shows each answer with the number of seconds it will be cached for. If the answers match, the change has reached them. If they differ, the longest cache time is the most you should need to wait for those services.
When to use a propagation check
- After moving to new hosting. Check the A record shows the new server’s IP before cancelling your old host. Our free migration includes this step.
- After changing nameservers. Check NS. Until it shows the new nameservers everywhere, some visitors are still using the old DNS.
- After moving email. Check MX. Mail can arrive at the old provider until every service has the new answer, so leave old mailboxes open for a few days.
- After adding a verification record. Check TXT before clicking verify in Google, Microsoft or another service.
If a record isn’t showing at all, make sure you added it where the domain’s nameservers point. Changes in cPanel’s Zone Editor have no effect if the nameservers point at Cloudflare or your registrar. See how to edit DNS records in cPanel.
Questions about this tool
How long does DNS propagation take?
Most record changes are seen everywhere within a few hours, often minutes. Changing nameservers can take up to 24 to 48 hours. Our guide on how to check DNS propagation explains why.
Why do I still see my old website?
Your computer or broadband provider is still using a cached answer. Try your phone on mobile data, restart your router, or clear your browser’s cache. It will update on its own when the cache time runs out.
Can I make propagation faster?
Not after the change. Before a planned move, lower the record’s TTL to 300 seconds a day in advance, so caches refresh quickly when you switch.
What do the record types mean?
A points a name at a server’s address. MX says where email goes. NS shows the nameservers that control the domain. CNAME makes one name an alias of another. TXT holds text, such as SPF and verification codes.
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