DNS Propagation Checker
Changed a DNS record and wondering whether the world can see it yet? Enter the name and record type, and the checker asks seven large public resolvers at once over DNS-over-HTTPS. It shows each resolver’s answer and TTL, highlights which match the majority, and tells you whether the change looks complete.
- Encrypted connection
- No sign-up
- Free to use
How to use DNS Propagation Checker
- Enter the domain or host name you changed.
- Choose the record type: A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, NS or TXT.
- Compare the answers and TTLs of the resolvers.
- If they differ, check again after the TTL has expired.
DNS Propagation Checker features
Seven resolvers
Google, Cloudflare, NextDNS, AdGuard, DNS.SB, AliDNS and DNSPod.
Six record types
A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, NS and TXT.
Majority comparison
Marks resolvers that differ from the most common answer.
TTL shown
How long each cache may keep the current answer.
NXDOMAIN detection
Tells you when a name does not exist.
Honest scope
Explains that anycast resolvers are not countries.
When to use DNS Propagation Checker
- Confirming a website move to a new server.
- Checking a new MX record before switching mail.
- Verifying TXT records for domain verification or SPF.
- Troubleshooting visitors who still see the old site.
DNS Propagation Checker FAQ
What is DNS propagation?
The time it takes for resolvers around the world to drop their cached copy of a record and fetch the new one. It is not an active push; caches simply expire after the record’s TTL.
How long does propagation take?
Up to the old record’s TTL, often from a few minutes to a day. Lower the TTL a day before planned changes to make them take effect faster.
Why do some resolvers show the old value?
They cached it before the change and will keep it until its TTL runs out. You can sometimes ask the resolver to flush it; otherwise wait.
Why do answers differ even without a change?
Some services return different addresses by location or rotate between several, as content delivery networks do. Different answers are then normal.
Is this a worldwide map?
No. Each resolver is an anycast network answering from many locations. The tool shows what major public resolvers return, which is what most people will see.
What is sent to the resolvers?
Only the domain name and record type.
Why DNS changes are not instant
When you change a DNS record, your DNS provider updates its authoritative servers immediately. Everyone else learns about the change only when their resolver’s cached copy expires. Each record carries a time-to-live, and resolvers may keep the old answer for that long. “Propagation” is the gradual expiry of those caches.
Public resolvers run by large companies serve a big share of internet users. Asking several of them is a practical way to see whether a change is visible broadly. When they all return the new value, most visitors will reach the new destination; when some still return the old one, their caches have not yet expired.
The TTL column tells you how long you may have to wait. If you plan a change, lower the TTL to a few minutes a day in advance, make the change, and raise it again afterwards. This shortens the period in which old and new answers coexist.
Some differences are not propagation at all. Content delivery networks and global load balancers return different addresses depending on the resolver’s location, and some providers rotate addresses on every query. If answers keep differing long after the TTL has passed, check the authoritative servers with the DNS Lookup tool.