Free DNS Record Checker
Look up any record type for a domain — or reverse-lookup an IP with PTR.
Need to monitor DNS changes across every client domain you manage? ActiScan does bulk scanning, scoring, and white-labeled reporting for MSPs.
How to Use the DNS Checker
Pick a record type
Choose from A, AAAA, MX, CNAME, TXT, NS, SOA, CAA, or PTR in the dropdown.
Enter a domain – or an IP for PTR
Every type takes a domain name, except PTR, which takes an IPv4 address for a reverse lookup.
Click Look up
ActiScan queries DNS live and shows every matching record, with its TTL.
What Is a DNS Record?
DNS is the system that translates a domain name into the data browsers, mail servers, and other services actually use – an IP address, a mail-server hostname, a verification token. A single domain publishes many different record types at once, each answering a different question, and each queryable independently – which is what this tool lets you do.
Supported Record Types
| Type | What it's used for | Dedicated tool |
|---|---|---|
| A | Maps a hostname to an IPv4 address – the most basic DNS record. | Check A → |
| AAAA | Maps a hostname to an IPv6 address. | Check AAAA → |
| MX | Points to the mail servers responsible for a domain's email, each with a priority (lower is preferred). | Check MX → |
| CNAME | Aliases one hostname to another – e.g. pointing www to a hosting platform's own domain. | Check CNAME → |
| TXT | Free-form text – used for domain verification and for SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records, among other things. | Check TXT → |
| NS | Names the authoritative nameservers for a domain or subdomain – who to ask for the rest of its records. | Check NS → |
| SOA | Start of Authority – the zone's primary nameserver, admin contact, and refresh/retry/expire timers. | Check SOA → |
| CAA | Certificate Authority Authorization – restricts which certificate authorities may issue TLS certificates for the domain. | Check CAA → |
| PTR | Reverse DNS – maps an IP address back to a hostname, the opposite direction of an A record. | Check PTR → |
Common Troubleshooting Scenarios
No MX record
The domain can't receive email – messages sent to it will bounce. Every domain that needs to receive mail needs at least one MX record.
No A or AAAA record
The domain (or subdomain) doesn't resolve to anything. Visitors get a DNS error, not a slow-loading page.
NS records don't match your DNS host
If these don't match what your registrar or DNS host shows you, the domain may be delegated to the wrong nameservers – changes made in the wrong place will never take effect.
Expected TXT record missing
SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are all published as TXT records. If you just added one, it may not have propagated yet – wait out the record's TTL and check again.
No PTR record for a mail-sending IP
Some receiving mail servers treat a missing reverse-DNS entry as a spam signal. If you run your own mail server, ask your host to set a PTR record for its IP.
Next Steps After Your Lookup
Checking email security?
SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are all published as DNS TXT records – check them with their own dedicated tools for a plain-English readout.
DMARC Checker →Need registration details?
Look up the registrar, registration and expiry dates, and nameservers on file for any domain.
WHOIS Lookup →Want ongoing monitoring?
ActiScan scans on a schedule and alerts you when something changes – across every domain you manage.
Start free →Frequently Asked Questions
Is this DNS checker free?
Yes – look up any record type for any domain, for free, no signup required.
What resolver does this use?
Cloudflare's public DNS-over-HTTPS resolver. Every lookup is live, not a cached snapshot.
Why do I see more than one record of the same type?
That's normal – MX and NS records especially are often published in multiples, for redundancy or load distribution.
What does the TTL number mean?
Time To Live, in seconds – how long resolvers are allowed to cache that record before checking again. A record you just changed won't show the new value everywhere until its old TTL expires.
How do I look up a subdomain?
Enter the full hostname, e.g. mail.example.com, the same way you'd enter a root domain.