DNS Propagation Checker
Check whether your new DNS records are live worldwide. Compare 35 global DNS servers with your domain’s own nameserver in one click.
Just changed your nameservers, moved to a new host or added a new MX or TXT record? It can take a while before everyone on the internet sees the change. GoogieHost’s free DNS Propagation Checker shows you exactly where your new record is live.
Enter your domain and pick a record type. The tool queries 35 public DNS servers in 27 countries at the same time and compares each answer with your domain’s own authoritative nameserver, so you can see at a glance which locations already have the new value and which are still serving the old one.
What the DNS Propagation Checker Shows
| Result | What it means |
|---|---|
| Expected answer | The record straight from your domain’s authoritative nameserver. This is the “truth” every other server should end up with. |
| Location & provider | The country and DNS provider of each server, from big public resolvers (Google, Cloudflare, Quad9, OpenDNS) to ISPs in India, Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas. |
| Result & TTL | The value each server returns right now and how many seconds it will keep that answer cached. |
| Green tick | The server returns the same answer as your nameserver. The change is live there. |
| Amber mark | A different answer, usually the old record still cached until its TTL runs out. |
| Red cross | No record returned, for example a brand-new record that is not visible yet. |
| Progress | How many of the responding servers already show the new value, as a percentage. |
How to Check DNS Propagation
- Enter your domain: Type a domain or subdomain such as example.com or shop.example.com. You can also paste a full URL.
- Choose the record type: A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, NS, TXT, SOA or CAA.
- Click Check DNS: Results from every location appear in a few seconds. Run the check again later to watch the change spread.
What Is DNS Propagation?
When someone visits your site, their device asks a DNS resolver (usually run by their ISP or a public service like Google DNS) for your domain’s IP address. To save time, resolvers cache that answer for as long as the record’s TTL (time to live) allows.
So when you change a record, resolvers that already cached the old answer keep using it until the TTL expires. “DNS propagation” is simply the time it takes for all those caches around the world to expire and fetch the new value. Nothing is actually pushed out; each resolver updates on its own schedule.
How Long Does DNS Propagation Take?
| Change | Typical time | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A, AAAA, CNAME, MX or TXT record | Minutes up to the old TTL (often 5 min – 4 hours) | Depends on the TTL that was set on the old record |
| New record that never existed | Usually minutes | Only “negative” answers (cached by the SOA minimum TTL) need to expire |
| Nameserver (NS) change at the registrar | A few hours, up to 24–48 hours | Top-level domains like .com cache delegation records for up to 2 days |
In practice, most visitors see a record change within an hour, but some ISPs keep old answers longer than the TTL. That’s why checking many locations at once is useful.
Why DNS Results Differ by Location
- Cached old records: Each resolver cached your record at a different time, so they expire at different times.
- CDNs and geo-DNS: Services like Cloudflare, Akamai or AWS can return different IPs depending on where the visitor is. Different answers are normal here and don’t mean anything is broken.
- Anycast resolvers: Big public resolvers such as 8.8.8.8 and 1.1.1.1 run in hundreds of cities, and each site has its own cache.
- Filtering resolvers: Security-focused DNS services may block or rewrite some domains.
How to Speed Up DNS Propagation
- Lower the TTL in advance: One or two days before a planned move, set the record’s TTL to 300 seconds (5 minutes). After the change has propagated, raise it again.
- Change records at the right place: Edit DNS where your nameservers point. Check them with our Whois Domain Lookup.
- Flush your own cache: Your computer and browser also cache DNS (see below).
- Test with the authoritative answer: If the expected answer above is already correct, your DNS is set up right and the rest is just waiting.
How to Flush Your DNS Cache
| System | Command |
|---|---|
| Windows | ipconfig /flushdns (in Command Prompt) |
| macOS | sudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder |
| Linux (systemd) | resolvectl flush-caches |
| Google Chrome | Open chrome://net-internals/#dns and click “Clear host cache” |
| Phone | Turn airplane mode on and off, or restart the device |
DNS Record Types You Can Check
| Type | What it does |
|---|---|
| A | Points a domain to an IPv4 address (your web server) |
| AAAA | Points a domain to an IPv6 address |
| CNAME | Makes a name an alias of another name, e.g. www to example.com |
| MX | Lists the mail servers that receive email for the domain |
| NS | Lists the nameservers that hold the domain’s DNS records |
| TXT | Text records for SPF, DMARC, DKIM and domain verification |
| SOA | Zone details, including the serial number that changes on every edit |
| CAA | Lists which certificate authorities may issue SSL certificates for the domain |
DNS Change Not Showing? Troubleshooting
- The expected answer is still old: The change was not saved at your active DNS provider. Check which nameservers your domain uses, then edit the records there.
- Every server shows “No record”: Check for typos in the record name, and make sure you didn’t add the domain twice (e.g. www.example.com.example.com).
- You see Cloudflare IPs instead of your server: The record is proxied (orange cloud). That is expected; visitors still reach your server through Cloudflare.
- The site fails after a nameserver change: If DNSSEC is on, update or remove the old DS record at your registrar, or the domain will not resolve.
- The website loads but shows the old site: Clear your browser cache and flush DNS, or use our Hosting Checker to confirm which server the domain points to now.
Setting up email at the same time? Check your MX, SPF and DMARC records with our MX Lookup tool, and confirm HTTPS works on the new server with the SSL Checker.
FAQs
How long does DNS propagation take?
Most record changes are visible within minutes to a few hours, depending on the TTL of the old record. Nameserver changes can take up to 24–48 hours because top-level domains cache delegation records for up to two days.
How do I check if my DNS has propagated?
Enter your domain in the DNS Propagation Checker and choose the record type. If most locations show a green tick, meaning they match your authoritative nameserver, the change has propagated.
Why is my DNS change not showing?
Usually because resolvers still have the old record cached until its TTL expires, or because your computer cached it. If the expected answer from your own nameserver is also old, the change was not saved at the right DNS provider.
What is TTL in DNS?
TTL (time to live) is how many seconds a DNS resolver may cache a record before asking again. A TTL of 3600 means the answer can be reused for one hour.
Can I speed up DNS propagation?
You can’t force other resolvers to refresh, but you can lower the TTL a day or two before a change so caches expire quickly, and flush your own DNS cache to see the change sooner.
Why do different locations show different IP addresses?
Either some resolvers still have the old record cached, or the domain uses a CDN or geo-DNS that returns different IPs in different regions. The second case is normal.
Which DNS servers does this tool use?
It checks 35 public DNS resolvers in 27 countries, including Google, Cloudflare, Quad9, OpenDNS and ISPs such as Airtel, Deutsche Telekom, Telstra and Swisscom, and compares them with your domain’s authoritative nameserver.
Is this DNS checker free?
Yes. It is free with no signup. To prevent abuse there is a fair-use limit of a few checks per minute per visitor.
