DNS records tell the internet where your website and email live. After moving to a new server or connecting email, it is worth making sure the records point where they should.

Which records matter most

  • A / AAAA — the IP address of the server hosting your site.
  • MX — the mail servers that receive email for the domain.
  • TXT — service records such as SPF and domain ownership verification.

How to check

On Linux and macOS

Use the dig utility, for example: dig example.com A +short or dig example.com MX +short.

On Windows

Use nslookup: nslookup -type=MX example.com.

Why changes do not appear at once

Every record has a TTL — the time resolvers cache it. Updates usually propagate within a few minutes to a few hours, occasionally up to 24 hours.