DNS records: A, CNAME, MX and TXT
What each record does, where you edit DNS records and how to check that a change has propagated.
Domains and DNS · 2 min read
DNS records tell your domain how to reach a website, an email service or a server. This article covers the most common records and where to edit them.
Record types
| Record | Purpose | Example |
|---|---|---|
| A | Points the domain to an IPv4 address | @ → 203.0.113.10 |
| AAAA | Points the domain to an IPv6 address | @ → 2001:db8::10 |
| CNAME | Aliases a subdomain to another name | www → example.com |
| MX | Defines which server receives your email | @ → mail.example.com (priority 10) |
| TXT | Verification and email security (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) | v=spf1 a mx ~all |
Where do you edit DNS records?
DNS records are edited wherever your domain’s nameservers point (see Nameservers):
- If the nameservers point to our hosting service: in the control panel you can add, change and delete records under the domain’s DNS Settings (see The hosting control panel).
- If the nameservers are at another provider (a CDN, for example): edit the records in that provider’s panel.
- If your domain is registered with us and you can’t make the change from the panel: create a request with the DNS record change button on the domain’s Manage tab; our team applies the change.
Adding a record: an A record example
- On the DNS settings page add a new record.
- Choose A as the type; for the name enter
@(the domain itself) or a subdomain (for exampleblog). - Enter your server’s IPv4 address as the value and save.
Propagation and checking
A change propagates in minutes to a few hours, depending on the record’s TTL. You can check from the command line:
nslookup example.com
nslookup -type=mx example.com
dig example.com TXT +shortIf you still see the old result, wait for the TTL to expire; clearing the browser and OS cache also helps.
Tips
- Never combine a CNAME with another record on the same name; a CNAME must stand alone.
- Lowering the TTL to 300 seconds before a migration speeds up the switch.
- Use SPF, DKIM and DMARC together to keep email out of spam (see Business email).
If the change hasn’t shown up, see My DNS change isn’t showing up.