DNS Lookup Online
Query DNS records (A, AAAA, MX, TXT, CNAME, NS, SOA) for any domain.
When a DNS lookup is the right tool
You often need to know which address, mail host, or text record a name points to. This page is for asking Google Public DNS that question from the browser: type a domain, choose a record type, and click Lookup (or press Enter). The name and type are sent to dns.google; they do not stay only on this device.
After an A or AAAA answer, you can take the address to IP Lookup. This page will not resolve a hostname to certificate data or HTTP headers — use the SSL and header tools for those.
Use cases
Checking A, AAAA, or CNAME records
Choose A or AAAA for IPv4 or IPv6 addresses, or CNAME for an alias. The data column is the record payload as returned by Google, not a rewritten presentation.
Inspecting MX, TXT, NS, or SOA
MX data typically includes a preference and a host. TXT strings appear as Google returns them. NS and SOA are useful when you are checking delegation or the zone apex. If that type has no Answer, the table reports no records rather than an NXDOMAIN error.
Copying a compact answer
When at least one row is present, Copy writes tab-separated lines of name, TTL, type, and data, suitable for a spreadsheet or a note. The on-screen TTL includes an “s” suffix; the copied TTL does not.
How the lookup works
The request is https://dns.google/resolve?name=…&type=…, with the name trimmed and encoded. A JSON status of 0 uses the Answer array only. The type badge is mapped from the numeric type (1, 2, 5, 6, 15, 16, 28) when it is one of the seven supported kinds; otherwise the number is shown. While a request is in flight, the previous result is cleared.
What this tool does not do
It does not query PTR or other types, display Authority sections, run a traceroute, or cache answers locally. It does not keep a history. Availability and accuracy depend on Google Public DNS. To geolocate an address, use IP Lookup (that tool calls ipapi.co).
How to use DNS Lookup
- Type a domain name and choose a record type (A, AAAA, MX, TXT, CNAME, NS, or SOA).
- Click Lookup or press Enter. The query is sent to dns.google.
- Read the table, and copy the rows if you need a text snapshot.
Frequently asked questions
Where does the DNS answer come from?
The browser requests https://dns.google/resolve?name=…&type=… (Google Public DNS JSON / DNS-over-HTTPS). The domain you type is sent to dns.google. This is not a local resolver, and it is different from most DiffCheck tools, which run entirely on your device.
Which record types can I query?
A, AAAA, MX, TXT, CNAME, NS, and SOA. There is no PTR, SRV, CAA, or other type. Changing the type does not re-run the query until you click Lookup or press Enter again. Only the Answer section is shown; Authority records in the response are ignored.
What do the results and errors mean?
A successful answer is a table of name, type, TTL (with an “s” suffix in the table), and data, exactly as Google returned them. Copy writes the same four fields as tab-separated lines, with the TTL as a number only. Status 3 is shown as “NXDOMAIN — domain does not exist.” Any other non-zero status is “DNS error (status N).” If the HTTP request itself fails, you see “DNS query failed.” A status of 0 with no Answer rows is “No records found,” which can happen when that type does not exist at the name.
Is the query private?
DiffCheck does not store the lookup, but dns.google receives the name and the record type, and the request comes from your network address. Do not look up names you would not be comfortable sharing with Google Public DNS. Availability and the answers themselves depend on that service.
Is the lookup live as I type?
No. Nothing is sent until you click Lookup or press Enter, and Lookup is disabled while the box is empty or a request is in flight. There is no local check that the input is a valid domain name; it is only trimmed and URL-encoded.
Related tools and guides
References
- Google Public DNS JSON API is the endpoint this page calls (
https://dns.google/resolve). - DNS response codes (including NXDOMAIN as status 3) are defined in RFC 1035.