Global DNS Propagation Checker

Free DNS Checker & Propagation Tool

See where your DNS has landed — worldwide.

Look up a domain's DNS records across Google Public DNS, Cloudflare and DNS.SB — 19 live checks plotted on a world map — and see whether your latest DNS change is being served yet.

19 resolver checks 8 record types Live DNS-over-HTTPS lookups

Worldwide resolver network

Markers show example data-centre locations of each resolver network.
Awaiting Found Not propagated
How it works: your browser queries Google Public DNS, Cloudflare and DNS.SB over DNS-over-HTTPS. These anycast networks answer from the data centre nearest to you, so results show what these major public resolvers return now — not every ISP resolver. Methodology

Checkpoint results

19 checks standing by
Enter a domain above and hit Search to run a global lookup.

How to use the DNS propagation checker

  1. Enter the exact name you changed — for example example.co.za for the root domain or www.example.co.za for the www record. Underscore names such as _dmarc.example.co.za work too.
  2. Choose the record type you edited (A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, NS, TXT, SOA or CAA).
  3. Press Search. The checker queries each resolver live and shows the value it returns.
  4. Compare the results with the value you set. When every check shows your new value, the change has reached these resolvers.

What is DNS propagation?

When you change a DNS record — pointing a domain to a new host, updating an A record or switching nameservers — the update doesn't reach everyone at once. Recursive resolvers at ISPs, mobile networks and public DNS services keep a cached copy of each answer for the length of its TTL (time to live). Until that copy expires, they keep serving the old value. “Propagation” is simply the time it takes for those caches to refresh.

This tool shows what major public resolvers return right now, which is the fastest way to answer the question every website owner asks after a change: “is it live yet?” Read more in what is DNS propagation and how long DNS propagation takes.

Reading your results

ResultWhat it means
FoundThe resolver returned a record. Check the value matches what you set.
No recordThe resolver answered but has no record of that type for the name — it may not exist yet, may be misspelt, or negative caching may still apply.
No answerThe resolver didn't respond in time, or a browser extension or network blocked the request. It doesn't mean your record is wrong.
Results differPropagation is still in progress — or the domain intentionally returns different answers (round-robin, geo-DNS or a CDN).

How this checker works

Your browser sends each lookup over encrypted DNS-over-HTTPS to three large public resolver networks: Google Public DNS, Cloudflare and DNS.SB. These networks are anycast, so each request is answered by the data centre nearest to you; the city markers on the map show example locations within each network. The results therefore reflect what these widely used resolvers currently return — a strong indicator of propagation, but not a reading from every ISP resolver in the world. Full details are on our methodology page.

Record types you can check

TypeUse it to check
AThe IPv4 address your website or subdomain points to.
AAAAThe IPv6 address — watch for stale AAAA records after a hosting move.
CNAMEAliases such as www or hosted services.
MXWhere email for the domain is delivered.
NSWhich nameservers are authoritative — use it as a nameserver checker after changing nameservers.
TXTSPF, DMARC (on _dmarc) and verification records.
SOAZone serial number and negative-caching time.
CAAWhich certificate authorities may issue SSL certificates.

Common DNS change problems and how to fix them

  • New value nowhere after hours — check the NS records. If they point to a different provider from the one you edited, your change isn't live anywhere. See troubleshooting DNS problems.
  • Root works but www doesn't (or vice versa) — they're separate records. Check and update both.
  • Everything shows the new IP but your browser shows the old site — flush your local DNS cache. See fixing DNS resolution problems.
  • Site down after changing nameservers — the records probably weren't recreated at the new provider, or DNSSEC wasn't updated. Work through why a website stops loading after a DNS change.

Frequently asked questions

What is a DNS propagation checker?

A DNS propagation checker asks several public DNS resolvers for a domain's record and compares the answers, so you can see whether a recent change is being served yet. If every resolver returns your new value, most of the internet is likely seeing it too.

How long does DNS propagation take?

Usually minutes to a few hours for a record change, and up to about 48 hours for a nameserver change. The main factor is the TTL of the record before you changed it. See our guide on DNS propagation times.

Why do some checks show the old value?

Those resolvers cached the old answer and haven't refreshed it yet. They'll update when the cached copy's TTL runs out. If results never converge, the domain may deliberately return different answers by location (geo-DNS or a CDN).

Can I check www and the root domain?

Yes — and you should check both, because they're separate DNS names. Type www.example.co.za to check the www record and example.co.za for the root.

Which record type should I choose?

A for a website's IPv4 address, AAAA for IPv6, CNAME for aliases, MX for email routing, NS for nameservers, TXT for SPF, DMARC and verification values, SOA for zone settings and CAA for certificate restrictions.

Is the DNS checker free?

Yes. All the tools on DNSChecker.co.za are free with no sign-up. They're provided by HostFaddy, a South African web hosting company and accredited .co.za registrar.

Related DNS guides

What is DNS propagation?“Propagation” is the delay between changing a DNS record and every resolver on the internet seeing the new value.…How long does DNS propagation take?Anything from a few minutes to about 48 hours. The real answer depends on the TTL of the record you changed and on…How to check DNS propagationThe quickest way to answer “is it live yet?” is to ask several public resolvers for the record and compare what they…How to change nameserversChanging nameservers hands control of your entire DNS zone to a new provider. Done carefully it causes no downtime;…Why is my website not loading after changing DNS?Most post-change outages fall into a handful of causes. Work through them in order and you'll usually find the problem…What is DNS?DNS is the internet's address book. It turns names people can remember, like example.co.za, into the numeric addresses…

Browse all DNS guides

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