What is DNS propagation?
DNS propagation is the time it takes for a change to a domain's DNS records to spread across the thousands of DNS resolvers that make up the internet. When you update a record — such as pointing your domain to a new IP address or mail server — that change starts at your authoritative name servers and gradually reaches every recursive resolver as their cached copies expire.
Because each resolver caches records for the duration of their TTL, a change is never instant. This free DNS propagation checker queries 50 resolvers around the world at once and plots them on a live map, so you can see exactly where your new record has taken effect and where the old value is still being served.
How to check DNS propagation
- 1Enter your domain
Type the domain name whose DNS change you want to track, for example example.com.
- 2Choose the record type
Select the record you updated — A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT, NS or CAA.
- 3Set an expected value (optional)
Open settings and enter the value you expect so every resolver is compared against it.
- 4Run the check
Click Check propagation to query 50 global resolvers at once and watch the live world map.
- 5Compare the results
Green means propagated, amber means the old value is still cached, and red means the resolver failed.
How to read your propagation results
Each resolver on the map is queried live and given one of three statuses. Enter an expected value in the settings to compare every location against it, or leave it blank to compare against the majority answer.
The resolver returned your expected value — or the majority answer when no expected value is set. This location is up to date.
The resolver still returns a different or older value. Your change has not reached this location yet, usually because a cache has not expired.
The resolver timed out or could not be reached. We automatically query a healthy substitute in the same region when one is available.
Why DNS propagation takes time
When you change a DNS record, resolvers around the world do not update instantly. They keep serving the cached value until it expires, so a change rolls out gradually rather than all at once.
Every DNS record has a TTL (time to live) that tells resolvers how long to cache it. Until that timer expires, resolvers keep serving the previous value.
Most changes appear within minutes to a few hours. Allow up to 24–48 hours for a change to reach every resolver worldwide.
Resolvers refresh on their own schedules, and CDNs or geo-based DNS intentionally return different A/AAAA answers per region — that is expected, not a failure.
DNS record types you can check
Propagation applies to every record type. Check the one you changed to confirm the update has rolled out globally.
Maps a domain to an IPv4 address — the most common record to check after moving a site to a new server or host.
Maps a domain to an IPv6 address, the modern equivalent of an A record.
Points one hostname to another, often used for www and for CDN or SaaS endpoints.
Directs email to your mail servers. Check propagation after changing email providers.
Holds SPF, DKIM, DMARC and domain-verification strings used by email and third-party services.
Lists the authoritative name servers for a domain — these change when you switch DNS providers.
Declares which certificate authorities are allowed to issue TLS certificates for your domain.
Frequently asked questions
How long does DNS propagation take?
DNS changes usually propagate within a few minutes to a couple of hours, but can take up to 24–48 hours to reach every resolver worldwide. The exact time depends on the record's TTL and how aggressively intermediate resolvers cache the old value.
Why do different locations show different results?
Resolvers in different regions refresh their caches at different times, so a change can be visible in one country while another still returns the old value. For A and AAAA records, geo-based DNS and CDNs also return different IPs by design.
What does "propagated" mean in this tool?
A resolver is marked propagated when it returns your expected value, or — if you leave the expected field blank — the majority answer seen across all resolvers. Pending means it still returns a different or old value, and Error means the resolver could not be reached.
How can I speed up DNS propagation?
You cannot force other networks to refresh, but you can lower a record's TTL before making a change so caches expire sooner. Flushing your local and public-resolver caches also helps you see the update faster on your own machine.
Why does my domain still show the old IP after I updated it?
Your computer, router, or ISP resolver is likely still serving a cached copy until its TTL expires. Use this map to confirm whether the new value has reached global resolvers; if most already show it, the remaining delay is local caching.
Is this DNS propagation checker free?
Yes. ShowDNS.net lets you query global resolvers for A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT, NS and CAA records for free, with no sign-up required.