Free CNAME Lookup.
Look up CNAME records for any domain in seconds. Confirm the canonical name target, verify TTL values, and catch misconfigurations before they break your site or integrations.
CNAME Lookup.
How does CNAME Lookup work?
Enter a domain name (e.g., example.com) and click “Check”. Our tool queries DNS for CNAME records and returns the canonical name target—along with TTL (time-to-live)—so you can validate changes and troubleshoot caching.
What is a CNAME record?
A CNAME record (Canonical Name) maps one hostname to another hostname. It’s commonly used to point subdomains (like app.example.com) to services hosted elsewhere (CDNs, help desks, landing pages, and other SaaS tools).
When should you check a CNAME record?
- When connecting a custom domain to a SaaS tool (e.g., landing pages, email tools, help centers)
- After changing CDNs, proxies, or app hosting
- When a subdomain loads the wrong content or shows a DNS error
- When verifying DNS changes during a migration
CNAME vs A vs AAAA
CNAME: Alias from one hostname to another
A: Points a domain to an IPv4 address
AAAA: Points a domain to an IPv6 address
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Start monitoring for freeFrequently asked questions.
Can I use a CNAME for the root domain (apex) like example.com?
Not with standard DNS—zone apex names already need records like SOA and NS, and a CNAME can’t coexist with other data. If you want “root domain → hosted service,” use your DNS provider’s ALIAS/ANAME feature or CNAME flattening (provider-specific).
Why can’t a CNAME exist together with A, MX, TXT, or NS records on the same hostname?
Because a CNAME makes that hostname an alias—DNS resolvers treat it as “this name is actually another name,” so mixing it with other record types for the same hostname is not allowed in normal DNS behavior.
CNAME vs 301/302 redirect: what’s the difference?
A CNAME is a DNS alias (it affects where the name resolves). A redirect is an HTTP response from a web server that sends the browser to a different URL (and the address bar changes).
If I point a CNAME to another domain, will it automatically show the same website?
Not always. A CNAME record only helps DNS reach the same destination IP(s) as the target name. What users actually see still depends on the web server/CDN configuration for your hostname (virtual hosts/Host header).
Can a CNAME point directly to an IP address?
No—CNAME targets must be hostnames, not IPs. If you need to point to an IP, use A (IPv4) or AAAA (IPv6).
Are CNAME-to-CNAME chains OK?
They often work, but they add extra lookups and increase the risk of misconfigurations (such as loops). Best practice is to keep chains short and avoid “CNAME sprawl.”
What is “CNAME flattening”?
It’s a DNS-provider feature that resolves a CNAME behind the scenes and answers with the final A/AAAA result—commonly used to support “CNAME-like” behavior at the root domain and to speed up resolution.
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