Knowledge Base

What Are DNS Records? A, MX, CNAME, and TXT Explained

For a domain to function correctly, several DNS records need to be configured behind the scenes. These records determine which IP address your domain points to, where your emails are delivered, and how you verify ownership of your domain with various services.

A Record

An A record maps a domain name directly to an IPv4 address. When someone types example.com into a browser, this record tells them which server IP address to connect to. It is the most fundamental record for making a website visible.

MX Record

An MX (Mail Exchanger) record defines which mail server should receive email sent to your domain. You can define multiple MX records, and mail servers are attempted in order of priority, with lower values tried first.

CNAME Record

A CNAME record points one subdomain to another domain or subdomain name rather than an IP address. For example, if you want www.example.com to point to example.com, a CNAME record handles that redirection.

TXT Record

A TXT record stores text-based information for a domain. Common uses include email authentication records like SPF and DKIM, as well as verification codes required by third-party services to confirm domain ownership.

Where Can I Manage These Records?

Wherever your domain's nameservers point is typically where you manage its DNS records. Just like nameserver changes, updates to DNS records can take a few hours to propagate fully across the internet.

Configuring DNS records correctly is essential for everything from website accessibility to reliable email delivery. It is a good practice to back up your existing records before making any changes.