CNAME Lookup Tool
Look up CNAME DNS records for any domain online. Check canonical name aliases, verify DNS propagation, and trace CNAME chains using DNS-over-HTTPS directly from your browser — no install needed.
Why Use a CNAME Lookup Tool
CNAME records map one domain name to another — the canonical name. They are used for CDN configurations, custom domain setups on SaaS platforms (e.g. pointing blog.example.com to example.ghost.io), load balancer aliases, and email service domain verification. When a custom domain isn't resolving correctly, the CNAME record is the first thing to check. This tool queries CNAME records directly over DNS-over-HTTPS so you see live DNS state without local cache interference.
- Live CNAME query: Bypasses your local DNS cache — sees actual propagated records
- CNAME chain tracing: Shows full chain when one CNAME points to another CNAME
- TTL visibility: See Time-To-Live values to understand cache refresh timing
- Propagation check: Compare results across multiple public resolvers
- Instant results: No install, no CLI — works in any browser
Choose the Right Variant
- This page: CNAME records — domain alias lookups and CDN verification
- MX Record Lookup: Mail exchanger records for email routing
- TXT Record Lookup: SPF, DKIM, DMARC and verification records
- DNS Propagation Checker: Check if changes have propagated globally
- DNS Record Lookup: Look up any DNS record type at once
Step-by-Step Tutorial
- Enter the domain you want to check — e.g.
blog.example.comorshop.mysite.com - Select CNAME as the record type
- Click Lookup — results arrive in under 2 seconds via DNS-over-HTTPS
- Review the CNAME target (the canonical name it points to) and the TTL value
- If the CNAME target is itself a CNAME, the full chain is shown
- Compare against what your DNS provider or platform says it should be
Common CNAME Use Cases
- CDN setup: Point
www.example.comtoexample.cdn-provider.net - Custom SaaS domains: Map
help.example.comtoexample.zendesk.com - Email sending domain: Verify CNAME records for Mailchimp, SendGrid, or Postmark
- SSL/TLS validation: Some certificate authorities use CNAME-based domain validation
- Load balancer alias: Point subdomains to cloud load balancer DNS names
Privacy and Data Handling
DNS queries are made directly from your browser using DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH). No domain names you look up are logged or stored by this tool. Queries go to public DoH resolvers (Cloudflare or Google) and results are displayed directly to you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can't I add a CNAME record for my root domain?
CNAME records cannot coexist with other record types at the same name. Since the root domain (also called the zone apex or naked domain, e.g. example.com) requires SOA and NS records, standard CNAME records are not allowed there. Use an A record pointing to your server IP, or use your DNS provider's CNAME flattening feature (called ALIAS, ANAME, or CNAME flattening depending on the provider — Cloudflare, Route 53, and DNSimple support this). Subdomains like www.example.com have no such restriction.
How long does CNAME propagation take?
CNAME changes propagate based on the record's TTL (Time-To-Live) value. If the current TTL is 3600 seconds (1 hour), resolvers that cached the old record will serve the old value for up to 1 hour after you make the change. Lower TTLs (300 seconds) reduce propagation time but increase DNS query load. Best practice: lower your TTL to 300 seconds a day before making a CNAME change, make the change, then raise it back to 3600 after confirming propagation.
What is a CNAME chain and should I avoid it?
A CNAME chain occurs when a CNAME points to another CNAME, which may point to yet another — e.g. shop.example.com → cdn.partner.com → edge.cloudfront.net → A record. Each hop adds a DNS resolution step, slightly increasing load time. DNS resolvers follow chains automatically, but most limit chains to 8-10 hops to prevent infinite loops. Avoid chains longer than 2-3 hops. If you control the intermediate domain, flatten the chain by pointing directly to the final CNAME target or A record.