CNAME Lookup

Try Example Domains

Note

Results are retrieved in real time through public DNS resolvers (Google and Cloudflare). Cached TTL values may vary during active DNS propagation.

What Is a CNAME Lookup Tool?

A CNAME lookup tool queries Domain Name System servers to find the Canonical Name record linked to a specific domain or subdomain. In internet architecture, a CNAME record serves as a domain alias that routes traffic from one hostname to another canonical host. When web browsers request a website mapped with a CNAME record, the DNS resolver looks up the alias, identifies the destination target, and resolves the target down to its IP address.

Online services and cloud platforms rely extensively on CNAME records to connect custom domains. When you host a store on Shopify, deploy a web application on Vercel or Netlify, or publish landing pages via Webflow, you configure a CNAME record in your DNS manager that directs your subdomain to their edge servers. Our free online CNAME record checker helps you inspect these configurations in real time to verify whether your records have been published properly.

Beyond website hosting, CNAME records perform vital roles in email deliverability and web security. Modern email platforms utilize DKIM CNAME selectors to rotate encryption keys dynamically without requiring manual DNS updates from domain administrators. In addition, certificate authorities like AWS ACM use verification CNAMEs to confirm domain ownership before issuing SSL/TLS certificates. Our CNAME lookup tool analyzes your hostnames, identifies target services, and displays resolved target IPs in seconds.

How to Check CNAME Records

Follow these easy steps to look up and verify CNAME records for any domain or subdomain.

1

Input the domain or subdomain name (e.g., www.example.com, blog.domain.com, or DKIM selector) in the search bar.

2

Press the Lookup CNAME button to perform DNS queries on the public DNS resolvers.

3

Review the results card containing target canonical hostname, platform provider, and TTL.

4

Check whether the target canonical hostname resolves to an active IP address to make sure that your website or service is up and running.

"Our CNAME resolver service retains subdomains and 'www' prefixes correctly, identifies popular cloud services automatically, and issues RFC 1912 apex warnings if you check a root domain."

Why Use Our CNAME Lookup Tool?

Our CNAME checker provides developers, webmasters, and security specialists with fast, reliable DNS diagnostics.

Verify SaaS Custom Domains

Verify your custom domain configuration on e-commerce and website platforms like Shopify, Webflow, Vercel, and GitHub Pages. Make sure that your alias is configured to point at the target hostname.

Validate Email DKIM Pointers

Check DKIM CNAME selectors for SendGrid, Microsoft 365, Mailchimp, and Google Workspace. Verify that your email authentication keys resolve properly to prevent outgoing emails from landing in spam folders.

Troubleshoot DNS Routing Errors

Spot broken aliases, routing loops, and typos in your DNS zone file instantly. Compare the response from public resolvers to find out about outdated local caches.

Audit Subdomain Takeover Risks

Look for CNAME records that are pointing to cloud objects like retired AWS S3 buckets and Heroku apps. Save your company's reputation from harm by getting rid of weak CNAME records.

Inspect SSL Validation Records

Check the automated domain control verification records of Amazon Certificate Manager, Let's Encrypt, and Sectigo. Ensure that there are no problems with issuing or renewing your SSL certificates.

Terminal-Free Web Diagnostics

Utilize the ability to diagnose by using command line tools such as dig and nslookup in your web browser. Analyze DNS records without having to open a terminal window on desktops and mobiles.

Frequently asked questions about DNS CNAME records and alias lookups.

CNAME Lookup FAQ

The Canonical Name record (also called CNAME record) is the DNS record that maps the domain or sub-domain to the domain name. The difference between the CNAME record and other DNS records such as A record is that CNAME does not refer to the IP address but maps the hostname to the target host.
To validate a CNAME record, all you have to do is enter your subdomain name such as www.yourdomain.com or shop.yourdomain.com and then click on Lookup CNAME. This will instantly fetch your canonical alias, its TTL value, and the corresponding target IP address.
According to the standards in the RFC 1912, CNAME cannot be created at the zone apex (naked root domain, such as example.com). The zone apex needs SOA and NS records, and according to the DNS standard, no other record can exist together with a CNAME. There are other options available for the zone apex, such as using A records, ALIAS records, and CNAME flattening.
The A record is used to map a domain name directly to an IP address (e.g., 192.0.2.1), while a CNAME record is used to map an alias domain name to a different domain name (e.g., shops.myshopify.com), which is then mapped to the IP address by your browser.
CNAME propagation usually completes within a few minutes to a few hours. The exact speed depends on your Time to Live (TTL) setting configured in your DNS zone file. Most modern cloud DNS providers propagate updates globally within 5 to 15 minutes.
Email providers such as SendGrid, Microsoft 365, and Mailchimp make use of DKIM CNAME record to automatically rotate the cryptographic keys. Simply enter your selector host in full (example: s1._domainkey.yourdomain.com, selector1._domainkey.yourdomain.com), and run the test using the tool below.
A dangling CNAME record occurs when your subdomain points to an external cloud resource (like an AWS S3 bucket, Azure App Service, or GitHub Pages site) that you deleted or no longer control. Attackers can register that abandoned resource name and claim control over your subdomain in an attack called subdomain takeover.
No, a CNAME record must always resolve to another domain name/hostname, and not to an IP address. In case you want your hostname to resolve to an IPv4 address, then you can use an A record. For IPv6 addresses, you can use the AAAA record.
Enter dig yoursubdomain.example.com CNAME +short at the terminal on macOS and Linux. Enter nslookup -type=cname yoursubdomain.example.com at the Command Prompt on Windows. The web-based CNAME lookup tool executes these commands automatically in your browser.
The absence of any result during the query can be attributed to the fact that the DNS server has not updated the information, you have used the root apex domain name rather than the sub-domain name, or the server is using the A record itself. Ensure that your DNS service provider has posted the record.

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Disclaimer

CNAME records are retrieved in real-time from public DNS resolvers (Google & Cloudflare). There may be variations as DNS propagation and caching by providers is still ongoing. The application does not log any of your domain queries.