Tools
DNS Propagation Checker
Compare MX and TXT answers from independent public DNS resolvers.
Compare independent resolver answers
This check compares MX and TXT answers from Google Public DNS and Cloudflare 1.1.1.1. Differences usually mean cached answers have not converged or one resolver is temporarily unavailable.
Frequently asked questions
How long should propagation take?
It depends on the previous TTL and resolver cache; it may take minutes or hours.
Does this test every location?
No. It compares two independent public resolvers and should be treated as a practical signal, not a global proof.
What this propagation check compares
The tool asks two independent public resolvers, Google Public DNS and Cloudflare 1.1.1.1, for the MX and TXT records of the domain you enter and shows the answers side by side. If they match, the change is visible to both. If they differ, at least one is still serving an older cached answer. If one resolver cannot be reached, it is reported as unavailable instead of being counted as an empty answer.
TXT values are compared by content, so a long record split into several quoted strings by one resolver still matches the same record shown as one string by the other.
Why DNS changes take time
DNS does not push changes out. Every resolver keeps an answer for as long as its TTL (time to live) allows and only asks again when the TTL expires. If the old MX record had a TTL of 3600 seconds, some resolvers can keep returning it for up to an hour after you save the new one.
Missing answers are cached too. If a resolver looked up a name before you created it, it may remember that the name did not exist for the negative-caching time set by the zone's SOA record. Nameserver changes at the registrar take longer still, because the parent zone's NS records commonly carry TTLs of a day or more.
- Lower the TTL (for example to 300 seconds) a day before a planned change, then raise it again afterwards.
- Make every change at the authoritative DNS provider shown by the domain's NS records.
- Do not delete and re-add a record repeatedly while waiting; it only adds more cached versions.
Reading the result
Both resolvers show the new value: the change is live for most of the internet, and you can run the setup check in the app or the DNS checker. Both show the old value: wait for the previous TTL, or confirm the change was saved at the right provider. They disagree: one cache has refreshed and the other has not; check again later.
Two public resolvers are a useful sample, not a survey of every network. An office or ISP resolver can still hold an older answer for a while.
dig +short MX example.com @8.8.8.8
dig +short MX example.com @1.1.1.1
dig +short TXT _maildock-verify.example.comChecking a Free Domain Mail setup
For a catch-all inbox, the MX answer for the root domain should list only mx.freedomainmail.com. The ownership TXT record lives at _maildock-verify.yourdomain.com rather than at the root, so check that name with the DNS checker or the dig command above; this tool queries the name you enter exactly.
Frequently asked questions
How long does propagation take?
Usually as long as the previous TTL, which is often between five minutes and a few hours. Nameserver changes can take up to 48 hours.
Can I force resolvers to refresh?
Not in general. Some public resolvers offer a cache-flush page, but other caches still wait for the TTL.
Why does my DNS panel show the new value while the tool shows the old one?
The panel shows what is saved. Resolvers keep the old answer until its TTL expires, or the panel is not the authoritative provider for the domain.
Which record types are compared?
MX and TXT for the name you enter.
Overview
Compare MX and TXT answers from independent public DNS resolvers.
Authentication is the foundation
TXT proves control. MX directs incoming mail. SPF, DKIM and DMARC give receivers evidence that your messages are legitimate.