DNS · Name servers

What types of DNS records are there?

A DNS record is a one-line note that says where to send requests coming to an address. Different types of notes do different jobs, such as running your website, handling email or proving ownership.

You don't need to memorize all the names. But the five below come up often when you talk with an agency, so just knowing what each one does makes the settings screen far less intimidating.

A single domain holds several lines of these records. Your web agency, email service and search tools each add their own line, so you have to be careful that work in one place doesn't delete another's records.

Each DNS record pairs a "name" with a "value." The name field holds the front part of the address, like www or shop, and the value field holds where it should point. Many providers use "@" or leave the name blank to mean the main address itself, so just copy exactly what your agency gives you.

Where do you manage your business's DNS?

DNS records are managed wherever the domain's "name servers" point. When you first buy a domain, the registrar usually handles the name servers, but they've often been switched to a web agency, a hosting company or a separate DNS service.

If you edit records in the registrar's dashboard without knowing who's actually in charge, the changes save but nothing actually happens. You can check which company your name servers currently point to in the registrar's dashboard or with a domain lookup (WHOIS).

For example, if a nail salon has switched web agencies twice, its name servers may still be sitting with the first agency. In that case, move the name servers to the provider you use now and put that account in your own name, and future work becomes much easier.

How do you connect a domain to your website?

Connecting a domain means entering the values your web agency gives you as records in the DNS settings of whoever manages your name servers. Usually you add an A record for the main address and a CNAME record for the www address.

It's not hard, but a single wrong character breaks the connection. If you do it yourself, copy and paste the values your agency gives you, and make a habit of taking a screenshot before you enter anything so you can quickly undo a mistake.

Sometimes a web agency will say, "Please switch your name servers to ours." In that case, instead of adding records one by one, you're handing the whole record book over to the agency, so be sure to confirm that they'll copy your existing records, such as email records, into the new book.

1. 01Log in to your domain registrar's site and find the "DNS management" or "Name server settings" menu.
2. 02Screenshot or write down all the existing records. In particular, don't delete MX or TXT records.
3. 03Check the connection values your web agency gave you (the numeric address for the A record, the address for the CNAME).
4. 04Add a record for the main address and one for the www address, then save.
5. 05A few hours later, turn off Wi-Fi and open both addresses on your phone's mobile data.
6. 06Check that the address opens with https and shows no warning screen.

Why don't DNS changes show up right away?

Because DNS servers all over the internet remember the old record for a while. That memory time is called "TTL," and only after it runs out do they fetch the new record.

So at the very same moment, your phone may show the new website while a customer's phone still shows the old one. Website records usually spread within a few hours, but Google Workspace says email (MX) records can take up to 72 hours to take effect.

If you have a launch or a move coming up, shortening the TTL a day or two before the change makes it take effect faster. Just ask your web agency to set this.

When checking, don't rely on just your own computer; open the site from several places, like mobile data, a different Wi-Fi network and a family member's phone. If only one place shows the old page, that device or connection usually still remembers the old record, and it will update on its own if you wait a little longer.

What happens when DNS settings are wrong?

Most DNS problems show up as "some things work and some don't." The symptoms give you a fair idea of which record is the problem, so mentioning them when you contact your agency speeds up the fix.

If existing records are left out after moving name servers, several of these symptoms can appear at once. For example, if a Pilates studio switched agencies and its website opens fine but booking notification emails haven't arrived for days, the email records are the first thing to suspect.

• Typing the address shows "This site can't be reached": a problem with the A or CNAME record, or the name servers
• It opens with www but not without it (or the reverse): one of the records is missing
• The website works but email doesn't arrive: the MX record is missing or wrong
• Emails you send land in customers' spam folders: a problem with TXT records such as SPF and DKIM
• Search Console suddenly says "ownership not verified": the verification TXT record was deleted

What are common mistakes when changing DNS settings?

The most common mistake is thinking only about the website and deleting email or verification records. Without the email records, mail stops arriving; without the Google Search Console verification record, your search data connection can break.

Another is passing your account password around to several agencies. Where possible, give agencies only the work they need to do, and change the password once the work is done. That's safer.

If you don't know what a record is for, don't delete it on a whim. Even a record that looks old may be doing invisible work, like protecting against email spoofing or verifying a search tool. Simply asking your agency before you delete can prevent a major accident.

• Did you screenshot the records before making changes?
• Are the email (MX) and verification (TXT) records still in place?
• Did you clean up old records pointing to services you no longer use?
• Did you change the registrar account password after the work?