CNAME Record Lookup
Trace Alias Chains Instantly
Enter any domain to discover its CNAME records and follow the full alias chain to the canonical hostname.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a CNAME record?
A CNAME (Canonical Name) record maps one domain name to another. For example, www.example.com might have a CNAME pointing to example.com or to a CDN like d1234.cloudfront.net. It acts as an alias, allowing one domain to resolve to the IP address of another domain.
Can a CNAME record point to another CNAME?
Yes, CNAME records can form a chain where one alias points to another alias, which eventually resolves to an A or AAAA record. However, long CNAME chains add latency and are generally discouraged. Most DNS providers limit chain depth to prevent infinite loops.
Can the root domain have a CNAME record?
Technically, RFC 1034 prohibits CNAME records at the zone apex (e.g. example.com without www). This is because CNAME records cannot coexist with other record types, and the apex must have SOA and NS records. Some providers offer workarounds like ALIAS or ANAME records.
What is the difference between CNAME and A records?
An A record maps a domain directly to an IP address (e.g. 93.184.216.34), while a CNAME maps a domain to another domain name. When a resolver hits a CNAME, it must perform an additional lookup to find the final IP address. A records are more direct and slightly faster.
How long does a CNAME change take to propagate?
Propagation depends on the TTL (Time To Live) of the old record. If the previous CNAME had a TTL of 3600 seconds (1 hour), it may take up to an hour for all resolvers worldwide to pick up the new value. Lowering TTL before making changes can speed up propagation.
Complete Guide: How to Use the CNAME Lookup Tool
Look up CNAME (Canonical Name) records for any domain. A CNAME record creates an alias from one domain name to another, commonly used for subdomains, CDN configuration, and service delegation. Our tool follows CNAME chains and shows the final resolved IP address.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- 1
Enter a domain or subdomain
Type the domain you want to check for CNAME records (e.g., www.example.com, blog.example.com).
- 2
Run the lookup
The tool queries DNS for CNAME records at the specified domain. Results appear in seconds.
- 3
View the CNAME chain
See the CNAME target and any chains (CNAME pointing to another CNAME). The tool follows the chain to the final A record.
- 4
Verify the configuration
Check that the CNAME points to the correct target and the final resolution resolves to an accessible IP.
Common Use Cases
- ✓CDN setup — verify CNAME records point to your CDN provider (e.g., d123.cloudfront.net)
- ✓Custom domains — check that custom domain CNAMEs are configured for SaaS services (GitHub Pages, Vercel, etc.)
- ✓Email configuration — verify DKIM CNAMEs for email services like Google Workspace or Microsoft 365
- ✓Subdomain routing — confirm subdomains resolve through the correct CNAME chain
- ✓Troubleshooting — diagnose CNAME loops or broken chains causing resolution failures
- ✓Migration — verify CNAME updates after moving services between providers
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