Compare the record returned by Google (8.8.8.8) and Cloudflare (1.1.1.1). Side-by-side answers show whether a recent DNS change has taken hold.
Runs entirely in your browser using DNS over HTTPS. No data is stored.
Last updated
What this tool checks
This tool queries one DNS record on Google Public DNS and Cloudflare DNS at the same moment. It then compares the two answers. Matching answers mean the change is live on both. Different answers mean the record is still propagating.
When you change a DNS record, the new value does not appear everywhere at once. Each resolver keeps its own cache. That cache refreshes only when the record’s time-to-live expires.
Until then, some resolvers serve the new value while others hand out the old one. That gap is what people mean by propagation.
How to read the results
Both resolvers returning the same value means the change is live for most visitors. Different values mean one cache has updated and the other has not. No record found means neither resolver holds a record of that type.
- All resolvers agree means Google and Cloudflare return the same value. For most real-world purposes, your change is live.
- Resolvers disagree means the two return different values. Wait for the TTL to expire, then check again.
- No record found means neither resolver has a record of this type. Confirm the record exists and that you picked the right type.
Each row also shows the TTL the resolver currently reports. A TTL near the record’s configured value means a fresh fetch. A small, shrinking TTL means a cached copy that refreshes soon.
How long propagation takes
The record’s TTL sets the ceiling. Most changes appear on major resolvers within minutes to a few hours. Google caps cached TTLs at six hours. Name server changes at the registrar are the slow exception, running 24 to 48 hours.
A record with a one-hour TTL can take an hour to refresh. That happens when a resolver cached the old value moments before your change. Lowering the TTL a day ahead shortens that window.
Google Public DNS also caps every cached TTL at six hours. A record configured for 24 hours still refreshes there within six.
Registrar-side name server changes depend on the parent zone and registrar timing. Confirm that side with a WHOIS lookup.
The negative caching trap
A resolver asked for a record before that record exists caches the miss. RFC 2308 calls this negative caching, and it persists for the SOA minimum time. Create the record first, then query it.
This is the delay most people never think to check. The new record stays invisible on that resolver even after you publish it.
If you queried too early, flush the name by hand. Google offers Flush Cache and Cloudflare offers Purge Cache. Both purge a single name on demand. Re-check here afterward.
What this tool can and cannot show
This is a resolver-level check, not a global map. Google and Cloudflare both run anycast networks, so your query reaches the node nearest you. It answers whether the major public resolvers hold your change.
That makes it a fast answer to one question: have the big resolvers picked up the change? It will not show propagation across dozens of specific countries.
For a worldwide geographic view, a dedicated probe-network service is the right tool.
Frequently asked questions
How long does DNS propagation take?
The record’s TTL sets the ceiling. Most A-record changes appear on major resolvers within minutes to a few hours. Google Public DNS caps cached TTLs at six hours, so even high-TTL records refresh there within that window. Name server changes at the registrar are slower and can take 24 to 48 hours.
Why do Google and Cloudflare show different DNS results?
Each resolver keeps its own independent cache. One may have fetched your record just before the change. It then serves the old value until its TTL expires. Both also run anycast networks, so different nodes can hold different cache states. Disagreement usually means the change is still propagating.
Can I speed up DNS propagation?
Lower the TTL a day before a planned change so caches refresh faster afterward. You cannot force every remote cache to update. Google and Cloudflare both offer public pages that purge a single record on demand. Use those after the change, then re-check here.
Related tools and resources
NetworkCheckr covers the rest of the DNS stack. Inspect every record on a domain, or go deeper on mail and verification records. Reverse a hostname from an IP address. Read the background on how DNS works.
To inspect every record on a domain at once, use the DNS Record Checker. Checking specific types? The MX lookup and TXT lookup go deeper on mail and verification records. To go the other way and find a hostname from an IP, try the reverse DNS lookup.
For the bigger picture, read how DNS works and the rundown of every DNS record type. Changing mail records? Verify them with the SPF, DKIM, and DMARC checker. New to the terminology? The networking glossary defines TTL, anycast, negative caching, and other terms used on this page. Everything lives in the networking tools hub.