Propagation Studio
Global DNS propagation checker
Change a DNS record and watch it roll out across the world. Propagation Studio checks your record live from dozens of locations, so you know exactly who is already seeing the new answer.
Why propagation takes time
When you change a DNS record, the new value has to reach resolvers all over the world. Each resolver keeps the old answer until the record’s TTL (time to live) expires, so for a while some networks see the new record and others still see the old one. That in-between state is what people mean by “DNS propagation”.
Checked from real locations
Propagation Studio queries your record from dozens of independent vantage points on our own resolver network and shows you each answer side by side. Where they agree, the change has landed. Where they differ, those locations are still holding a cached copy that will expire on its own.
What you can check
Look up A and AAAA addresses, MX mail servers, NS delegation, TXT records (including SPF, DKIM and DMARC), and CNAME aliases. Lower your TTL before a planned change and propagation finishes faster; there is nothing you can do to force a resolver to drop a cached answer early.
Frequently asked
How long does DNS propagation take?
Usually minutes to a few hours, bounded by the record’s TTL. A record with a 3600-second TTL can take up to an hour for the last cached copies to expire. Registrar or nameserver changes (NS records) can take longer because parent-zone TTLs are often 24–48 hours.
Can I speed it up?
Lower the TTL a day or two before the change so caches expire quickly, then make the change. You cannot force already-cached answers to clear early — you can only wait out their TTL.
Why do some locations still show the old record?
Those resolvers cached the previous answer and will keep serving it until its TTL runs out. It is normal and resolves itself; nothing is broken.