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CNAME Checker

Check a hostname's CNAME record and see exactly where it points: the target, TTL, every step of the chain and the final IP address. Enter a hostname such as www.example.com.

Common CNAME problems

CNAME record not found

The record was never saved, was added to the wrong zone, or was created on a name you did not mean (for example www.example.com.example.com when the DNS panel appends the domain for you). If you just added it, the old answer may still be cached until its TTL runs out.

CNAME points to the wrong hostname

Values copied from Vercel, Shopify, Azure or a SaaS custom-domain screen are easy to get slightly wrong: a missing character, the project name instead of the DNS target, or a trailing dot handled differently by your DNS provider. Compare the target shown here with the one your provider gives you, character by character.

The record shows as A, not CNAME, on Cloudflare

With Cloudflare's proxy (orange cloud) turned on, Cloudflare answers with its own IP addresses and hides the CNAME. That is expected. Services that verify your domain by reading the CNAME, such as Vercel or Shopify, may need the record set to DNS only (grey cloud).

CNAME works in some places but not others

Resolvers cache answers for the record's TTL, so after a change some networks see the old value for a while. This checker asks public resolvers directly, which is a good indication of what new visitors see.

CNAME conflicts with another record

A name with a CNAME cannot have any other record type, such as A, MX or TXT. Most DNS providers refuse to save the conflict; some keep the old A record and ignore the CNAME. Delete the other records on that name first.

CNAME on the root domain

The DNS standard does not allow a CNAME on the apex (example.com), because the apex must carry SOA and NS records. Use your provider's ALIAS, ANAME or CNAME flattening feature, or the A records your platform provides.

How to check a CNAME record

  1. Enter the full hostname you want to inspect, for example www.example.com or shop.example.com.
  2. Click Check CNAME.
  3. Review the target, TTL and whether the chain ends in a working IP address.
  4. If you changed the record recently, wait for the old TTL to pass and check again.

What is a CNAME record?

A CNAME (canonical name) record makes one hostname an alias of another. Instead of pointing to an IP address, it says "look up this other name instead". The resolver follows it and returns the addresses of the target.

That is why platforms such as Vercel, Netlify, Shopify, Heroku and most SaaS products ask for a CNAME on your custom domain. They can move their servers and change IP addresses without you ever touching your DNS, because your name follows theirs.

A CNAME can point to another CNAME, forming a chain. Each step costs an extra lookup, and a chain that loops back on itself never resolves, so this checker shows every step and flags loops.

TTL (time to live) is how many seconds resolvers may cache the answer. A TTL of 300 means a change can take up to five minutes to reach everyone who looked it up recently; 86400 means up to a day.

www.example.com.      300  IN  CNAME  cname.vercel-dns.com.
cname.vercel-dns.com.  60  IN  A      76.76.21.21

When to use a CNAME checker

Vercel says Invalid Configuration

You added www pointing to cname.vercel-dns.com but the dashboard still complains. Check whether the record is actually visible publicly and spelled exactly as Vercel expects.

Connecting a domain to Shopify

Shopify expects www to be a CNAME to shops.myshopify.com. Confirm the target before you click Verify, so you are not waiting on a typo.

Onboarding SaaS custom domains

If your customers point their own domains at your app, check their CNAME before you issue a certificate or mark the domain active.

Moving DNS to Cloudflare

After changing nameservers, confirm every important CNAME came across and still resolves to the right target.

Check something else

Frequently asked questions

How long does a CNAME change take to propagate?

Up to the old record's TTL for anyone who looked it up recently, often 5 minutes to an hour. New visitors usually see the change almost immediately. If you changed nameservers rather than the record, allow up to 48 hours.

Can a CNAME point to another CNAME?

Yes. Resolvers follow the chain, but every step adds a lookup and another place for something to break. Keep chains short, and avoid pointing at names you do not control unless the provider tells you to.

Can I use a CNAME at the root domain?

Not under the DNS standard. Providers work around it with ALIAS, ANAME or CNAME flattening, which resolve the target themselves and answer with A records. Cloudflare flattens a root CNAME automatically.

What is the difference between a CNAME and an A record?

An A record maps a name to an IPv4 address. A CNAME maps a name to another name, and the resolver then looks up that name's addresses. Use a CNAME when a provider may change its IP addresses.

Why does my CNAME work on my computer but not here?

Your computer or router may still be caching an older answer, or your hosts file may override it. This checker asks public resolvers, which reflects what most visitors see.

Why does Cloudflare not show my CNAME?

Proxied records (orange cloud) are answered with Cloudflare's own IP addresses, so the CNAME target is hidden from the public. Switch the record to DNS only if a service needs to see the real CNAME.

Stop checking manually

A record that works today can be deleted, mistyped during a migration or left behind when a provider changes. TinyPing checks the site behind it every 5 minutes and alerts you when:

  • the hostname stops resolving
  • the site returns an error or times out
  • an expired certificate breaks HTTPS
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