DNS records explained (A, CNAME, MX, TXT)
A plain-English guide to the four DNS record types you'll encounter most often — A, CNAME, MX, and TXT — and what each one does.
DNS records are the instructions that tell the internet where to send visitors, email, and more when someone uses your domain name. There are many record types, but four come up almost every time we work on a site. This guide explains each one clearly.
Quick summary
The four most common DNS record types are: A (points your domain to an IP address), CNAME (points one name to another name), MX (directs email to your mail provider), and TXT (stores text-based verification and security info). You rarely need to edit these yourself — but understanding them helps.
Where DNS records live
DNS records are stored on your domain's nameservers — either at your registrar (like GoDaddy or Namecheap) or at a DNS management service like Cloudflare. Each record has a type, a name, a value, and a TTL (how long it's cached). See What is DNS? if you're new to the concept.
A records
An A record maps a domain name to an IPv4 address — the numeric address of a server.
Example:
| Name | Type | Value | TTL |
|---|---|---|---|
yourbusiness.com | A | 185.199.108.153 | 3600 |
This record says: "When someone visits yourbusiness.com, send them to the server at that IP address." A records are how your domain finds your website.
You may also see AAAA records — these do the same thing but for the newer IPv6 address format. Most hosting providers manage these automatically.
CNAME records
A CNAME record (Canonical Name) maps one name to another name — not to an IP address. It's used for aliases.
Example:
| Name | Type | Value |
|---|---|---|
www | CNAME | yourbusiness.com |
This record says: "When someone visits www.yourbusiness.com, treat it the same as yourbusiness.com." That way, both addresses load your site.
CNAME records are also used to connect services. For example, a Mailchimp signup form or a third-party chat widget might ask you to add a CNAME pointing to their servers.
You can't use a CNAME at the root
You can't point your bare domain (yourbusiness.com — no www) to a CNAME. Your registrar or DNS provider handles this differently — sometimes with a special "ALIAS" or "ANAME" record type. Cloudflare handles this automatically with its own system.
MX records
MX records (Mail Exchange) tell the internet which servers handle incoming email for your domain. Without correct MX records, email sent to you@yourbusiness.com won't arrive.
Example:
| Name | Type | Priority | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
@ | MX | 10 | mail.google.com |
The @ symbol means "the root domain." The priority number tells email servers which server to try first — lower numbers have higher priority. Most providers give you two or more MX records for reliability.
MX records are set by whoever provides your email — Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Zoho, or others. See Email DNS records for the full picture.
TXT records
TXT records store plain text information about your domain. They're used for verification and email security.
Common TXT record uses:
- Domain ownership verification — Google, Microsoft, and others ask you to add a TXT record to prove you control the domain. See Verifying domain ownership.
- SPF — tells receiving email servers which senders are authorized to send email for your domain. See SPF records, explained.
- DKIM — a cryptographic signature that proves emails really came from you. See DKIM records, explained.
- DMARC — sets a policy for how email providers should handle messages that fail SPF or DKIM checks. See DMARC records, explained.
Example:
| Name | Type | Value |
|---|---|---|
@ | TXT | v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all |
Other record types
You may encounter these less often:
| Type | What it does |
|---|---|
| NS | Nameserver records — define which nameservers are authoritative for your domain |
| SOA | Start of Authority — internal record set automatically by your DNS provider |
| SRV | Service records — used for some VoIP, chat, and Microsoft 365 services |
| CAA | Certificate Authority Authorization — controls which authorities can issue SSL certificates for your domain |
Common questions
Related guides
- What is DNS?
- Nameservers vs DNS records
- Email DNS records (MX, SPF, DKIM, DMARC)
- Verifying domain ownership
- Common DNS problems & fixes
Need a hand?
Learn more
What is DNS?
A plain-English explanation of the Domain Name System — how it works, why it matters, and what it has to do with your website and email.
How to find where your domain is registered
Step-by-step guide to finding out which registrar holds your domain name, even if you didn't set it up yourself.