A record
An A record connects a name, such as example.com or www.example.com, to the IPv4 address of the server that answers for it. It is the most common DNS record: when you type a website's name, an A record is usually what tells your browser where to go.
| Record type | A |
|---|---|
| Type number | 1 |
| Used for | Websites |
| How common | Everyday |
| Defined in | RFC 1035 |
Format
<name> <ttl> IN A <IPv4 address>
| Field | What it means | Accepted values |
|---|---|---|
| Name | The name being pointed. @ is the domain itself; www is www.example.com. | A host name. Letters, digits and hyphens, up to 63 characters between dots and 253 in total. * for a wildcard. |
| TTL | How long resolvers may keep the answer before asking again. | Seconds. 300 to 3600 is typical; many DNS hosts offer Auto. |
| Address | The server's IPv4 address. | Four numbers from 0 to 255 separated by dots, such as 192.0.2.10. No port, no http://, no name. |
Check an A record
Type or paste a record in zone-file form (name, TTL, type, value) or just its value. Each part is explained as you type.
A valid A record.
| Part | What it means |
|---|---|
| Name@ | @ means the domain itself (the root, or apex), such as example.com. |
| TTL3600 | Resolvers may keep this answer for 1 hour before asking again. Changes can take that long to reach everyone. |
| ClassIN | Internet. Every record you'll write uses IN. |
| TypeA | IPv4 address. |
| Address192.0.2.10 | An address reserved for documentation. Fine in examples; replace it with your server's address. |
Examples
The domain itself
@ 3600 IN A 192.0.2.10
example.com goes to 192.0.2.10.
A subdomain
app 300 IN A 198.51.100.7
app.example.com goes to a different server. A short TTL makes a later move quicker.
Several servers
@ 300 IN A 192.0.2.10 @ 300 IN A 192.0.2.11
Two A records at the same name. Resolvers return both and clients pick one, a simple way to spread load. There's no health checking: if one server is down, some visitors still get it.
Wildcard
* 3600 IN A 192.0.2.10
Any name under example.com without its own records, such as anything.example.com, goes to 192.0.2.10.
How an A record is used
When a browser opens example.com, it asks a resolver (usually run by your internet provider, or a public one such as 1.1.1.1 or 8.8.8.8) for the A records of example.com. The resolver asks the domain's nameservers, caches the answer for the TTL, and hands back the address. The browser then connects to that address.
A records only hold addresses. They know nothing about ports, paths or https: the web server decides which site to show using the name the browser sends. That's why many websites can share one IP address.
A record or CNAME?
Use an A record when you know the server's IP address and it rarely changes, such as your own server or a host that gives you a fixed address. Use a CNAME when a service gives you a host name instead, such as yourshop.myshopify.com or cname.vercel-dns.com, so they can change their addresses without you editing anything.
At the root of a domain (@) you can't use a CNAME. Use an A record with the address your host gives you, or an ALIAS record if your DNS host offers one.
See it on a real domain
Or use the full A record lookup.
TTL
3600 (one hour) suits a stable server. Drop it to 300 a day before you move servers so the change spreads in minutes, then raise it again afterwards. How TTL works
Common mistakes
- Putting a name or a web address in the value. An A record takes only an IPv4 address; for a name use a CNAME.
- Putting an IPv6 address in an A record. IPv6 addresses go in AAAA records.
- Adding an A record at a name that already has a CNAME. A name with a CNAME can't have anything else, so most DNS hosts refuse it.
- Leaving an old A record next to a new one after moving servers, so some visitors still reach the old server.
- Using a private address such as 192.168.1.10 for a public website. It only works on your own network.
At your DNS host
- Cloudflare: the orange cloud (Proxied) answers with Cloudflare's addresses instead of yours, so a lookup won't show the address you entered. Grey cloud (DNS only) publishes your address as it is.
- Route 53: leave Record name blank for the domain itself. For AWS load balancers and CloudFront, use an Alias record instead of a fixed address.
- GoDaddy, Namecheap: type @ in Host or Name for the domain itself, and remove any parking A record the registrar added first.
- Most dashboards add the domain for you: type www, not www.example.com, or you may end up with www.example.com.example.com.
Questions
What does an A record do?
It tells the internet which IPv4 address a name lives at. When someone visits example.com, their browser looks up its A record and connects to that address.
Can a domain have more than one A record?
Yes. Several A records at the same name are all returned, and clients spread their connections between them. There's no health checking, so remove an address as soon as its server goes away.
What does A stand for?
Address. The AAAA record is the IPv6 version, named because IPv6 addresses are four times as long (128 bits instead of 32).
How long does an A record change take to work?
Up to the old record's TTL. Resolvers that cached the old address keep using it until the TTL runs out, so lower the TTL before a planned change.
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