AAAA Record LookupDNS Tools
IPv6 addresses from a domain's AAAA records, with TTL.
What is an AAAA record, and how to check yours
An AAAA record points a domain name at an IPv6 address, the way an A record points it at IPv4. Check both, follow any CNAME first, and you know whether your site can be reached over IPv6.
Why a missing or wrong AAAA record matters
An A record holds an IPv4 address, four numbers such as 93.184.216.34. An AAAA record holds an IPv6 address, such as 2606:4700::6810:84e5. The name comes from the address size: 128 bits, four times the 32 bits of IPv4.
A missing AAAA record is common and not an error, because visitors on IPv4 still reach the site through the A record. A wrong one is a real problem. Clients that use IPv6 connect to the AAAA address, and if it points at an old server, those visitors get a broken site while everyone on IPv4 sees a working one.
Look up the AAAA, A, and CNAME records
The AAAA Record Lookup lists the IPv6 addresses published for a name. A name with none gets a plain message instead of an empty table. You pick the resolver: a public one, or the domain's own name servers. The authoritative servers read the zone as it is now, while a public resolver may still hold an older cached answer.
The A Record Lookup runs the same check for IPv4, with the TTL of each address, so you can compare the two sides. If the name is an alias, the CNAME Lookup follows it hop by hop, up to eight hops. A name that is a CNAME should not have its own A or AAAA records, because the target name holds them.
Check a domain's AAAA record
- Enter the hostname, for example www.example.com, in the CNAME Lookup. If it is an alias, note the final target.
- Look up that final name in the AAAA Record Lookup, using the domain's own name servers for the current answer.
- Look up the same name in the A Record Lookup to see its IPv4 addresses.
- Check that the IPv6 and IPv4 addresses belong to the same server or hosting provider.
- If you changed a record recently and a public resolver still shows the old one, wait out the old TTL and look again.
What a DNS lookup can't tell you
- It shows the records, not whether your own network can route IPv6.
- It does not say where a server is. The tools return addresses, not cities or countries.
- ALIAS and ANAME records used by some DNS hosts are not CNAMEs and do not appear in the CNAME chain.
- A cached answer can outlive a change for as long as the old TTL.
Frequently asked questions
What is an AAAA record in DNS?
A record that maps a hostname to an IPv6 address.
What is the difference between an A record and an AAAA record?
An A record holds an IPv4 address and an AAAA record holds an IPv6 address. A name can have both.
Does every domain need an AAAA record?
No. Without one, the site still works over IPv4. IPv6-only clients need an AAAA record to connect by name.
Why does my AAAA record look shorter than other IPv6 addresses?
IPv6 addresses are often written compressed, with leading zeros dropped and a run of zero groups written as ::. The short and full forms are the same address.
Related tools
Tools used in this guide
A Record LookupDNS Tools
IPv4 addresses from a domain's A records, with TTL.
CNAME LookupDNS Tools
The CNAME target for a name, and the rest of the alias chain.
