CNAME Lookup

Check CNAME records (DNS aliases) for any subdomain across 12 global resolvers. Free real-time DNS propagation checker.

What is a CNAME record?

A CNAME record ("canonical name") points one hostname to another hostname. When a resolver follows a CNAME, it then resolves the target name to get the actual IP. CNAMEs are commonly used to point custom subdomains at managed services (CDNs, SaaS apps, email providers).

When to check a CNAME

• Verifying that a custom domain is correctly pointed at a CDN or platform (Vercel, Netlify, Shopify, Cloudflare, etc.)
• Diagnosing why a SaaS connector says your domain isn't pointed correctly
• Confirming a CNAME has been removed after a migration

Reading the results

A CNAME row shows the target hostname, often with a trailing dot (cdn.example.net.). Resolvers usually chase the CNAME: meaning they also resolve the target and return its A/AAAA records: but WhereIsDNS shows you the CNAME itself, not the chased result. If you see "(no records)" but the domain works in a browser, the CNAME might exist with a target that itself has the actual answer.

Common errors and pitfalls

• CNAME at the apex: most providers reject this; some offer "flattening" or "ALIAS" pseudo-records that publish A records server-side instead.
• CNAME pointing to a CNAME pointing to a CNAME...: long chains slow down every resolution and risk hitting the resolver's recursion limit. Two hops is fine; ten is asking for trouble.
• CNAME and TXT/MX on the same name: forbidden by spec. Many providers will silently drop the conflicting records, causing email or verification to break.
• SaaS provider says "domain not pointed correctly": usually a CNAME mismatch. Double-check the exact target string the provider documented.

FAQ

Can the apex of a domain be a CNAME?

Strictly speaking, no: the DNS spec forbids CNAMEs at the zone apex (e.g., example.com itself). Some DNS providers offer "CNAME flattening," "ALIAS," or "ANAME" pseudo-records that mimic CNAMEs at the apex by resolving the target server-side and publishing the resulting A records.

Can a single hostname have a CNAME and other records?

No. The DNS rule is "if a name has a CNAME, it can't have any other records." That's why mail-record (MX) configuration on apex domains can't coexist with CNAMEs.

Why does my browser show one IP but the CNAME points elsewhere?

The browser already chased the CNAME to its final A/AAAA. WhereIsDNS shows the intermediate CNAME hop. To see the final IP, look up the target hostname directly with type=A.

Are CNAMEs case-sensitive?

No. DNS names are case-insensitive in all standard tooling. CDN.Example.NET and cdn.example.net resolve to the same place.

Does a CNAME affect TTL?

Each CNAME has its own TTL, and so does the target it points to. The effective cache time is the shorter of the two. If you want fast updates, you need short TTLs at every hop.

Background reading

See the DNS Records Explained guide for how CNAMEs fit into the bigger picture.