DNS records explained: A, CNAME, MX, TXT in plain English
The 4 record types you'll touch 95% of the time and what each one does.
6 min read beginnerUpdated Apr 4, 2025
BI
Reviewed by the editorial team · Apr 4, 2025
Step by step
- 01
A record
Points a domain to an IPv4 address. example.com → 76.76.21.21.
- 02
CNAME record
Points one hostname to another. www.example.com → example.com.
- 03
MX record
Tells the internet where your email lives. Required for Google Workspace, Microsoft 365.
- 04
TXT record
Plain text — used for domain verification, SPF, DKIM, DMARC.
- 05
TTL
How long DNS servers cache the record. Lower TTL = faster updates, more lookups.
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