Skip to main content
Login

Did my record work?

How long a new DNS record takes, how to check it, the usual reasons it didn't work, and when to ask for help.

Updated

Domain companies word their screens differently, so follow your company's own help where it differs from these pages. General information, not technical or legal advice.

Press the check button at the company that asked you to add the record. If it says the record isn’t there, wait and press it again. If it still says no after a day or two, read your own line against what they gave you.

How long does a new record take?

Often under an hour. Most changes work within an hour and can take up to 48 hours to reach everyone, and Google allows up to 72 hours for some. Part of the wait is that computers keep a saved copy of the old answer for a while (the TTL) before they ask again.

Do this

  1. Press the check button at the company that asked you. Theirs is the answer that matters most, because they are the ones who will use the record.
  2. Open your domain’s DNS settings and find the line you added. Read it against what they gave you: the type, the name and the value.
  3. Look for the usual mistakes in the next section.
  4. Look the record up yourself. Open Google’s free Dig tool and type the full address the record is for, like portal.yourbusiness.com. For a TXT record, put txt: in front of the name. The value it shows should match the value you were given.
  5. For an SPF or DMARC record, Surmado’s free SPF checker and DMARC checker read what is published for your domain. They check those two kinds of record and nothing else.
  6. Wait, then check again. See the times above.

Why didn’t my record work?

Read your line for each of these.

  • Your domain shows up twice in the name. If the line reads portal.yourbusiness.com.yourbusiness.com, delete it and add it again as portal. Most domain companies add your domain for you.
  • The value has a typo or is cut off. Delete the line and paste the value again, whole.
  • You added it at the wrong company. The company you bought your domain from doesn’t always keep your list. The two can be different companies. See Who has my domain.
  • It wasn’t saved. Some companies have a second save button when you add several records at once. Open your list again and make sure the line is there.
  • The company expects the name written another way. If your line looks right and still isn’t found, ask the company that gave it to you exactly what goes in the Name box. For a TXT record, Google’s help suggests trying your full domain name there.
If the name they gave you was already in your list

What if the name was already in my list?

Don’t delete the line that was there first. If you added a second line that starts v=spf1, that is the problem: a domain can have one SPF record. Delete the line you added, then ask the company that gave it to you what to add to the line you already had. For anything else, the section in Add a record says when to go ahead and when to ask.

When should I ask for help?

If two days have passed and your line matches what you were given, ask the company that asked you to add it. Send them a screenshot of your DNS list. If they say your line is right, ask your domain company’s support. You can leave the line in place while you wait. If you want it gone, delete the one line you added.

What you get back

An answer to “did it work”: yes, not yet, or a mistake you can see and fix.

Next: Add a record to your domain

Sources

  1. GoDaddy Help, Add a CNAME record
  2. Google Workspace Admin Help, Troubleshoot TXT records
  3. Google Admin Toolbox, Dig
  4. Microsoft Learn, Find your domain registrar and DNS hosting provider
  5. Google Workspace Admin Help, About SPF records

Common questions

How long does a new DNS record take to work?

Often under an hour. It can take up to two days, and Google allows up to three for some changes. Press the check button at the company that asked you, wait, and press it again.

Why does the company say my record isn't there?

Usually one of four things. The name has your domain in it twice, the value has a typo, you added it at a company that doesn't keep your list, or the record wasn't saved. Read your line against what they gave you, and look for each one.

How do I look a record up myself?

Google's free Dig tool at toolbox.googleapps.com shows what is published for a name. Type the full address the record is for, like portal.yourbusiness.com. For a TXT record, put "txt:" in front of the name. For SPF and DMARC records, Surmado's free SPF checker and DMARC checker read them for you.

When should I ask for help?

If two days have passed and your line matches what you were given, ask the company that asked you to add it, and send a screenshot of your list. If they say the line is right, ask your domain company.