DNS records explained: A, CNAME, MX and TXT for business owners

Short answer: DNS records are the instructions that tell the internet where your domain's website and email live. An A record points a name to a server's IP address, a CNAME points a name to another name, an MX record says which service receives your email, and a TXT record holds text that other services read, usually to prove you own the domain or to protect your email. Change one record at a time, write down the old value first, and expect changes to take minutes to a few days to reach everyone.

You'll usually meet DNS when a new website, email provider or marketing tool says "add this record to your DNS". The dashboard is often at your domain registrar or your web host, and it looks more dangerous than it is, as long as you don't delete things you don't understand.

First: where is your DNS?

Before changing anything, find out which company actually answers DNS for your domain. It isn't always where you bought the domain. Look up your domain's nameservers (your registrar shows them, or use any online "NS lookup"). Whatever company those nameservers belong to is where record changes must be made. Editing records anywhere else does nothing.

"I want to…" (organized by task)

…point my domain at a new website

Records involved: A (and sometimes AAAA), CNAME.

An A record maps a name to an IPv4 address; an AAAA record does the same for IPv6, as Cloudflare's DNS docs describe.
Your web host gives you either an IP address (use A records) or a hostname such as yoursite.hostingplatform.com (use a CNAME).
Typical setup: the bare domain (example.ca, shown as @) gets an A record to the host's IP; www gets a CNAME to the bare domain or to the host's hostname.

Watch for: an old A record for @ or www still pointing at the previous host. Two conflicting records for the same name cause visitors to land on different sites at random. Replace, don't add.

…use a website builder or online store on my own domain

Records involved: usually CNAME for www, plus A records for the bare domain.

Builders and shop platforms publish the exact values. Copy them from the platform's own help page, not from a blog post, because they change.

…move my email to a new provider

Records involved: MX, plus TXT.

An MX record is what delivers email for your domain to a mail server. If it points at the old provider, mail keeps going there.
For Google Workspace, Google's setup help (as of November 2026) gives the MX value as smtp.google.com with priority 1, says to follow your registrar's preferred format (some need a trailing dot), and warns it can take up to 72 hours for new MX records to be recognized.
Remove the old provider's MX records once the new one is set, or mail may be split between the two.

Watch for: your website's A record and your MX records are independent. Changing hosts shouldn't touch MX; changing email shouldn't touch A records. If someone suggests "just switching the nameservers", make sure every existing record, especially MX, is copied to the new DNS host first.

…verify my domain for Google, Microsoft or another tool

Records involved: TXT (sometimes CNAME).

Services ask you to add a TXT record with a unique string to prove you control the domain. Google Search Console, for example, says a DNS record is required to verify a Domain property (as opposed to a URL-prefix property). Add the record exactly as given, wait, then click verify. Leave verification records in place afterward; removing them can un-verify you.

…stop my emails landing in spam

Records involved: TXT (SPF, DMARC) and TXT or CNAME (DKIM).

These are email authentication records, and they deserve their own guide. Short version: each service that sends email as your domain needs to be included, and you should have exactly one SPF record.

…set up a subdomain such as shop. or book.

Records involved: CNAME (most often) or A.

Booking, store, help-desk and landing-page tools usually ask for a CNAME on a subdomain pointing at their hostname. This doesn't affect your main website.

TTL and "propagation"

Every record has a TTL (time to live). Cloudflare's docs explain that it controls how long resolvers cache a record and, as a result, how long it takes for updates to reach your visitors: a longer TTL means faster lookups but slower changes. Cloudflare sets "Auto" to 300 seconds (five minutes) and notes changes can still take longer to show up because of local caches.

Practical tips:

Planning a move? A day or two ahead, lower the TTL on the records you'll change (for example, to five minutes), if your DNS host allows it. Raise it again once the move is done.
Changed something and nothing happened? Check the record with an online DNS lookup tool from several locations before changing it again. Constant re-editing makes troubleshooting harder.
Email moves: allow for the longer window your provider mentions.

Before you touch anything

Screenshot or export every current record.
Change one thing at a time.
Don't delete records you don't recognize without asking. They may be verification, email or an old tool something still depends on.
Note what you changed, when, and why.

FAQ

What's the difference between an A record and a CNAME?

An A record points to an IP address. A CNAME points to another name, which then resolves to an address. Use whichever your host or tool specifies.

Can I have a CNAME on my bare domain?

Standard DNS doesn't normally allow a CNAME at the root alongside the other records there, which is why hosts usually give an IP for @. Some DNS providers offer a workaround (often called CNAME flattening); follow your host's instructions.

Will changing DNS take my website down?

Only if the new values are wrong or something gets deleted. Done carefully, visitors just switch over as caches expire.

Do I need to change DNS when I renew my domain?

No. Renewal keeps the domain registered; your records stay as they are.

If you're about to move a website or email and want the DNS changes checked before anything breaks, send us your domain and what's changing.