What is DNS Propagation

What takes place following a DNS record change for your domain?

Domain DNS zone propagation is the process of making changes to a domain name’s online information.

Propagation occurs whenever a domain’s DNS records are modified, such as when a domain is pointed through nameservers or MX records are added for email use. Next, in order to update the global DNS server network with the most recent data, these changes are transmitted to all of its servers.

It can take up to 24 hours for the propagation process, which is entirely automated. This is because it takes time for all the DNS servers that are presently in service worldwide to receive the adjustments.

Moreover, the duration may vary based on the kind of DNS record. Nameserver or A record modifications, for instance, can propagate in less than a day, and in some cases, even faster. These changes apply a domain name to an IP address. In some unusual cases, the propagation of a particular record may take up to 72 hours.

You can use online tools such as DNS Checker to check the progress. Just insert your domain name, choose the DNS record type, and click Search:

This is a reference regarding the various kinds of results you could receive:

• All cross marks (✘) indicate that the propagation is still pending. This is usually the situation when the record you are looking for is not in the database. It may be a sign of a propagating problem if the record has been there for more than 24 hours in the DNS zone for your domain.
• A mix of checkmarks (✓) and cross marks (✘) indicates that the propagation is ongoing and should be completed on schedule.
• All checkmarks (✓) indicate that the propagation has finished, your record has been changed globally, and it should function as expected.

Once the propagation procedure has been confirmed to be finished, try clearing your device’s DNS cache and recheck if you continue to experience problems.