A DNS zone contains records that direct websites, email and other services. Choose the record type that matches the service's instructions and edit the zone that is actually authoritative for your domain.
IN THIS ARTICLE
01 Common record types
| Record | Use | Typical value |
|---|---|---|
| A | Map a hostname to IPv4 | 192.0.2.10 |
| AAAA | Map a hostname to IPv6 | 2001:db8::10 |
| CNAME | Alias a hostname to another hostname | target.example.net |
| MX | Choose incoming mail servers | Priority plus mail-server hostname |
| TXT | Publish verification or policy text | The exact value supplied by the service |
| SRV | Locate a named service | Priority, weight, port and target |
| NS | Identify authority for a zone or delegated child | Nameserver hostname |
| CAA | Express certificate-issuance policy | Flags, tag and permitted issuer value |
| PTR | Map an IP address back to a hostname | Hostname in the authorised reverse zone |
02 Email policies use TXT records
SPF, DKIM and DMARC are email-authentication mechanisms commonly published through TXT records. They are not interchangeable policies. Use the exact owner name and value from the mail provider, including the DKIM selector and the _dmarc label.
MX controls incoming mail routing. It does not authorise outgoing senders or create mailboxes. Changing the website A record also does not automatically change MX.
03 Name, TTL and priority
The name identifies the owner of the record. Depending on the editor, the zone apex can be represented by @, the full domain or a blank value. Follow the current form and preview to avoid creating a doubled domain name.
TTL controls how long a DNS answer may be cached. Lowering it does not erase answers already cached under the previous value. For MX, smaller priority values are preferred. A CNAME target is a hostname, not a URL with a path.
Can an apex CNAME coexist with the zone's other records?
SOA and provider-owned records may be managed automatically. DNSSEC records and parent DS require a signing workflow. Reverse DNS requires authority over the IP's reverse zone; adding a PTR to an ordinary forward zone is not enough.
A CNAME normally cannot share an owner name with unrelated record data. Provider-specific apex flattening is a separate capability, so do not assume every editor accepts an apex CNAME.
04 Make a reviewed change
Open the correct domain in DNS Manager, preserve a backup and use the type-specific editor. Review the final values before applying. Verify the authoritative answer and the affected service afterward, allowing for existing cache lifetimes.
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