DNS propagation is the period between when you change a DNS record and when those changes are visible to users everywhere. DNS records are cached by resolvers around the world based on their TTL (Time to Live) value. Until that cache expires, resolvers serve the old record — which is why different users in different locations may see different results immediately after a DNS change.
Why DNS Changes Do Not Take Effect Immediately
When a resolver queries a DNS record, it caches the result for the TTL duration. If the TTL is 86400 seconds (24 hours), any resolver that cached the old record will not re-query the authoritative server for up to 24 hours — even after you have updated the record.
How to Speed Up DNS Propagation
- Lower your TTL before making changes — Set TTL to 300 seconds (5 minutes) at least 24 hours before the planned change. Once propagated, resolvers re-check frequently, so your change takes effect quickly everywhere.
- After the change is confirmed — Raise TTL back to a higher value (3600–86400) to reduce DNS query load.
How to Check DNS Propagation
Use our DNS Lookup tool to query specific DNS servers to see what they are returning. Free tools like dnschecker.org show results from dozens of locations simultaneously.
DNS Propagation Timelines by Change Type
| Change Type | Typical Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| A record (low TTL) | 5–15 minutes | If TTL was pre-lowered |
| A record (standard TTL) | 1–24 hours | Depends on existing cached TTL |
| MX record | 1–24 hours | Email disruption during transition |
| Name server change | 24–72 hours | Registrar propagation adds delay |
| Domain transfer | Up to 7 days | ICANN lock periods apply |
People Also Ask
- Why do I see the new site but my colleague still sees the old one?
- You are querying a resolver that has already fetched the new record. Your colleague's resolver still has the old record cached. This is normal during propagation — different resolvers around the world update at different times as their individual caches expire.
- Does clearing my browser cache help with DNS propagation?
- Clearing your browser cache does not help — DNS caching happens at the operating system and resolver level, not in the browser. Flush your OS DNS cache (ipconfig /flushdns on Windows, sudo dscacheutil -flushcache on Mac) to force a fresh lookup on your device.
Related: Flush DNS cache | DNS records | DNS Lookup