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DNS basics for store owners: A records, CNAMEs and email (MX) records

A plain-English guide to the DNS records behind your store and email, what to copy before a move, and how to avoid breaking your site or inbox.

By Orvexa TeamUpdated 3 min read
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Photo: Fredericknoronha, CC BY 4.0 · All photo credits
Key takeaways
  • DNS is the address book that tells the internet where your site and email live
  • Copy every record before changing anything, especially MX and TXT records for email
  • Lower the TTL a day ahead to make changes spread faster

DNS sounds technical, but a store owner only needs a handful of ideas. Understand them and a domain change stops being frightening.

What DNS does

DNS (Domain Name System) turns a name like yourbrand.com into the address of the computer that serves your site. It also tells the world where your email goes. You manage it at your domain registrar or DNS provider.

The records you will meet

RecordWhat it doesExample use
APoints a name to an IPv4 addressyourbrand.com to your store's server
AAAASame, for IPv6Optional
CNAMEPoints a name to another namewww.yourbrand.com to your store's address
MXSays where email is deliveredGoogle Workspace, Zoho Mail, etc.
TXTHolds text for verification and email securitySPF, DKIM, DMARC, site verification
NSNames the servers that hold your DNSSet at the registrar

Apex and www

The "apex" is the bare domain (yourbrand.com). The "www" version is a subdomain. Many platforms ask for an A record at the apex and a CNAME for www. Set both, and redirect one to the other so that you have a single main address.

Email records matter most

If your business email uses your domain, its MX and TXT records must stay exactly as they are when you point the website elsewhere. The usual mistake is deleting all records and starting again. Copy them first. Records like SPF, DKIM and DMARC help your mail avoid spam folders, so keep them too.

TTL and propagation

TTL (time to live) is how long servers remember an answer, in seconds. A TTL of 3,600 means about an hour. After you change a record, different networks see the change at different times, which is why "propagation" can take up to 48 hours. Lower the TTL to 300 a day before a planned move, then raise it afterwards.

A safe change routine

  1. Screenshot all existing records.
  2. Lower the TTL a day ahead.
  3. Add the new A and CNAME records (or edit the existing ones).
  4. Leave MX and TXT records alone unless you are changing email too.
  5. Check the site from another network, such as mobile data, and send a test email to your domain.
  6. Raise the TTL again when all is well.

Checking your work

Free online DNS lookup tools show what the world sees. If something is wrong, restore the old records from your screenshot, which is why you took it.

Where to learn more

Read connect vs transfer and how to migrate.

What to do next

Log in to your registrar and view your DNS records today. Knowing what you have, before you need to change it, is half the job.

Frequently asked questions

Why is my new site not showing after I changed DNS?

Your device may be using a cached answer. Wait, try mobile data, and check that the records are exactly as your platform says.

Do I need an A record or a CNAME?

Use what your platform tells you. Many use an A record for the bare domain and a CNAME for www.

Can I break my email by changing my website records?

Yes, if you delete or change MX and TXT records. Leave them alone unless you are moving email too.

Topics:dnsmx recordscnamedomainemail

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