DNS propagation explained

When you change your domain’s nameservers or DNS records, the change is saved straight away, but not everyone sees it straight away. This delay is called DNS propagation.

Why it happens

To load websites faster, internet providers and devices keep a copy (a cache) of DNS answers for a while. Until their copy expires, they keep using the old answer. So for a time, some people see your new site and others still see the old one, or an error.

How long it takes

Change	Usually visible within	Can take up to
Editing a DNS record (A, CNAME, MX, TXT…)	30 minutes to a few hours	24 hours
Changing nameservers	A few hours	24–48 hours
New domain registration	Minutes	A few hours

Each record’s TTL (time to live) sets how long it can be cached. If you’re planning a move, lower the TTL to 300 seconds a day beforehand, so the change spreads faster.

Propagation can’t be sped up from our side. Changing DNS records again during propagation restarts the wait.

Check progress

Use a global checker such as whatsmydns.net to see what DNS servers around the world return for your domain.
Try your phone on mobile data, which often uses a different DNS cache from your home or office network.
See Checking a domain’s WHOIS and nameservers.

Clear the cache on your own computer

Your computer and browser keep their own cache. To clear it:

Windows: open Command Prompt and run ipconfig /flushdns
macOS: open Terminal and run sudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder
Linux (systemd): run resolvectl flush-caches
Browser: close and reopen it, or try a private window.

See your new site before propagation finishes

You can preview your site on Ruachost by pointing your own computer at the new server. See Editing the hosts file on Windows, macOS and Linux. Remember to undo the change afterwards.

Still not working after 48 hours?

The change was probably made in the wrong place. See My DNS changes aren’t working.