ESC

Cname Record Generator

CNAME Record Generator is a free online tool for creating properly formatted DNS CNAME records with a hostname, target, TTL, provider, and purpose.

What Is a CNAME Record?

A CNAME record, or Canonical Name record, is a type of DNS record that points one domain or subdomain to another hostname. Instead of assigning an IP address directly, a CNAME tells DNS resolvers where the requested hostname should resolve.

For example, a CNAME record can point:

www.example.com → example.com

CNAME records are commonly used for website hosting, third-party services, domain verification, email-related services, content delivery platforms, and other DNS configurations.

A typical CNAME record contains:

  • Name: The hostname or subdomain being configured

  • Type: CNAME

  • Target: The canonical hostname the record points to

  • TTL: How long DNS resolvers may cache the record

  • Provider: The DNS service where the record will be configured

How to Create a CNAME Record

Creating a CNAME record requires a hostname, target, and usually a TTL value. ToolkitCore can generate a clear reference record before adding it to a DNS provider.

  1. Enter the Record Name

  2. Enter the CNAME Target

  3. Select the TTL

  4. Add Optional Details

  5. Generate the CNAME Record

CNAME Record Example

Input:

Name: www

Canonical Name: example.com

DNS Provider: GoDaddy

TTL: 1 Hour (3600)

Purpose: Custom Cname

This means the www hostname uses example.com as its canonical name.

Output:

www IN CNAME example.com.

How to Create a CNAME Record in DNS

A CNAME record is normally added through the DNS management panel provided by the domain registrar or DNS hosting service.

Open the domain's DNS settings and choose Add Record or a similar option. Select CNAME as the record type, enter the required hostname in the name field, enter the destination hostname as the target, and save the record.

The field names can vary between DNS providers, so the provider's DNS documentation should be followed when entering the generated values.

How to Verify a CNAME Record

After adding a CNAME record, verification can be performed with a DNS lookup tool. Enter the hostname being checked and look for a CNAME response showing the expected target.

For example, if www.example.com was configured to point to example.com, a DNS lookup should show the configured CNAME relationship.

DNS changes may take time to appear consistently because DNS records can be cached according to their TTL.

Are CNAME Records Public?

CNAME records are generally publicly discoverable when they belong to publicly accessible DNS zones. DNS lookup tools can often reveal the hostname and its CNAME target.

Because DNS records can expose information about how domains and services are configured, sensitive information should not be placed directly into DNS record values.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a CNAME record? add
A CNAME record is a DNS record that points one hostname to another hostname. It is commonly used for subdomains, website hosting, third-party services, domain verification, and other DNS configurations.
How do you create a CNAME record in DNS? add
Open the domain's DNS management panel, select CNAME as the record type, enter the hostname and target, choose a TTL, and save the record. Provider interfaces may use different field names.
How can a CNAME record be verified? add
Use a DNS lookup tool to check the hostname and confirm that the returned CNAME target matches the configured destination. DNS caching can affect how quickly recent changes appear.
Are CNAME records public? add
CNAME records for publicly accessible DNS zones can generally be queried through DNS lookup tools. They may reveal the relationship between a hostname and its configured canonical target.