DomainsUpdated 8 min read
Why Isn't My New Domain Working? DNS Propagation Explained
By the handle.tools team · Published
In this guide 10
- What is DNS propagation?
- How long does DNS propagation take?
- Why is my new domain not working?
- How to check DNS propagation
- How to speed up DNS propagation
- DNS propagation when you change hosts or registrars
- Avoiding DNS mistakes that look like propagation
- Getting a new domain live, step by step
- Conclusion
- Frequently asked questions
DNS propagation is the delay between changing your domain's settings and the whole internet seeing that change. It's the reason a brand-new domain shows "site can't be reached", why your website loads on your phone but not your laptop, and why email stops for an hour after you switch hosts. Nothing is broken: computers around the world are still remembering the old answer.
This guide explains what DNS propagation actually is, how long it really takes for different kinds of change, how to check its progress, how to make it faster next time, and how to tell the difference between waiting for propagation and a genuine mistake in your settings.
What is DNS propagation?
DNS (the Domain Name System) is the internet's address book. When someone types yourname.com, their device asks a DNS resolver, usually run by their internet provider, Google, Cloudflare or their company, where that name points.
To keep things fast, resolvers cache the answer for a while instead of asking every time. How long they keep it is set by the record's TTL (time to live), measured in seconds. Until that cached answer expires, the resolver keeps handing out the old one.
Why it's called propagation
Nothing is actively pushed around the world. Each resolver simply picks up the new answer when its cached copy expires. Because millions of resolvers cached the old answer at different moments, the change appears to "spread" over time. That spreading is what people mean by propagation.
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| DNS record | One instruction, like "yourname.com goes to this server" |
| Resolver | The service your device asks to look up names |
| Cache | The resolver's saved copy of an answer |
| TTL | How many seconds a resolver may keep that copy |
| Nameservers | The servers that hold your domain's official records |
How long does DNS propagation take?
It depends on what you changed. Most changes are visible to most people within an hour; the classic "up to 48 hours" warning is about the slowest cases.
| What you changed | Typical time | Worst case |
|---|---|---|
| Registered a brand-new domain | Minutes to a few hours | Up to about 24 hours |
| Added a new record (e.g. a subdomain) | Minutes | A few hours |
| Edited an existing record | Up to the old record's TTL | The old TTL plus some resolvers that ignore it |
| Changed nameservers | A few hours | Up to 48 hours |
| Changed MX records (email) | Up to the old TTL | A day for stubborn resolvers |
| Transferred the domain only | No change if nameservers stay the same | None |
Why nameserver changes are slowest
Nameservers are recorded at the registry for your extension, and resolvers often cache them for a long time, commonly up to two days. That's where the 24–48 hour figure comes from. Ordinary record changes inside the same nameservers are usually much faster.
Why is my new domain not working?
If you've just bought a domain and it doesn't load, work through these causes in order. Only the first is genuinely "wait for propagation".
- It's still propagating. A brand-new domain can take a few hours to resolve everywhere.
- Nothing is connected yet. A domain on its own doesn't show a website. It needs records pointing at a host or site builder. Our guide to domain vs hosting explains the difference.
- You visited too early. If you looked it up before the records existed, your resolver may have cached a "doesn't exist" answer. This negative cache can last a while; see the speed-up tips below.
- The verification email wasn't confirmed. Registries require the owner's email to be verified. If it isn't done within the deadline, the domain can be suspended and stop resolving.
- The records are wrong. A typo in an IP address or target hostname looks exactly like slow propagation, but waiting won't fix it.
- SSL isn't ready. The domain resolves but shows a security warning, because the host hasn't issued a certificate yet. This usually fixes itself within an hour of DNS being correct.
The domain expiration checker shows a domain's registry status, which will reveal a suspension (a "hold" status) or an expired domain.
How to check DNS propagation
Use an online propagation checker
Search for a "DNS propagation checker". These sites look up your domain from resolvers in many countries at once, so you can see which locations already have the new answer.
Check from your own computer
| System | Command | What it shows |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | nslookup yourname.com | The address your current resolver returns |
| Windows | nslookup yourname.com 1.1.1.1 | The answer from Cloudflare's public resolver |
| macOS / Linux | dig yourname.com | The answer and the remaining TTL |
| macOS / Linux | dig NS yourname.com | Which nameservers the domain uses |
| Any | dig MX yourname.com | Where email for the domain goes |
Compare with the source of truth
Ask your domain's own nameservers directly (for example, dig yourname.com @ns1.yourprovider.com). If they return the new answer, your settings are right and you're only waiting on caches. If they return the old or wrong answer, the problem is in your settings, not propagation.
How to speed up DNS propagation
You can't force the world's resolvers to forget, but you can make changes land faster for you and for next time.
Before a planned change
- Lower the TTL on the records you'll change to 300 seconds (5 minutes).
- Wait out the old TTL so every resolver picks up the short one.
- Make the change. Now most resolvers will refresh within minutes.
- Raise the TTL again once everything is stable, to reduce lookups.
To see the change on your own device
- Flush your computer's DNS cache: on Windows run ipconfig /flushdns; on a Mac run sudo dscacheutil -flushcache and then sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder.
- Clear the browser's cache: browsers keep their own DNS cache; restarting the browser usually clears it.
- Try a different network: check on mobile data instead of Wi-Fi to use a different resolver.
- Switch resolver: temporarily using a public resolver can show the new answer sooner.
DNS propagation when you change hosts or registrars
Moving a website or email is where propagation causes the most trouble. A little planning avoids downtime.
Changing web host
- Set up the site fully on the new host first.
- Lower the TTL on the records you'll change a day ahead.
- Point the records (or nameservers) at the new host.
- Keep the old host running for at least 48 hours, so visitors still reaching it see a working site.
Changing email provider
Email is less forgiving: messages can be delivered to the old provider while MX records propagate. Keep the old mailbox active for a few days and check it, and copy across the SPF, DKIM and DMARC TXT records the new provider gives you.
Transferring to another registrar
A registrar transfer doesn't need any DNS propagation if your nameservers stay the same. Problems only start if DNS was hosted at the old registrar and the records weren't recreated first.
Avoiding DNS mistakes that look like propagation
| Mistake | What you see | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Record added at the wrong DNS provider | Change never appears, even after days | Add records where your nameservers point |
| Host field includes the domain twice | Subdomain never resolves | Use just the prefix (e.g. www), or the full name, as your editor expects |
| Typo in the IP or target | Site errors or goes to the wrong place | Copy values exactly from your host |
| Conflicting records for the same name | Site works sometimes, not others | Remove old A/CNAME records for that name |
| Forgot the www version | yourname.com works, www.yourname.com doesn't | Add a www record and redirect one to the other |
| Deleted MX records while editing | Email stops arriving | Restore the provider's MX records |
If you're unsure which provider holds your DNS, run dig NS yourname.com (or nslookup -type=NS yourname.com on Windows). Whatever nameservers it lists are where your records must live.
Getting a new domain live, step by step
If you're starting from scratch, this order keeps propagation from tripping you up.
- Register the domain and confirm the verification email straight away. Our guide on how to buy a domain name covers the purchase.
- Don't visit it yet. Avoid caching a "doesn't exist" answer on your own device.
- Connect it to your host or site builder using the records or nameservers they give you.
- Check the answer at your nameservers, then wait 15–60 minutes.
- Visit it on mobile data first, then on your usual network.
- Set up email records and send test messages in both directions.
Current domain and hosting deals
Namecheap prices, first term only. Renewals cost more; ICANN fee may apply.
Conclusion
Recap
DNS propagation is the time it takes for resolvers worldwide to replace their cached copy of your domain's records. New records and new domains usually work within minutes to a few hours; nameserver changes can take up to 48 hours; edited records take up to the old TTL.
If a change never appears, check the answer at your own nameservers: if it's wrong there, it's a settings mistake, not propagation. Lower TTLs before planned changes and keep old hosts running for a couple of days.
Final thoughts
Check your domain's registry status with the domain expiration checker, and if you're still choosing a name, search 150+ extensions with domain search. With the right records in place, propagation is just a short wait.
Frequently asked questions
What is DNS propagation?
The delay while DNS resolvers around the world replace their cached copy of your domain's records with the new ones. Each resolver updates when its cached answer's TTL expires.
How long does DNS propagation take?
Most changes are visible within minutes to a few hours. Nameserver changes can take up to 48 hours, and edited records can take as long as the old record's TTL.
Why is my new domain not working?
It may still be propagating, but also check that it's connected to a host, that the registrar's verification email was confirmed, and that the records are correct.
How do I check if DNS has propagated?
Use an online DNS propagation checker to see answers from many locations, or run nslookup or dig against different resolvers and your domain's own nameservers.
Can I speed up DNS propagation?
Lower the TTL before planned changes, flush your own DNS cache, and test on a different network. You can't force other resolvers to refresh early.
Why does my website work on my phone but not my computer?
They're probably using different resolvers or caches. Flush your computer's DNS cache and restart your browser, or wait for the cached answer to expire.
Does transferring a domain cause DNS propagation?
Not if the nameservers stay the same. Only changing nameservers or records starts propagation.
Why is my email not working after changing DNS?
MX records may still be propagating, or they were removed during the change. Check they match your email provider's settings and keep the old mailbox active for a few days.
