DNS provider
DNS propagation in Cloudflare DNS
Saving in Cloudflare DNS updates your zone fast — the internet caches old answers until TTL expires.
Provider gotcha: Proxy (orange cloud) must be grey (DNS only) for MX records, mail A records, and anything that must resolve exactly for mail. TXT for DMARC/SPF/DKIM should also use DNS-only — orange cloud can interfere with how some tools read mail DNS.
Read DNS propagation for background.
Step by step
Step 1 Open the Cloudflare Dashboard → DNS → Records → Add record.
Step 2 Lower TTL before big changes if your provider allows — then raise after stabilization.
Step 3 After save, wait at least one TTL cycle before assuming failure.
Step 4 Query your zone’s authoritative nameservers directly. Use the subdomain only in the Name field — e.g.
_dmarc or @ for apex, not the full hostname.Step 5 Open DNS Propagation to compare resolvers. Typical: Usually minutes — Cloudflare is authoritative quickly; global resolver caches still respect TTL.
Step 6 Final check: DNS Preflight for SPF/DKIM/DMARC together.
DNS Preflight — full auth check for your domain.
Propagation — compare resolvers.
FAQ
What is DNS propagation?
Delay while recursive resolvers cache old TTLs — not instant worldwide.
How fast is Cloudflare DNS?
Usually <strong>minutes</strong> — Cloudflare is authoritative quickly; global resolver caches still respect TTL.
Why does dig show the new TXT but my tool doesn’t?
Different resolver — use propagation checker and lower TTL next time.
What TTL should I use?
300–3600s during changes; longer when stable.
Where to verify all records?
DNS Preflight for SPF/DKIM/DMARC — Propagation tool for cross-resolver checks.