The 'A' stands for Address. An A record is the most fundamental type of DNS record: it translates a human-readable domain name (like example.com) into an IPv4 address (like 192.0.2.1). Without A records, users would have to memorize complex number strings to visit websites.
Did you recently update your DNS settings? Check if your changes have propagated globally.
When you type a URL into your browser, your device asks a DNS resolver for the IP address. The resolver queries the authoritative nameservers for your domain and requests the A record. Once the IP address is returned, your browser establishes a direct connection to the web server hosting the site.
A records specifically handle IPv4 addresses (e.g., 203.0.113.5). If you need to route traffic to the newer IPv6 protocol (e.g., 2001:db8::1), you must use an AAAA Record instead.
It is common to configure the apex (root) and www differently. The apex often points to an A record, while www can be a CNAME to a CDN or a hosted platform. If you expect them to match, check both hostnames explicitly and confirm your DNS provider is not applying redirects or ALIAS records behind the scenes.
Many sites use a single A record, but multiple A records are valid for simple load distribution (Round-Robin DNS). The resolver may rotate or return all records. If you see multiple IPs, verify that all of them are live and serve the same content. A stale or broken IP in the set can cause intermittent failures.
During migrations, a lower TTL like 60 to 300 seconds can help updates propagate faster. After the change stabilizes, raising TTL to 3600 or more reduces resolver load. Remember that a lower TTL does not force instant updates; caches must still expire.
No. An A record must always point to an IPv4 address. If you need a domain to point to another domain name, you must use a CNAME Record (for subdomains) or an ALIAS/ANAME record (for the apex domain, depending on your DNS provider).