What TTL should I use for my domain?

For most websites, a TTL of 3600 (1 hour) to 14400 (4 hours) is a good balance between performance and flexibility. Use lower TTL (300-600) if you expect to make frequent DNS changes. Use higher TTL (86400) for stable records that rarely change.

Does lower TTL affect website performance?

Lower TTL means more frequent DNS lookups, which adds minimal latency (typically 10-50ms per lookup). For most users, this is negligible. The bigger impact is on DNS server load - very low TTLs can increase queries significantly.

Why do some ISPs ignore TTL values?

Some ISPs cache DNS records longer than the TTL to reduce their infrastructure load and costs. This is frustrating for website owners but is outside your control. Using a reputable DNS provider and planning for longer propagation times helps mitigate this.

Can I set different TTLs for different record types?

Yes! Each DNS record can have its own TTL. For example, you might set a low TTL on your A record (for easier IP changes) while keeping a higher TTL on your MX records (which rarely change).

What happens if I set TTL to 0?

A TTL of 0 means 'do not cache' - DNS servers should fetch fresh data every time. In practice, many servers enforce a minimum TTL (often 30-60 seconds) and ignore TTL 0. It's not recommended as it dramatically increases DNS query volume.

What is DNS TTL? Complete Guide to Time to Live

What TTL Means

TTL stands for Time to Live. In DNS, TTL is a value (measured in seconds) that tells DNS servers and resolvers how long they should cache a DNS record before checking for an update.

Simple Definition

TTL = "Keep this DNS record in your cache for X seconds. After that, fetch a fresh copy."

For example, if your A record has a TTL of 3600, DNS servers will cache your IP address for 1 hour (3600 seconds) before checking if it has changed.

How TTL Works

Here's what happens when someone visits your website:

User types your domain

Their browser asks their DNS resolver for your IP address.

DNS resolver checks cache

If it has a cached record that hasn't expired (TTL not reached), it returns that immediately.

If expired or not cached

The resolver queries your authoritative DNS server for fresh data.

New record is cached

The resolver stores the new record and starts the TTL countdown again.

This is why DNS changes take time to propagate - servers worldwide have cached your old record and won't check for updates until their cached TTL expires.

Common TTL Values

TTL is always specified in seconds. Here are common values and their human-readable equivalents:

TTL (seconds)	Human Readable	Use Case
60	1 minute	Failover services, testing
300	5 minutes	Frequent changes expected
3600	1 hour	Standard, balanced choice
14400	4 hours	Stable records
86400	24 hours	Rarely changing records
604800	1 week	Very stable, maximum caching

When to Use Low vs High TTL

Use Low TTL (60-300s) When:

• Planning to change DNS soon
• Using DNS-based failover
• Testing new configurations
• Migrating to new hosting
• Records change frequently

Use High TTL (3600-86400s) When:

• Records are stable/rarely change
• Want faster DNS resolution
• Reducing load on DNS servers
• Better resilience if DNS goes down
• Cost savings (fewer queries)

Pro Tip: Lower your TTL 24-48 hours before making DNS changes. This ensures caches have the low TTL value when you make the actual change.

How to Check Your TTL

You can check the current TTL of your DNS records using command line tools:

# Using dig (Mac/Linux)

dig example.com A +noall +answer

# Output shows TTL (the number before "IN")

example.com. 3600 IN A 93.184.216.34

Check TTL with DNSFly

Our DNS propagation checker shows TTL values alongside your DNS records from 20+ global locations.

Check DNS Records

How to Change TTL

TTL is set in your DNS provider's control panel. The exact steps vary by provider, but generally:

Log into your DNS provider (Cloudflare, GoDaddy, Namecheap, etc.)

Navigate to DNS settings or DNS zone editor

Find the record you want to modify

Look for "TTL" field (sometimes hidden under "Advanced")

Enter new value in seconds and save

Note: Some providers show TTL as a dropdown (Auto, 1 min, 5 min, etc.) instead of raw seconds. "Auto" typically means the provider's default, usually 300-3600 seconds.

What is DNS TTL?

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