TTL (Time to Live) is the time in seconds that DNS resolvers cache a DNS response. After TTL expires, the cache is cleared and the client makes a fresh DNS query.
Recommended TTL Values
| Record Type | Stable TTL | Before Migration |
|---|---|---|
| A (IP address) | 3600 (1 hour) | 300 (5 min) |
| CNAME | 3600 (1 hour) | 300 (5 min) |
| MX (mail) | 86400 (24 hours) | 3600 (1 hour) |
| TXT (SPF/DKIM) | 86400 (24 hours) | 3600 (1 hour) |
💡 Before migration: Lower TTL for all critical records to 300 seconds at least 24–48 hours before moving. Restore to standard values after migration completes.
Checking TTL Values
dig example.com A
# The ANSWER SECTION shows TTL in seconds