You create a new DNS record in Hostinger by logging into hPanel, opening the DNS Zone Editor for your domain, and adding a record with the correct type, name, and value. This whole process takes about 5 minutes once you know where to click. It's a beginner-level task, and this guide covers every type of record you might need, A, CNAME, MX, TXT, and others, so you can set up email services, verify domain ownership, connect a third-party platform, or point your domain to a new server.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Time required | 5–10 minutes (changes propagate within a few minutes to a few hours) |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| What you need | A Hostinger account with an active domain, login credentials, and the record details from wherever you're pointing the domain (web host, email provider, CDN, etc.) |
| What you will achieve | A new DNS record live and working, directing traffic, email, or verification for your domain |
Before you start
You need three things ready before you touch hPanel:
- Your Hostinger account login. Have your email and password handy. If you use Google or Facebook login, that works too.
- The exact record details from the service you're connecting. This includes the record type (A, CNAME, MX, TXT, etc.), the host or name value, the destination or points-to value, and any priority number if it's an MX record. Copy these exactly, one wrong character and the record won't work.
- Your domain must be in your Hostinger account. You can add records for domains registered with Hostinger or for domains you've pointed to Hostinger's nameservers. If your domain uses external nameservers, you need to make the record change at that provider instead.
One common reason this process fails: people mix up the host value for root domains versus subdomains. For the bare domain (example.com), the host field is often left blank or set to @. For a subdomain (blog.example.com), you type just "blog" in the host field.
More on that inside the steps.
How to create a new record in Hostinger, step by step
Step 1: Log in to your Hostinger account
Go to hostinger.com and click the "Sign In" button in the top-right corner. Enter your email and password. You'll land on your hPanel dashboard.
This is the control panel for everything in your account, domains, hosting, email, and DNS.
If you have multiple hosting plans, you'll see them listed here. The steps are the same regardless of which plan you use.
Step 2: Open the Domains section
Look at the left sidebar. You'll see a list of menu items: Websites, Domains, Emails, VPS, and more. Click on "Domains."
Your domain list appears. This shows every domain registered in your account. Find the domain where you want to add the record and click the blue "Manage" button next to it.
That takes you to that domain's management panel.
Step 3: Find the DNS Zone Editor
In the domain management panel, look for a tab or section labeled "DNS Zone Editor." It's usually near the top of the page, alongside other tabs like "Details" and "Nameservers." Click on it.
The DNS Zone Editor loads with a table of your existing DNS records. If you've never added custom records here, you'll only see the default records Hostinger set up when you registered the domain or started a hosting plan.
Important: Don't delete the default NS (nameserver) records unless you're switching away from Hostinger's nameservers. Removing them breaks your domain's connection to the internet.
Step 4: Choose the record type you need
Before you fill in anything, confirm which record type the service you're connecting requires. Each type serves a different purpose:
- A record (Address): Points a domain or subdomain to an IPv4 address. Used for connecting your domain to a web server's IP.
- AAAA record: Same as an A record but for IPv6 addresses.
- CNAME record (Canonical Name): Points a domain or subdomain to another domain name instead of an IP. Used when you want blog.yoursite.com to resolve to yourmainplatform.com.
- MX record (Mail Exchange): Directs email for your domain to a specific mail server. Requires a priority number, lower numbers get tried first.
- TXT record: Holds text information, often used for domain verification (Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, SPF records, DKIM signatures).
- NS record (Nameserver): Specifies which nameservers are authoritative for your domain. Usually managed through the Nameservers section, not the Zone Editor.
- SRV record: Defines a service location, used for specific protocols like SIP or LDAP.
- CAA record: Restricts which Certificate Authorities can issue SSL certificates for your domain.
Most people creating a new record need either an A record, a CNAME, an MX record, or a TXT record. If you're unsure which type your provider needs, check their setup guide, it always specifies the record type.
Step 5: Click "Add Record"
There's an "Add Record" button or link above or below the existing records table. Click it. A row or form appears with fields for the new record.
Step 6: Select the record type
In the new row, you'll see a dropdown labeled "Type." Click it and select the record type you identified in Step 4.
Step 7: Enter the host or name
This field has different labels depending on your Hostinger interface version. You might see "Name," "Host," or "Prefix." Here's how to fill it:
- For the root domain (example.com): Leave the field blank, or enter the @ symbol. Both work.
- For a subdomain like blog.example.com: Enter only the subdomain part, "blog", without the full domain.
- For a wildcard record (*.example.com): Enter an asterisk (*).
This is where most mistakes happen. If your provider tells you to create a record for "blog.example.com," do not type the full domain into the host field. Type just "blog."
Step 8: Enter the points to or value
This field might be labeled "Points to," "Value," "Destination," or "Content." The exact label depends on the record type you selected:
- A record: Enter the IPv4 address (like 192.0.2.1).
- AAAA record: Enter the IPv6 address.
- CNAME record: Enter the destination domain name (like yourprovider.com.). Some interfaces require a trailing dot at the end.
- MX record: Enter the mail server hostname (like mail.example.com). You'll also need to set the priority.
- TXT record: Enter the exact text string your provider gave you, including any special characters. Copy and paste to avoid typos.
Double-check the value against what your provider shows. One wrong number or letter, and the record won't resolve.
Step 9: Set the TTL (optional)
TTL stands for Time to Live, how long in seconds a DNS resolver caches the record before checking for an update. The default is usually 14400 seconds (4 hours). You can leave it at the default in most cases.
Only change TTL to a lower value (like 300 seconds) if you're making other DNS changes and want them to update faster. Once everything is stable, set it back to a higher value to reduce DNS query load.
Step 10: Set the priority (MX records only)
If you're creating an MX record, a "Priority" or "Preference" field appears. This is a number from 0 to 65535. Lower numbers have higher priority.
A priority of 10 is tried before 20. If you have one mail server, set it to 10. If you have backup mail servers, give your primary server the lowest number.
Step 11: Save the record
Click the "Save" or "Add" button. The record appears in the records table. You'll see a confirmation message that the record was added successfully.
Wait time: DNS propagation. The record doesn't work instantly for everyone on the internet. It takes a few minutes to a few hours for the change to spread across DNS servers worldwide. Hostinger's DNS usually propagates within 5, 30 minutes, but some ISPs cache DNS for longer.
You can use online DNS propagation checkers to see if the record is live in different locations.
What to do if something goes wrong
Problem: I saved the record, but it's not working
Fix: First, wait at least 30 minutes for DNS propagation. If it still doesn't work, double-check the record details. The most common issues are a typo in the IP address, missing the subdomain prefix, or forgetting the trailing dot on a CNAME value.
Verify each character against what your provider gave you.
Problem: I accidentally created a duplicate record
Fix: DNS doesn't allow duplicate records with the same type and host value. If you see a duplicate, delete the wrong one and save the correct one. If you created two A records for the same host, the DNS system may randomly resolve to either IP, which causes intermittent site failures.
Problem: The MX record I created isn't routing email
Fix: Check that the priority is set correctly. If you have multiple MX records, the lowest priority number must point to the primary mail server. Also confirm that you entered the mail server hostname exactly, no extra spaces, no missing dots.
Some email providers require additional TXT records (like SPF or DKIM) alongside MX records.
Problem: I see an error message when trying to add the record
Fix: Hostinger's hPanel validates some fields. Common validation errors come from:
- Invalid characters in the host or value field (spaces, special characters that aren't allowed)
- An IP address that doesn't match the record type (entering an IPv6 address in an A record field)
- A missing required field (like priority for MX records)
- A domain that isn't registered or has expired
Read the error message carefully, it usually tells you exactly which field needs fixing.
What happens next
Once your new DNS record propagates, it starts working automatically. Visitors, email servers, or third-party services follow the record to its destination. You don't need to do anything else for that specific record.
If you added multiple records (like an A record for your website plus MX records for email), each one works independently. The A record directs web traffic, and the MX records handle email delivery.
You might want to verify that the record is working. For A and CNAME records, open a terminal or command prompt and use the ping or nslookup command. For MX records, use nslookup -type=mx yourdomain.com.
For TXT records, use nslookup -type=txt yourdomain.com. If the output shows your record value, it's live.
If you're setting up a new website, you'll likely need to create more than one record. A typical setup includes:
- An A record pointing to your web server's IP
- A CNAME record for "www" pointing to your root domain or the same IP
- MX records for email
- TXT records for SPF, DKIM, and domain verification
Need to manage multiple DNS records efficiently? Hostinger's DNS Zone Editor is a solid step up from the confusing interfaces some providers offer. If you're setting up your first site or email service on Hostinger, grab their current plans with a discount, the Business Web Hosting plan covers unlimited websites and includes free domain registration, plus the DNS tools you just used.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take for a new DNS record to work in Hostinger?
Most new records propagate within 5 to 30 minutes when using Hostinger's nameservers. Global DNS propagation can take up to 24 hours, but it usually resolves much faster. Check with a propagation tool if you want to see the status in different regions.
Can I create a record for a subdomain that doesn't exist yet?
Yes. You can create DNS records for any subdomain, even if you haven't set up a website or service on that subdomain yet. The record simply instructs traffic where to go when someone tries to reach that subdomain.
What does the @ symbol mean in the host field?
The @ symbol represents the root domain itself, example.com without any subdomain. Using @ in the host field is equivalent to leaving the field blank. Both create a record for the bare domain.
How do I delete a DNS record I created by mistake?
Go back to the DNS Zone Editor, find the incorrect record in the records table, and click the delete icon (usually a trash can or an X). Confirm the deletion. The change propagates just like adding a record.
Keep in mind that deleting a record removes it from the DNS entirely, so verify it's the right one before confirming.
Can I create an A record and a CNAME record for the same host?
No. DNS standards don't allow a CNAME record and any other record type (except DNSSEC-related records) for the same hostname. If you need to point the same host to different services, use an A record for the IP address and set up the other service through different methods.
What happens if I add a record with the same host and type as an existing one?
Hostinger's DNS Zone Editor lets you add multiple records with the same host and type. For MX records, this is intentional, you can have multiple mail servers with different priorities. For A records, multiple records create round-robin DNS, which distributes traffic across multiple IP addresses.
For most other record types, duplicates cause unpredictable behavior.
Do I need to change nameservers to use Hostinger's DNS Zone Editor?
Yes. Your domain must use Hostinger's nameservers to manage DNS through their Zone Editor. If your domain uses external nameservers, the Zone Editor is disabled, and you need to add records at your nameserver provider's control panel.
You can change nameservers in the "Nameservers" tab of your domain's management panel.
If you're still picking between hosting providers and want a control panel that keeps DNS management simple, check out our detailed comparison of Hostinger vs Hostdime web hosting to see which interface suits your workflow better. For anyone staying with Hostinger, grab the current Hostinger coupon code to get 85% off plus a free domain on your first plan.
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