---
id: "ptr-record"
kind: "glossary-term"
title: "PTR record"
language: "en"
category: "DNS and technical foundations"
updated: "2026-10-04T14:01:23Z"
canonical: "https://tldlog.com/glossary/ptr-record/"
translations:
  es: "https://tldlog.com/es/glosario/registro-ptr/"
  de: "https://tldlog.com/de/glossar/ptr-record/"
  fr: "https://tldlog.com/fr/glossaire/enregistrement-ptr/"
  it: "https://tldlog.com/it/glossario/record-ptr/"
  pt-BR: "https://tldlog.com/pt/glossario/registro-ptr/"
  ru: "https://tldlog.com/ru/glossariy/ptr-zapis/"
  zh-Hans: "https://tldlog.com/zh/cihui/ptr-jilu/"
---

# PTR record

Pointer

A DNS record that maps an IP address back to a hostname, the opposite of an A or AAAA record. For reverse lookups, these records live under the .arpa domain and are set by whoever controls the IP address, not by the domain owner. Mail servers often check them to judge senders.

## related terms

- [.arpa](https://tldlog.com/glossary/arpa/)
- [A record](https://tldlog.com/glossary/a-record/)
- [AAAA record](https://tldlog.com/glossary/aaaa-record/)
- [DNS record](https://tldlog.com/glossary/dns-record/)
- [spam](https://tldlog.com/glossary/spam/)