resolvectl Command
Intermediate Networking man(1)DNS resolution and systemd-resolved management
👁 133 views
📅 Updated: Apr 30, 2026
SYNTAX
resolvectl [OPTIONS] COMMAND [ARGUMENTS]
What Does resolvectl Do?
The resolvectl command is the management tool for systemd-resolved, the DNS resolver service built into modern systemd-based Linux distributions. It provides DNS lookups, cache management, DNSSEC validation status, and per-interface DNS configuration.
resolvectl replaces the older systemd-resolve command and is the recommended way to interact with systemd-resolved on Ubuntu 18.04+, Fedora 30+, and other modern distributions. It works alongside traditional tools like dig and nslookup but offers additional features specific to systemd-resolved.
Key capabilities include querying DNS records of any type, viewing per-link DNS server configuration, flushing the DNS cache, checking DNSSEC status, managing DNS-over-TLS (DoT) settings, and monitoring DNS query statistics. For servers and workstations using systemd-resolved, resolvectl is the authoritative tool for DNS troubleshooting.
resolvectl replaces the older systemd-resolve command and is the recommended way to interact with systemd-resolved on Ubuntu 18.04+, Fedora 30+, and other modern distributions. It works alongside traditional tools like dig and nslookup but offers additional features specific to systemd-resolved.
Key capabilities include querying DNS records of any type, viewing per-link DNS server configuration, flushing the DNS cache, checking DNSSEC status, managing DNS-over-TLS (DoT) settings, and monitoring DNS query statistics. For servers and workstations using systemd-resolved, resolvectl is the authoritative tool for DNS troubleshooting.
Options & Flags
| Option | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| query HOSTNAME | Resolve a hostname to IP address(es) | resolvectl query example.com |
| status | Show current DNS configuration per interface | resolvectl status |
| statistics | Show DNS cache and query statistics | resolvectl statistics |
| flush-caches | Flush all DNS caches | sudo resolvectl flush-caches |
| dns INTERFACE SERVER | Set DNS server for an interface | sudo resolvectl dns eth0 1.1.1.1 8.8.8.8 |
| domain INTERFACE DOMAIN | Set search domain for an interface | sudo resolvectl domain eth0 example.com |
| dnssec INTERFACE MODE | Set DNSSEC mode (yes/no/allow-downgrade) | sudo resolvectl dnssec eth0 yes |
| monitor | Monitor DNS queries in real-time | resolvectl monitor |
Practical Examples
#1 Resolve a hostname
Resolve hostname showing IP addresses, DNSSEC status, and which interface/server handled the query.
$ resolvectl query example.com#2 View DNS configuration
Show DNS servers, search domains, and DNSSEC/DoT settings for each network interface.
$ resolvectl status#3 Flush DNS cache
Clear all cached DNS entries. Verify with statistics showing zero cache entries.
$ sudo resolvectl flush-caches && resolvectl statistics#4 Set DNS servers
Set Cloudflare DNS servers for eth0. Takes effect immediately.
$ sudo resolvectl dns eth0 1.1.1.1 1.0.0.1 && resolvectl status eth0#5 Monitor DNS queries
Watch DNS queries in real-time — shows what hostnames the system is resolving and the results.
$ resolvectl monitor#6 Check DNSSEC status
Resolve with DNSSEC validation. The output shows whether the response was authenticated.
$ resolvectl query --type=A cloudflare.comTips & Best Practices
systemd-resolve is deprecated: The older systemd-resolve command is deprecated. Use resolvectl instead. On older systems, systemd-resolve still works as a symlink.
Check /etc/resolv.conf: On systemd-resolved systems, /etc/resolv.conf should be a symlink to /run/systemd/resolve/stub-resolv.conf. If not, DNS may not use systemd-resolved.
Per-interface settings are temporary: DNS servers set with resolvectl dns are lost on reboot. For persistent config, use NetworkManager (nmcli) or systemd-networkd .network files.
Enable DNS-over-TLS: Set DNSOverTLS=yes in /etc/systemd/resolved.conf to encrypt all DNS queries. Use Cloudflare (1.1.1.1) or Google (8.8.8.8) DNS which support DoT.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I flush DNS cache in Linux?
On systemd-resolved systems: sudo resolvectl flush-caches. On other systems: sudo systemd-resolve --flush-caches, or restart the DNS caching service (nscd, dnsmasq, etc.).
How do I check what DNS server Linux is using?
Run resolvectl status to see DNS servers per interface. Or check /etc/resolv.conf. Or run resolvectl query example.com to see which server resolved the query.
What is the difference between resolvectl and dig?
resolvectl manages systemd-resolved (cache, settings, per-interface config). dig queries DNS servers directly without going through systemd-resolved. Use resolvectl for system DNS management, dig for detailed DNS troubleshooting.
How do I enable DNSSEC?
Set DNSSEC=yes in /etc/systemd/resolved.conf and restart: sudo systemctl restart systemd-resolved. Use resolvectl query to verify responses show "authenticated: yes".
Related Commands
More Networking Commands
Download Networking Cheat Sheet
View all 31 Linux command cheat sheets →Master Linux with Professional eBooks
Curated IT eBooks covering Linux, DevOps, Cloud, and more
Browse Books →