What is DNSCrawler?
DNSCrawler is an uncategorized agent. You can set up Agent Analytics to see when DNSCrawler visits your website.
Category
| Example User Agent | DNSCrawler/1.0 (+https://crawler.example/about) |
| Source | Official Website |
| Triggered By | Unknown |
| Used for AI Model Training | Unknown |
| Affects AI Chat & Search Visibility | Unknown |
| Expected To Follow Robots.txt | Yes |
Why Is DNSCrawler Visiting My Website?
DNSCrawler's purpose has not yet been identified. Until it is categorized or its operator explains it, its behavior on your site is the best evidence of its intent.
Should I Block DNSCrawler?
Monitor it before deciding. DNSCrawler has not been categorized, so there is no established behavior profile to rely on. Review which pages it requests and how often, then block it if the traffic is excessive or targets content you would not share with an unidentified bot. For context, 7% of the top websites we track currently have robots.txt rules for DNSCrawler.
How Do I Block DNSCrawler Using Robots.txt?
Add this rule to your robots.txt file to block DNSCrawler from accessing your website, or use Automatic Robots.txt to block all uncategorized agents at once. You can customize which pages are blocked by swapping out / for a different path.
User-agent: DNSCrawler # https://knownagents.com/agents/dnscrawler
Disallow: /Insights for DNSCrawler
As of November 1, 2026, this data reflects agent visits measured across thousands of websites using Agent Analytics, combined with daily scans of the top 1000 websites and their robots.txt files.
Robots.txt Compliance
Country of Origin
Robots.txt Blocked Percentage
Frequently Asked Questions
What Traffic Patterns Should I Expect From DNSCrawler?
DNSCrawler does not yet have an established behavior profile. Look for patterns in Agent Analytics: steady, considerate crawling may indicate an unannounced index, while fast, deep sweeps suggest scraping. Its user-agent string and IP addresses may offer the best clues to who operates it.
Does DNSCrawler Follow Robots.txt Rules?
DNSCrawler is expected to follow robots.txt rules, so a disallow rule is the appropriate first step if you want to block it. Automatic Robots.txt can add and maintain that rule, while Agent Analytics lets you verify whether DNSCrawler respects it.
Is DNSCrawler Used for AI Model Training?
Unknown. DNSCrawler's operator has not documented enough about its purpose to determine whether collected content is used for AI model training.
Does Blocking DNSCrawler Affect AI Search or Citations?
Unknown. DNSCrawler's role is not documented well enough to determine whether blocking it affects AI search results or citations.
Does DNSCrawler Access Private Content?
Unknown. DNSCrawler has no established scope, so monitor what it requests. Repeated attempts to reach login or admin paths are a reason to investigate or block it.
How Can I Verify a Request From DNSCrawler?
Agent Analytics tracks DNSCrawler visits in real time. You can also check your server logs for requests whose user-agent string contains "DNSCrawler". Record the paths it requests and how often because no reliable behavior profile exists yet. Because DNSCrawler does not publish a verification method, any client can claim its identity and a log match is only a clue.