Connect a custom domain
Connecting a domain you own takes two DNS records: one proving the domain is yours, one sending its traffic to us.
Before you start
You need the domain already bought, and access to wherever you bought it - GoDaddy, Namecheap, Cloudflare, Google Domains and so on. That is where DNS records are added, not here.
Add it
- Settings > Domains, then Add domain.
- Type the domain exactly -
example.com, orwww.example.comif that is what you want people to use. Nohttps://, no trailing slash. - Two records appear, each with a Name and a Value you can copy.
The two records
| Row | Record | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Prove ownership | A TXT record whose value starts webkio-site-verification= |
Shows you control the domain. Without it anyone could claim it. |
| Point traffic | A CNAME to our host - or, for a bare domain that cannot take a CNAME, A records | Sends visitors to your site. |
Add both at your DNS provider, copying the values exactly. A stray space or a missing dot is the usual cause of a domain that will not verify.
Verify
Press Verify. The domain goes live only when both checks pass, and the two failures mean different things:
- Ownership not verified - the TXT record is missing, mistyped, or has not propagated yet.
- Ownership verified, but not pointing to us - the TXT record is right and the CNAME or A record is wrong. Fix the second row only; the first one is done.
DNS changes are not instant. Minutes is normal, a few hours happens, and up to 48 is possible. Press Verify again rather than re-adding the records.
HTTPS
Once verified, an SSL certificate is issued and renewed automatically. You do not buy or install one. It can take a few minutes after verification before the padlock appears.
Common problems
| Symptom | Cause |
|---|---|
| Verify keeps failing on ownership | The TXT record went on the wrong host, or your provider added the domain name to it twice - check for example.com.example.com. |
| Ownership passes, site does not load | The CNAME or A record is missing or wrong. |
www works, bare domain does not (or vice versa) |
They are separate names. Add both, or set a redirect at your DNS provider. |
| Worked, then broke | Something else rewrote the records - a provider's "parking" page or a site-builder wizard elsewhere is the usual culprit. |
If it still will not verify, see Custom domain not verifying.
Good to know
- Custom domains are a paid feature, and plans differ in how many you can connect - see What each plan includes.
- Your free address keeps working. Connecting a domain adds an address, it does not replace one.
- Do not change your nameservers unless you know what that does. The two records above are all that is needed, and moving nameservers can take your email offline.