My custom domain won't verify
A domain that will not verify is failing one of two separate checks. Work out which before changing anything.
Which check is failing
| What you see | What it means |
|---|---|
| Ownership not verified | The TXT record is missing, wrong, or has not propagated. |
| Ownership verified, but not pointing to us | The TXT record is fine. The CNAME or A record is the problem. Do not touch the TXT record. |
Fix only the failing one. Re-adding a working record is how a half-fixed domain becomes a fully broken one.
The usual causes
The host got doubled. Most DNS providers add your domain automatically, so entering
example.com produces example.com.example.com. If your provider does this, the host field usually
wants @ for the bare domain, or just the subdomain part.
Something is trailing. A copied value that picked up a space, a quote mark, or a full stop at the end. Copy again with the copy button rather than by hand.
It has not propagated. DNS is not instant. Minutes is typical, hours happens, 48 is the outside case. Press Verify again rather than re-entering the records.
Your provider is proxying. Cloudflare's orange cloud, and similar features elsewhere, sit in front of your domain and can stop verification. Set the record to DNS-only while verifying.
The record went to the wrong place. If your nameservers point somewhere other than where you bought the domain, the records must be added there. Records added at the registrar do nothing when another provider is serving your DNS.
An old record is still there. A previous host's A record or CNAME will conflict. Remove it.
You added the wrong type. A CNAME where an A record is needed, or vice versa. Bare domains generally cannot take a CNAME - that is why apex domains use A records.
Checking your own work
Use any public DNS lookup tool to see what the world can actually see for your domain. If your record is not visible there, it is not visible to us either, and the problem is at your DNS provider.
Still stuck
Send us the domain and a screenshot of your DNS records, with the record types visible. That is usually enough to spot it immediately.
Next steps
Frequently asked questions
Which record should I fix?
Only the failing one. If ownership passes and the site does not load, the TXT record is fine and the CNAME or A record is the problem. Re-adding a working record is how a half-fixed domain becomes fully broken.
Why does my provider show example.com.example.com?
Most DNS providers append your domain automatically, so typing the full domain doubles it. The host field usually wants @ for a bare domain, or just the subdomain part.
Does Cloudflare's proxy stop verification?
It can. Set the record to DNS-only while verifying, then turn the proxy back on afterwards if you want it.
I added the records at my registrar and nothing happened.
If your nameservers point somewhere else, that is where DNS is served from and where the records have to go. Records at the registrar do nothing in that case.
How do I see what the world sees?
Use any public DNS lookup tool on your domain. If your record is not visible there, it is not visible here either, and the problem is at your DNS provider.
Related reading
- Free subdomain or your own domain? - what the switch involves, start to finish.