Connect your Namecheap domain to your site using Nameserver Connect or DNS Connect.

If you purchased a domain from Namecheap and want to keep it registered with them, you can connect it to your site using Nameserver Connect or DNS Connect. You may also find Namecheap's guide helpful as you work on the connection.

Before you begin

• Ensure you're starting the connection process with Namecheap’s default nameservers intact. If you remove them before starting the domain connection process, you'll see an error message. 

• Review our requirements for connecting a third-party domain. 

Tip: If your domain is eligible, we recommend transferring it instead of connecting it. Learn more about the differences between transferring and connecting or get started with a transfer.

Connect your domain

There are two setup options available to connect a Namecheap domain to Squarespace: Nameserver Connect and DNS Connect. Nameserver Connect is the recommended setup. 

Tip: Before beginning the connection process, double-check your DNS settings on your domain provider's end. If you have custom DNS records attached to your domain, like email records or ad blockers, or you've enabled DNSSEC on your domain, opt out of Nameserver Connect and use DNS Connect instead. This ensures your custom DNS records carry over along with your domain. 

The steps below explain how to connect your domain using either Nameserver Connect or DNS Connect.

Note: If you see an error message while trying to connect, try using the alternate method. For example, if you see an error using Nameserver Connect, try using DNS Connect instead. If you're still seeing an error, try to manually connect your domain.

Wait for the connection to complete

Now that you've entered the records, it can take 24 to 72 hours for the connection to start working properly. While you wait:

• You can watch the connection's progress. Return to your Squarespace DNS Settings, click Refresh records, and the Current Data column will show green labels as your domain connects. When the domain is correctly linked, it will appear in the Domains panel with a Connected label.
• It’s normal to see errors in the Domains panel or when visiting your domain for up to 72 hours after completing the steps in this guide. If you see any error messages after 72 hours has passed, see our tips below, or visit Troubleshooting domain connections.

Troubleshooting

If your domain isn't connecting after 72 hours, the domain may not be properly pointing to your site. You can fix it by following these steps:

Manually connect a Namecheap domain to your Squarespace site

If a Namecheap error message appears in Squarespace, try the following steps to reset your nameservers and adjust the DNS records manually to connect your domain:

1. From your Namecheap account, open the Domain List from the left sidebar.
2. Click the Manage next to your domain and scroll down to Nameservers.
3. Delete the Squarespace nameservers and add the default Namecheap nameserver records from the dropdown menu. For more help with this step, visit Namecheap's documentation.
4. Click the green checkmark to save your changes.
5. Log out of your Namecheap account.
6. Disconnect your domain from your Squarespace site.
7. Manually connect your domain.

Troubleshoot with the DNS record checker

If we detect that your records weren’t set up properly, your domain will appear in the Domains panel with the message Can’t verify domain ownership. To troubleshoot, use the DNS checker tool in the DNS Settings panel to see the exact CNAME and A records to fix.

Getting more help

For more help with settings in your Namecheap account, contact their support team. To help them understand your issue, you can use our sample message. You can also visit their documentation.