If you have a domain with WordPress, you can transfer it to Squarespace by following this guide. Transferring your domain lets you manage all of your domain settings and billing in one place, with Squarespace as your domain host.

Before you begin, review our requirements for transferring a domain.

Note: To ensure a smooth transition, we recommend that the person listed as the domain contact handle the transfer. If you’re the contact, ensure that the email address listed is accurate and accessible. You’ll use this email address to approve the transfer. See Step 2 for more details.

Timing

Domain transfer speed depends on how quickly WordPress can process your request. Some domains transfer within one day, while others can take closer to 15 days to complete. By keeping the recommended transfer settings intact, you shouldn’t experience any domain downtime.

To learn more, visit Domain transfer timing. 

Pricing and billing

Here's how much it costs to transfer a domain to Squarespace and how registration works:

• Pricing is based on the TLD, from $20 to $70.
• To complete the transfer, you'll pay for one year of domain registration.
• There's no extra fee for the transfer itself.
• You'll keep the time remaining on your registration on top of the extra year you'll register through us.
• If you're eligible, the additional year of registration could be free.
• Your domain will renew at the same price at the end of its registration term.
• Your domain includes free Whois Privacy and SSL.

For more details, see our FAQ.

Transfer requirements

Before getting started, ensure your domain is eligible for transfer. If you’re not sure if your domain meets these rules, check with your current registrar.

• The domain’s TLD must be on our supported TLD list. 
• We don’t support registry premium domains.
• Sixty days must have elapsed since you registered or transferred the domain with WordPress.
• Your domain must be active with WordPress. If your domain is past due, but not completely expired, ask WordPress if it's eligible for transfer before starting the process.
• You’ll need to unlock your domain to transfer it.
• Your domain’s Whois privacy must be disabled.
• You’ll need access to the domain's contact email address to approve the transfer request.
• We don’t accept domains with current registration terms longer than 9 years.
• You must approve the transfer via email within five days of receiving your purchase receipt on Squarespace, or the transfer will be automatically cancelled.

If your domain doesn't meet these requirements, you can try connecting it to your site instead.

Moving email records

Step 1 - Log into WordPress

Go to WordPress and log into your account to prepare your domain for transfer. From the dashboard, click My Site, then click Domains. 

Click the domain you'd like to transfer. 

Step 2 - Disable privacy and verify contact information

Click Contacts and Privacy.

Ensure that Privacy Protection is disabled for the domain. This means that your Whois contact information will be public during the transfer, but the privacy will automatically re-enable after your domain is successfully transferred. 

Next, under Public Record Preview, ensure that the contact information shown is correct. All communications regarding the transfer will be sent to the email address shown here. To make changes, click Edit Contact Info. 

For more help disabling your domain's privacy and updating contact information, see WordPress' documentation. 

Step 3 - Unlock your domain and get transfer code

Click the Back arrow at the top of the domain settings, then click Transfer Domain.

Click Transfer to another registrar.

Ensure that your domain is unlocked. If it's not, click Update Settings And Continue. This will unlock your domain and automatically send the authorization code, also called the "transfer code," to the domain contact.

You’ll enter this code later, so ensure that you have access to the email. If you don't see it, click Resend Transfer Code to try again. 

Step 4 - Start the transfer in Squarespace

Begin the transfer process in your Squarespace site’s Domains panel.

1. Confirm that you’re logged into the correct Squarespace site.  
2. In the Home Menu, click Settings, and then click Domains.
3. Click Use a domain I own.
4. Enter the full domain name you’re transferring in the Domain Name box, and then click Continue.

5. Click Transfer to Squarespace.

If you see an error message at this point, ensure that your domain meets all of our transfer requirements. If it does, contact WordPress to investigate.

Step 5 - Confirm privacy settings

A window will open. To begin the transfer, both of the following options must be confirmed with a green check mark:

• Unlock domain - Allows the domain to be transferred
• Disable WHOIS privacy - Ensures that you receive all relevant transfer emails. Confirm that the email address listed is correct. 

If either option displays a red !, contact WordPress for help, then click Refresh to try again.

You'll also see a reminder to request an authorization code from your provider, if you haven't already. 

If both options look correct, click Continue.

Step 6 - Review DNS settings

In the next window, confirm the DNS records to move to Squarespace. To minimize any downtime, we recommend keeping them all toggled to ON. Any options toggled to OFF must be managed manually.

• Point to Squarespace - Change CNAME and A records to point the domain to Squarespace.
• Keep other DNS records - Keep other DNS records intact, like MX records for email. Click View records to review the current DNS settings.
• Move nameservers to Squarespace - Move the domain's nameservers to Squarespace. If you toggle this option off, it’s not possible to move DNS records to Squarespace.

If all settings look correct, click Continue. 

Step 7 - Review and confirm registration details

In the next window, confirm the domain’s registration details. These fields will automatically populate with information we detect from your Whois records with WordPress.  

Ensure that everything looks correct and all required fields are complete, then click Continue. If you’ve added any new data, your Whois records will update when your transfer is complete. This won't disrupt the transfer process, but will ensure all contact records are correct when they move to Squarespace.

Step 8 - Confirm registration terms and billing

Note: If your site is on a trial, you'll be prompted to enter your payment information before this step. 

By transferring your domain to Squarespace, you’ll be charged for one additional year of domain registration with Squarespace. Pricing is based on your domain’s TLD and may be free if you’re eligible.

To confirm the transfer:

1. Confirm the credit card on file.
2. Confirm the total charge for one year of domain registration.
3. Review the terms in the white box, including your domain’s new expiration date.
4. If everything looks correct, click Transfer. 

If your payment is successful, you’ll see a purchase receipt. Click Continue to return to your Domains panel.

Step 9 - Confirm via email

Next, you’ll receive a "Transfer Request" email from customercare@squarespace.com. Follow the steps in the email to enter your authorization code from WordPress and approve the transfer.

The transfer must be approved via this link within five days of receiving your purchase receipt on Squarespace, or it will automatically cancel.

Tip: The authorization code is a unique string of letters, numbers, and other characters. Because it can be a complex code, we recommend copying and pasting it instead of typing it.

If you're having trouble finding this email, you can ask Squarespace to resend it. Click the pending domain in your Domains panel, then click Resend Email. 

If you authorized a domain transfer from this email address previously, we may automatically authorize the transfer and skip sending you this email. WordPress still needs to approve the domain’s release on their end.

Step 10 - Accept the transfer from WordPress

After you've entered your authorization code, WordPress sends an email to the domain contact with a link to approve or deny the transfer. If you don't click the link, WordPress will automatically approve the transfer within five days of entering your authorization code.

Step 11 - Wait and test

After completing the steps above, WordPress should release the domain to Squarespace. If your domain transfer is still pending after 15 days and you’ve correctly followed all steps above, contact WordPress for more details. This timing is out of Squarespace's control.

While your transfer is in progress, we don't recommend making any changes to your DNS settings, such as adding a G Suite email account. Wait until your domain is fully transferred before adding any new integrations.

When the domain is fully transferred, you'll receive a "Thank you" email from customercare@squarespace.com and the domain will appear in the Domains panel with a green label.

Troubleshooting failed transfers

If your domain fails to transfer, you’ll get an email from Squarespace. This can happen if you entered wrong information in the registration field, entered the authorization code incorrectly, or for other reasons. For a full list of scenarios, see our FAQ. 

Tips

• For help communicating with WordPress, visit Requesting third-party domain help and review the "Transfer help" sections. 
• If you’re experiencing many of the above issues, you may want to keep your domain hosted with your current provider and connect it to Squarespace instead.

Cancel or remove the transfer

You can cancel the pending transfer any time before entering your authorization code. Cancelling stops the transfer and refunds any amount paid for the additional year of registration.

Use the following steps to cancel:

1. In the Home Menu, click Settings, and then click Domains.
2. Click the domain under Transfers In Progress.
3. Click Cancel Transfer or Remove Entry.
4. On the summary page, confirm the refund amount and click Cancel Transfer.
5. In the pop-up, click Confirm to proceed. You’ll receive an email confirming the cancellation and refund.

If you already approved the transfer by entering the authorization code, you can try cancelling from the email link. WordPress emails the domain contact before approving the transfer, allowing you a five-day window to cancel.

If the transfer failed and you need to try again, you can remove the current transfer before starting over. While this step isn't necessary, you may find it easier to keep track of pending transfers. 

1. In the Home Menu, click Settings, and then click Domains.
2. Click the domain under Transfers In Progress.
3. In the Transfer Failed box, click Done.

You may need to refresh your browser for the failed domain to disappear. 

Next steps

After the domain transfer is complete, you can: 

• Cancel your WordPress hosting package account if you no longer need it. You’ll now manage all domain settings and billing through Squarespace. Even if your WordPress account doesn't have any domains, your hosting plan will remain active and WordPress will continue billing you until it's cancelled. 
• Set this as your primary domain.
• Choose to hide the domain’s “www” prefix.
• Enable SSL for your site, if you haven't already.
• Add a custom email address through our integration with G Suite.
• Register additional domains.
• Review your domain invoice.

Getting more help

For more help with transferring from WordPress, open a live chat with their support team. You can also visit their documentation.