Connecting a third-party domain to your Squarespace site

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Connecting a third-party domain to your Squarespace site

Last updated October 25, 2023 17:15

Map your third-party domain to your site, but keep it registered with the original provider.

If your domain is hosted by Squarespace, you can add it to a new or existing Squarespace site in your Domains panel. If you don't have a custom domain, you can register a new one through Squarespace.

If you purchased a domain from a third-party provider (like HostGator, Google, or 1&1) and want to keep it registered with them, you can connect it to your site by following a setup process called DNS Connect or domain mapping. After completing these steps, your domain remains registered with the host that you purchased the domain from, but it connects to your Squarespace site. Before you begin, 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.

This guide covers how to connect a third-party domain using DNS Connect. We’re gradually adding a second setup, Nameserver Connect, in waves to all Squarespace sites. At this time, Nameserver Connect is only available for third-party domains from GoDaddy, Namecheap and Network Solutions. If you have a domain with one of these providers, follow their provider-specific connection guides to connect a domain instead of this guide. Learn more in Nameserver Connect vs. DNS Connect for domain connections.

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Before you begin

Preparation

To follow this guide, you should already have registered a domain with a third-party provider. After you connect your domain by following the steps in this guide, you must leave it registered with your provider to keep it connected to your Squarespace site.
Your domain provider must offer full DNS access. If they don't, you’ll need to transfer the domain to a new provider before connecting it to Squarespace.
We recommend using your domain provider's default nameservers and updating the DNS settings in your domain account.
Most domains connect to a site in 24 hours, but it can sometimes take up to 72 hours. Keep this timing in mind if you have a deadline.
If you get started and decide you want more hands-on help, you can hire a vetted Squarespace Expert.

Features

You can connect your domain to a trial or paid Squarespace site. You can't connect to an expired site.
If you have an email account linked to your custom domain, you can keep using it after connecting to Squarespace. Before connecting your domain, review the recommendations and options.
You can use multiple custom domains for your site, and there's no limit to how many you can connect or register. To learn more, visit Managing multiple domains.

Limitations

It's not possible to connect a third-party domain to a specific page on your site. All connected domains point to the homepage and resolve to the primary domain.
You can't connect a third-party domain to a parking page.
You can't connect a custom domain to Squarespace if the domain name has the word "squarespace" or "sqsp" in it.
Domains with special characters (such as ü, é, ñ) may not display properly on all browsers. If a browser can’t display the character, it reformats the domain with extra characters and dashes. For example, the domain “übercool.de,” redirects to "xn--bercool-m2a.de” in unsupported browsers.

Provider-specific guides

Instead of following the general instructions on this page, we have step-by-step guides for many popular providers:

Available ccTLDs

Country code top-level domains (ccTLDs) follow different rules than most other TLDs we offer. The list below shows which ccTLDs are available for purchase through Squarespace and where you can find the specific requirements and features for each ccTLD.

Australia: .au and .com.au domains
Canada: .ca domains
Cocos (Keeling) Islands: .cc domains
European Union: .eu domains
France: .fr domains
Germany: .de domains
India: .co.in domains
Italy: .it domains
Japan: .jp domains
Mexico: .mx and .com.mx domains
New Zealand: .nz and .co.nz domains
Palau: .pw domains
Poland: .pl domains
The Netherlands: .nl domains
United Kingdom: .co.uk, .org.uk and .uk domains
United States: .us domains

If you're interested in a ccTLD that isn't included in the list, you can register one with a third-party provider and connect it to your Squarespace site instead.

Step 1 - Start the connection in Squarespace

To connect your domain, start in the Domains panel:

Open the Domains panel.
Click Use a Domain I Own.
Enter the full domain name you’re connecting in the Enter Domain field, then click the arrow.
Click Connect Domain.

Note: If you see a message that says "This domain is already connected to another Squarespace site," check your other Squarespace sites to find where the domain is connected. Then disconnect it from that site.

Select your domain provider from the drop-down menu. If you don’t find your domain provider, select Other. You can still connect your domain if your provider isn't in the list.
Click Connect Domain.
In the message that appears, click Continue.

Step 2 - View your DNS settings

After you click connect, the DNS Settings panel will appear. This panel shows the records you need to enter in your provider's account to connect your domain to your Squarespace site. Keep this panel open for your reference.

Your domain records may be green or red, depending on the DNS information our system receives from your domain provider.

Squarespace_DNS_settings_panel_domain_connection_in_progress.jpg

Step 3 - Log into your domain account

In a new browser tab or window, log into your domain account, then find where to manage your domain's DNS settings. Depending on your provider, the settings for managing your domain's DNS records may be called DNS, Advanced DNS Records, Manage Domains, or something similar.

After finding the settings, you may see that you already have DNS records in place. Some providers may require you to change or delete them so your domain correctly links to your Squarespace site.

After finding where to manage your DNS settings, you'll create these records.

Note: Don't delete MX records during this process. MX Records connect your email address. Deleting them could interfere with your email service.

Step 4 - Add the first CNAME Record

In the first line of your Squarespace DNS Settings, copy the unique code that appears directly below the Host column. The unique code is a random string of numbers and letters that must point to verify.squarespace.com.

In your provider's DNS manager, create a CNAME with these values:

Alias or Host Name	Type or Record Type	Points to
Copy and paste the unique code under Host on the first line.	CNAME or CNAME Alias	verify.squarespace.com

If you can't add this CNAME due to your provider's settings, you can add a TXT record instead.

Note: If you don't add this CNAME, or if it's entered incorrectly, the domain will unlink from your site after 15 days. If this happens, you can start over to reconnect the domain.

Step 5 - Add the second CNAME Record

In the second line of your Squarespace DNS Settings, www appears directly below the Host column. This record must point to ext-cust.squarespace.com.

Depending on your provider, you may already have a CNAME set up with a www Alias. If so, edit this existing CNAME so that Points To is ext-cust.squarespace.com. (For most providers, add this without the last ".")

In your provider's DNS manager, create a CNAME with these values:

Alias or Host Name	Type or Record Type	Points to
www	CNAME or CNAME Alias	ext-cust.squarespace.com

Note: If you're experiencing issues adding this record or if your domain provider doesn't support CNAME records, add an A record with the following details instead:

Alias or Host Name: www

Points To or Details: 198.185.159.144

Then, in Step 6, only add the three remaining A records.

Step 6 - Add the A records

In the last four lines of your Squarespace DNS Settings, you'll see four IP addresses in the Required Data column. Each of these displays @ in the Host column.

Depending on your provider, you may already have some A records in place. If so, edit any existing A records with Host Name @ so that Points To matches the values below.

Find the area of your DNS settings where you edit your A records. If possible, create four A records matching what's shown below. If you can only add one A record, use the record in the first row.

Host or Host Name	Records, Record Type, or Type	Points To or Details
@	A	198.185.159.144
@	A	198.185.159.145
@	A	198.49.23.144
@	A	198.49.23.145

If your provider doesn't accept @ as a Host Name, we recommend leaving the Host/Host Name field blank or entering your domain name without the "www" in front.

Step 7 - Wait for the connection to complete

It can take 24 to 72 hours for the connection to start working properly. While you wait you can review the connection's progress, and domain settings in the Domain overview panel.

To find your Domain overview panel, open the Domains panel, then click your domain.

There you can:

Review the connection's progress - In the Connection in progress section, click View DNS settings, then click Refresh records in the top-right corner. The Current Data column displays if your records are entered correctly. When the domain is correctly linked, it will show a "connected" label in the Domains panel.
Watch for your SSL certificate to generate - In the Details section, review the SSL certificate status. If you visit the domain while it's connecting, you may find error messages about privacy. After the connection completes, your domain generates the SSL certificate and any error messages should disappear.
Monitor error messages - It’s normal for your domain to show errors for up to 72 hours after completing the steps in this guide. If the error messages persist after 72 hours have passed, troubleshoot the connection in the next section.

Note: Your site may display a “This website is pending domain owner verification” message for up to 72 hours. This is normal and means that your domain is populating across the internet. If the message persists after 72 hours, contact us.

Troubleshoot with the DNS record checker

If we detect that your records weren’t set up properly, your domain appears in the Domains panel with the message DNS Error. To troubleshoot, use the DNS checker tool in the DNS Settings panel to determine the exact CNAME and A records to fix with your domain provider.

More help

We offer several resources to help you connect a third-party domain to your Squarespace site:

If your domain is showing an error message or you need help with DNS settings in your Squarespace site, visit Troubleshooting domain connections.
For help with DNS settings in your provider's account, we recommend contacting their support team. To help them understand your issue, you can use our sample message.
Hire a Squarespace Expert to help connect a domain to your Squarespace site.
Get advice from the community in the Squarespace Forum.

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