If you purchased a domain from IONOS and want to keep it registered with them, you can connect it to your site using DNS Connect.

Before you begin, review our requirements for connecting a third-party domain. You may also find IONOS' guide helpful as you work on the connection.

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.

Step 1 - Start the connection in Squarespace

To connect your domain, start in the Domains panel:

1. Open the Domains panel.

2. Click Use a domain I own.
3. Enter the full domain name you’re you're connecting in the Enter domain field, then click the arrow.
4. 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. After finding the site, disconnect the domain.

5. Select IONOS from the drop-down menu.
6. Click Connect domain.
7. In the message that appears, click Continue.

Step 2 - Approve the connection in IONOS

Use the following steps to approve the connection to IONOS:

1. A pop-up window will appear. Log in using your IONOS credentials.
2. Click Connect to confirm.

Note: At this point, you may see another pop-up noting that some records on this domain will be deactivated. This can happen if the domain was previously connected to another site or if it’s connected to another service that conflicts with Squarespace. In most cases, you can click Connect to continue. If you’re not sure, stop the process and contact IONOS’ support team for help before you continue.

3. If the connection is successful, you'll see a message in Squarespace letting you know that the connection to your domain is in progress.
4. Click Continue.

Step 3 - Wait for the connection to complete

Now that you've set up the automatic connection, it can take 24 to 72 hours for the domain 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 an error message after 72 hours, see our tips below, or visit Troubleshooting domain connections.

Troubleshooting

I'm seeing a failure message from IONOS when I try to link my domain

If you're seeing a IONOS error message within Squarespace, try the following steps before attempting to re-link your domain:

1. Ensure that you're using IONOS' default nameservers. For help resetting them, visit IONOS' support.
2. Fully log out of your IONOS account.
3. Try manually connecting your domain.

Getting more help

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