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

Before you begin, ensure your domain meets our requirements for connecting a third-party domain. You may also find Bluehost's 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 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 Bluehost from the drop-down menu.
6. Click Connect domain.
7. In the message that appears, click Continue.
8. A new panel will open with the records to create in your Bluehost account. Keep this panel open for your reference.

Step 2 - Log into Bluehost

Open a new browser window or tab to access your Bluehost account:

1. Go to www.bluehost.com, then log into your account.
2. Under Domains, find the domain you want to connect.
3. Scroll down to Advanced Tools.
4. Click Manage next to Advanced DNS Records.
5. In the Advanced DNS Records pop-up window, click Continue.

You'll now copy the records from the DNS Settings panel of your Squarespace site into your domain's settings.

Note: Don’t delete MX Records at this point. MX Records connect your email address, and deleting them could interfere with your email service.

Step 3 - Add the first CNAME

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 Bluehost DNS Manager, create the following record:

1. Under Manage Advanced DNS Records, click Add record.
2. In the Type dropdown menu, select CNAME.
3. In the Refers To dropdown menu, select Other Host.
4. In the Host Name field, paste the unique code from the Host column in your DNS Settings panel. 
5. In the Alias To field, enter verify.squarespace.com
6. Leave the TTL at the default setting.
7. Click Save. 

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 4 - Add the second CNAME

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. In your Bluehost DNS Manager, create the following record:

1. Under Manage Advanced DNS Records, click Add record.
2. In the Type dropdown menu, select CNAME.
3. In the Refers To dropdown menu, select www.
4. In the Alias To field, enter ext-cust.squarespace.com
5. Leave the TTL at the default setting.
6. Click Save. 

Note: If you already have a CNAME set up with a www Host Record, edit it so that Points To is ext-cust.squarespace.com.

Step 5 - Add A records

In the last four lines of your Squarespace DNS Settings, you'll see four IP addresses in the Required Data column. In your Bluehost DNS Manager, use the steps below to create the following records:

1. Under Manage Advanced DNS Records, click Add record.
2. In the Type dropdown menu, select A.
3. In the Host Record field, enter @
4. In the Points To field, enter 198.185.159.144
5. Leave the TTL at the default setting.
6. Click Save. 

Repeat this process three more times using the following IP addresses in the Points To field:

• 198.185.159.145
• 198.49.23.144
• 198.49.23.145

Note: If you have existing A records, edit any with Host Record @ so that Points To includes one of the IP addresses above. If you see other A records in your account that don’t match what’s shown in this guide:

• Host: blank - Delete. "Blank" specifies your domain without the www in front.
• Host: Mail or Email - Don’t delete. This connects to your email address. Deleting it could interfere with your email service.

Step 6 - 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.

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 Bluehost account, contact their support team. For tips on troubleshooting with Bluehost, visit Requesting third-party domains help. You can also visit their documentation.