Add custom nameservers or restore Squarespace defaults for your Squarespace-managed domain.

Nameservers host your domain's DNS records and control where your domain points online. You can review or change your domain's nameservers from your domain’s details page.

This guide applies if your domain is registered with Squarespace, or if it's registered with a third party and connected via Nameserver Connect. If your third-party domain uses DNS Connect, edit your nameservers with your domain provider instead.

Video on accessing and editing your nameservers

Watch this one-minute video for a quick look at how to locate and edit your nameservers.

What changes when you use custom nameservers?

If you add custom nameservers to your domain:

• Your domain will disconnect from your site.
• You'll be prompted to disable DNSSEC protection. You can add third-party DNSSEC protection to your DNS settings by adding DS records or DNSKEY records.
• The records in your domain’s Squarespace DNS settings won’t apply to the domain. You'll have to re-add custom records, like MX or DKIM records controlling custom email, in the DNS settings for your custom nameserver provider.
• PayPal Payment Links won’t work.

Do I need to use custom nameservers?

Custom nameservers are only necessary if you need to add Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC) or use a service that requires them. If you're not sure, you probably don't need to change these settings. Only use custom nameservers if you have experience managing domains.

Add or edit custom nameservers

You can add a minimum of two and a maximum of 13 custom nameservers. To access your domain's nameservers:

1. Open your domains dashboard.
2. Click the domain name. If you have multiple Squarespace domains, you'll manage them separately.
3. Click DNS, then click Domain Nameservers.
4. Click Use Custom Nameservers.
5. Enter your current password, or if you have two-factor authentication (2FA) enabled, reauthenticate your account using your 2FA method and click Continue.
6. Click Continue when prompted to disable DNSSEC.
7. Enter your nameserver records into the Nameserver 1 and Nameserver 2 text fields.
8. Click Save. It can take up to 48 hours for the nameservers to start working properly.

Reset nameservers to Squarespace defaults

Resetting to Squarespace's default nameservers restores the default settings and removes any custom nameserver changes.

To access your domain's nameservers:

1. Open your domains dashboard.
2. Click the domain name. If you have multiple Squarespace domains, you'll manage them separately.
3. Click DNS, then click Domain Nameservers.
4. Click Use Squarespace nameservers to keep or add Squarespace’s default nameservers. Any records added to the domain’s DNS settings panel will apply to the domain.
5. Enter your current password, or if you have two-factor authentication (2FA) enabled, reauthenticate your account using your 2FA method and click Continue.
6. Click Save. It can take up to 48 hours for the nameservers to start working properly.

Note: After saving, you'll be prompted to re-enable DNSSEC. Click View DNSSEC, then switch on the DNS Security Extensions toggle.

What should Squarespace's default nameservers look like?

Squarespace uses a number of nameservers. Your site’s loading speed and security remain the same, no matter which nameservers your domain uses.

Squarespace default nameservers may end in:

• .googledomains.com
• .nsone.net
• .squarespacedns.com
• .systemdns.com

Note: It's normal for these nameservers to appear on other providers' domains and not just Squarespace-managed domains.

Use nameserver (NS) records for advanced subdomain needs

You can add NS records to your DNS settings to distribute site traffic across more than one server. This is an optional and advanced step that's useful if you have subdomains and want them to use separate servers from your root domain.

My DNS records aren’t loading

If you’re adding third-party nameservers or making changes to your domain, wait up to 48 hours for changes to take effect. If the errors persist, contact the support team of your third-party nameserver provider for help. You can use this sample message when contacting them.