How to connect a domain to a site

Every site gets a free subdomain address. You can connect the business's own domain at any time. In the editor, open Settings → Domain and click Change to open Choose your website domain. After a site's first publish, Connect your own domain in the Your site is live! box opens it too.

How to change the free subdomain

1. In the first card (Use a ContentForge subdomain, or Use a free subdomain in a white-label account), type a name.
2. Wait for the check: Available, Already taken, This subdomain is reserved, or the rule reminder "3–63 chars, a–z 0–9 and hyphens; no leading/trailing hyphen".
3. Check the New address line and click Save.

The warning says it plainly: "Changing the subdomain changes the live address. The previous URL stops resolving immediately." Update any links you've shared.

Rules for the name:

• 3 to 63 characters.
• Lowercase letters a–z, numbers 0–9 and hyphens only. It can't start or end with a hyphen.
• Reserved names can't be used: www, app, api, admin, dashboard, mail, smtp, ftp, blog, cdn, static, assets, status, help, support and contentforge.

How to connect your own domain

1. In Use your own domain, type the domain (for example example.com). Before you connect, it tells you where the domain's DNS is managed ("DNS for example.com is managed at GoDaddy").
2. Click Connect domain.
3. Follow the steps for that DNS host. You get a table of records to add (Type, name, Value, TTL, Status) with copy buttons, plus any old records to delete. Use the values shown in the Domain panel exactly. Use Show steps for to switch to another host, or Another provider for general steps. Leave your email alone: leave every MX record alone, and any TXT record you didn't add for this (ones starting with v=spf1, v=DKIM1, v=DMARC1, google-site-verification or MS=).
4. Watch the status. It moves from Waiting for DNS (or Needs a fix if a record is wrong or an old record is in the way) to Waiting for the security certificate, and then to Live.

Each record has its own status:

• Found: it's there and correct.
• Not added yet: add it at your DNS host.
• Wrong value: it's there but points somewhere else. Edit it to the value shown.
• Old record in the way: delete the old record so ours is the only one.
• Couldn't check: the lookup failed this time. It tries again.

If you connect example.com, www.example.com is added for you too (and the other way round). Both need a record, and visitors to one are sent to the other. Connecting a subdomain such as shop.example.com leaves the main website at example.com alone.

A domain only counts as Live once https actually works on it. Until then the site keeps loading on its current address.

The guide re-checks on its own while it's open. Check now checks straight away. You can close it: pending domains are checked every hour, and whoever added the domain gets an email when it connects or has a problem, and your agency gets a Domain connected or Domain problem notification in the bell. A domain that's stuck or broken also shows on the dashboard's Needs your attention list as a Domain problem. DNS changes can take from a few minutes to a few hours (some take up to 48).

Step-by-step guides exist for GoDaddy, Namecheap, Squarespace Domains (including former Google Domains), Cloudflare, IONOS, Wix, Bluehost / HostGator, Network Solutions, Hostinger, Porkbun, Name.com, Dynadot, Amazon Route 53 and Hover. Any other host gets the general steps.

Records that block the certificate

While you connect a domain, the guide also checks for DNS records that stop the security certificate. It lists each one up front, with the exact record to delete or change:

• An AAAA (IPv6) record that isn't ours, usually left over from a parked page. Delete it.
• An extra A record next to ours. Delete it so only our record is left.
• Cloudflare's proxy (orange cloud) is on. Switch the record to DNS only (gray cloud).
• A CAA record that doesn't allow our certificate providers. Add the CAA record shown in the guide, or delete the CAA records.

Waiting for the security certificate

This status means the DNS is right and the hosting has confirmed the domain, but the secure certificate (https) isn't working yet. It usually takes a few minutes. The domain switches to Live by itself once https works.

We fix stuck certificates automatically. If it's still waiting after 30 minutes, we ask our hosting to re-check the domain. After 2 hours we remove the domain from our hosting and add it again, which restarts the certificate. The DNS records stay as they are. We try this at most twice, at least 12 hours apart. There's nothing for you to do while this runs.

If none of that works, the status changes to Security certificate stuck. The message says what we tried. Contact support and include the domain name.

Why a working domain can stop working

A Live domain is checked once a day to make sure https still works. If it fails two checks in a row, an hour apart, whoever added the domain gets an email naming the site, the domain and the likely cause, and a Domain problem notification shows in the bell. A Not loading securely warning shows in Settings → Domain, on the site's card under Websites, and on the dashboard's Needs your attention list. The site stays connected, and it starts working again as soon as the problem is fixed. While it's broken you get one reminder a day, and you're told when it's working again.

The likely causes, and what to do:

• The DNS no longer points here. Someone changed or removed the domain's DNS records. Put back the records shown in Settings → Domain.
• A proxy is turned on, usually Cloudflare's orange cloud. In Cloudflare, switch the domain's records to DNS only (gray cloud).
• The domain was removed from our hosting. In Settings → Domain, remove the domain and connect it again. The DNS records can stay.
• The certificate isn't valid or has expired. Certificates renew automatically as long as the DNS keeps pointing at us, so this usually clears within a few hours. If it doesn't, check for a CAA record that blocks our certificate providers, then contact support.
• The domain isn't answering. This is often brief. If it lasts, check that the DNS records still match and that nothing, such as a firewall or proxy, sits in front of the domain.

Let someone else do it

When someone else manages the domain, click Email these steps, enter their address and add a note if you like (Add a note (optional)), then click Send. They get the same instructions and a Check the connection link to the live check, which works for 30 days. You can send 5 of these emails every 10 minutes and 30 a day. Copy all instructions copies everything to paste into your own message. On Growth and Agency plans, the email carries your agency's branding.

Alternate domains

Once the main domain is live, you can add up to 10 Alternate domains ("Forward other domains you own to your primary domain"), for example other spellings the business owns. Type one and click Connect; each gets its own DNS steps. They redirect to the main domain. Remove takes one off. Serve content at alternate domains instead of redirecting is possible but not recommended, because the same content on several domains can hurt rankings.

Examples

• A new client with GoDaddy: type smithplumbing.com, click Connect domain, follow the GoDaddy steps, and watch it go Live (both smithplumbing.com and www.smithplumbing.com).
• The client's IT person manages DNS: click Email these steps and send it to them with a note. You can watch the status in the editor.
• Old spellings: once smithplumbing.com is live, add smith-plumbing.com as an alternate domain so it forwards.
• A launch-week preview: keep the site on its free subdomain (for example smith-plumbing) until the client signs off, then connect the real domain.

Limits and what it can't do

• One main custom domain per site, plus up to 10 alternate domains.
• A domain can only be connected to one site or account at a time, and can't be both a website and a client portal domain.
• We don't sell or register domains, and we can't change DNS for you. The changes are made at the DNS host.
• SSL (https) is set up for you once DNS is right. There's no option to upload your own certificate.
• Remove domain takes the custom domain off and the site goes back to its subdomain.
• Connected domains keep being checked daily, including https. If a domain stops working, you're told, but it's never disconnected.

Who can use it

• Agency people with the Mount Olympus tool.
• Client people need Editor (to see Settings → Domain) and Custom domain (to connect, change or remove a domain).

Troubleshooting

• "That subdomain is already taken" or Already taken: another site uses it. Try a variation, such as adding the town.
• "That subdomain is reserved": pick a name that isn't on the reserved list above.
• "Invalid subdomain: 3–63 characters, a–z, 0–9, and hyphens only; cannot start or end with a hyphen": remove capitals, spaces and other symbols.
• "Invalid domain format": type just the domain, like example.com, without https:// or a page path.
• "This domain is already connected to another website or account.": remove it from the other site first. If it's not in your account, contact support.
• "This domain is used as a client portal domain. Use a different domain for the website.": it's set as a client portal address. Use a different domain, or a different subdomain such as www.
• "Add and verify a custom domain before adding alternate domains.": connect the main domain and wait until it's Live.
• "Maximum of 10 alternate domains reached.": remove one before adding another.
• Stuck on Waiting for DNS: check each record's status. Most changes show within an hour; some take up to 48 hours. Make sure you edited the DNS at the host the guide names (the nameservers decide this, not where you bought the domain).
• Needs a fix: look for records marked Wrong value or Old record in the way, or a Cloudflare record still on the proxy (orange cloud).
• "Security certificate stuck": we've already tried the automatic fixes. Contact support with the domain name.
• "Couldn't send the email — please try again." or "You're going too fast — try again in …": wait and send again (5 emails every 10 minutes, 30 a day).
• "Network error — please try again": check your internet connection and retry.