How to Point a Domain to Shopify, Squarespace, Webflow, or WordPress

Overview

If you already have a domain registration with one company and your site lives on another platform, you do not need to transfer the domain just to use it. In many cases, you only need to point the domain by updating DNS records at your registrar or DNS host.

The basic idea is simple:

• Your domain registrar is where you bought the domain name.
• Your DNS host is where the domain’s records are managed. Sometimes this is the registrar, but not always.
• Your website platform is Shopify, Squarespace, Webflow, WordPress, or another host.

Before you make any changes, confirm where DNS is currently controlled. If your nameservers point to a third-party DNS provider, updating records at the registrar may do nothing. This is one of the most common reasons a custom domain setup appears to fail.

For most platform connections, you will work with some combination of these record types:

• A record: points a root domain such as yourdomain.com to an IPv4 address.
• CNAME: points a subdomain such as www.yourdomain.com to another hostname.
• TXT record: often used for domain verification, email authentication, or platform ownership checks.
• AAAA record: points to an IPv6 address. Some setups do not use this, and stale AAAA records can create conflicts.
• MX records: handle email delivery and should be left intact if you use business email on your domain.

If you want a refresher on record types, see DNS Records Guide: A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT, NS, and When to Use Each.

As a rule, plan for three outcomes when pointing a domain:

1. The platform verifies the domain ownership.
2. The root domain and www version both resolve correctly.
3. HTTPS is issued and the preferred version redirects properly.

That is the real finish line, not just saving a new DNS record.

Checklist by scenario

Use the checklist below based on the platform you are connecting to. The exact values can change over time, so always copy the current DNS records from your platform’s domain setup screen rather than relying on an old screenshot or memory.

Before you touch DNS: universal pre-flight checklist

• Log in to your domain registrar and identify where DNS is hosted.
• Open your website platform’s custom domain instructions in a separate tab.
• Take a screenshot or export of existing DNS records.
• Note whether you already use business email on the domain.
• List the records tied to email, such as MX, SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, so you do not remove them accidentally.
• Decide which version should be primary: yourdomain.com or www.yourdomain.com.
• Check for old A, AAAA, or CNAME records that may conflict with the new setup.
• If the site is already live elsewhere, schedule the change at a lower-risk time.

If you are also sorting out hosting questions, these may help: How to Connect Your Domain to Web Hosting: DNS Records Explained Simply and Best Website Builders for Custom Domains: Ease of Use, SEO, and Pricing.

How to point a domain to Shopify

To point a domain to Shopify, you usually connect the root domain with an A record and the www subdomain with a CNAME. Shopify may also ask you to verify the domain inside your admin.

Checklist:

1. In Shopify, open the domain connection flow and copy the current record values shown there.
2. At your DNS host, update the root domain A record to the value Shopify provides.
3. Update the www CNAME to the hostname Shopify provides.
4. Remove conflicting A records for the root domain if they point to a previous host.
5. Remove or review conflicting AAAA records if the domain still resolves to an old destination.
6. Do not delete MX or TXT records used for email unless you intend to replace them.
7. Return to Shopify and complete domain verification.
8. Set your preferred primary domain inside Shopify and enable redirects if offered.
9. Wait for DNS propagation, then test both the root and www versions.

Important note: if you previously connected the domain to a landing page tool, old redirects or proxy settings may interfere with verification.

How to connect a domain to Squarespace

When you connect a domain to Squarespace, the platform may require several records rather than only one or two. This can include verification records as well as the records that actually route traffic.

Checklist:

1. Open Squarespace domain settings and choose the option for using a domain from another provider.
2. Copy every required record exactly as shown, including any verification CNAME or TXT records.
3. Add or update the root domain records requested by Squarespace.
4. Add the www CNAME and any additional hostnames the setup requires.
5. Double-check host fields carefully. Some DNS panels want only www, while others want the full domain name.
6. Keep your email-related MX and TXT records in place.
7. Verify the domain in Squarespace and choose your default version of the domain.
8. After connection, confirm HTTPS is active and internal links resolve correctly.

Squarespace setups often fail because one verification record is skipped or entered with the wrong host name. If the site does not connect, compare each field character by character.

How to connect a domain to Webflow

Webflow commonly uses A records for the apex domain and a CNAME for www. You also need to set the correct default domain in your project settings so one version redirects cleanly.

Checklist:

1. In Webflow project settings, add both the root domain and the www version.
2. Copy the exact A records and CNAME currently listed by Webflow.
3. At your DNS host, replace old A records for the root domain with the Webflow values.
4. Set the www CNAME to the target Webflow specifies.
5. Publish the site to the custom domain from inside Webflow.
6. Choose the default version, usually www or non-www, based on your preference.
7. Check that HTTPS is provisioned and that the non-default version redirects to the default one.

One easy detail to miss with Webflow is the final publish step. DNS can be correct, but the domain may still not serve the intended site until the project is published to that domain.

How to point a domain to WordPress

WordPress is the broadest case because “WordPress” can mean WordPress.com, managed WordPress hosting, or a self-hosted WordPress site on shared, VPS, or cloud hosting. The exact records depend on the host.

Checklist:

1. Identify whether you are connecting to WordPress.com or a separate WordPress host.
2. Get the official DNS values from your host’s dashboard or onboarding instructions.
3. If the host uses nameservers instead of individual records, confirm whether switching nameservers is recommended.
4. If using individual records, update the root A record and any required CNAME records exactly as provided.
5. Leave email records untouched unless your host explicitly manages email too.
6. In WordPress settings, confirm the site URL and home URL match the preferred domain version.
7. Install or verify SSL, then force HTTPS if appropriate.
8. Test the homepage, admin login, and a few internal pages after propagation.

If you are still deciding on hosting, these guides may help: Managed WordPress Hosting vs Shared Hosting: Cost, Performance, and Maintenance, Best Web Hosting for Small Business Websites: Speed, Support, and Uptime Compared, and Shared Hosting vs VPS vs Cloud Hosting: Which Is Best for Your Website?.

If you also use business email on the domain

This is the scenario that deserves the most caution. Many people successfully point the website and accidentally break email in the process.

Checklist:

• Find and preserve your MX records.
• Keep any TXT records used for SPF, DKIM, or domain verification.
• Do not replace the entire DNS zone unless you are ready to rebuild all email records.
• If your platform suggests switching nameservers, check whether that will require recreating email DNS first.
• After the website is live, send and receive a test email from the domain.

For a deeper walkthrough, see How to Set Up Business Email on Your Domain: Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, and Budget Options.

What to double-check

Once you have saved your DNS changes, slow down and verify the parts that most often cause confusion.

1. Are you editing the correct DNS host?

If your nameservers point away from the registrar, all record edits must happen wherever those nameservers are managed. This is the first thing to confirm if your changes do not seem to take effect.

2. Did you set both the root domain and the www version?

Many platforms want both. A common clean setup is:

• yourdomain.com points to the platform using A records.
• www.yourdomain.com points to the platform using a CNAME.
• One version redirects to the preferred version.

If only one version is connected, users may see inconsistent behavior.

3. Are there conflicting records?

You generally should not have multiple unrelated A records for the same root domain unless the platform explicitly requires them. The same goes for overlapping CNAMEs on the same host. Old records from a previous host can delay validation or send some visitors to the wrong place.

4. Did you preserve email records?

Check MX and mail-related TXT records before and after the change. If email stops working, the issue is often not the website platform but a deleted mail record.

5. Is HTTPS working?

Domain connection is not fully complete until the secure version of the site loads correctly. If the platform issues SSL automatically, it may need time after DNS propagation. If not, you may need to finish the certificate setup yourself. See SSL Certificate Setup Guide: How to Secure Your Website and Fix HTTPS Errors.

6. Does the platform show the domain as verified?

Even if the domain appears to load, the platform may still require a verification step in the dashboard. Finish that process so renewals, redirects, and SSL continue to work as expected.

7. Is your WHOIS privacy or domain ownership information in order?

This does not usually affect DNS directly, but it is worth reviewing whenever you are working on domain settings. If you are unsure whether privacy protection matters for your use case, read Domain Privacy Protection Explained: Is WHOIS Privacy Still Worth Paying For?.

Common mistakes

Most custom domain issues are not dramatic technical failures. They are usually one of a handful of predictable errors.

• Changing nameservers when only a few DNS records were needed. This can move all DNS management at once and unexpectedly disrupt email or verification records.
• Editing records at the registrar instead of the actual DNS provider. If the nameservers point elsewhere, those edits may never go live.
• Deleting MX records during website setup. The site starts working, but email quietly stops.
• Leaving old AAAA records in place. Some users reach the old destination over IPv6 while others reach the new site over IPv4.
• Using the wrong host format. Some dashboards want @ for the root, others leave it blank, and others use the full domain. A small formatting mismatch can block connection.
• Skipping the platform-side publish or verification step. DNS alone is not always enough.
• Testing too early and assuming the setup failed. DNS propagation can take time, and some platforms need additional time for SSL issuance.
• Not setting a canonical preferred version. If both www and non-www load separately without redirecting, branding and SEO can become messy.

If you want a broader grounding before making changes, How to Connect Your Domain to Web Hosting: DNS Records Explained Simply is a useful companion guide.

When to revisit

This is not a one-time topic. Domain pointing is worth revisiting whenever your setup changes, especially if you manage a creator site, store, portfolio, or small business website that evolves over time.

Revisit your domain settings when:

• You redesign or migrate the site to a new platform.
• You change hosts, CDNs, or DNS providers.
• You add business email to the domain.
• You prepare for a seasonal launch, campaign, or product drop.
• You notice HTTPS warnings, redirect loops, or inconsistent loading between www and non-www.
• You hand off access between team members and need to audit who controls the registrar, DNS, and hosting accounts.
• You change the primary domain for branding reasons.

A practical review routine is simple:

1. Confirm the registrar login and renewal settings are current.
2. Check where nameservers point.
3. Export or screenshot DNS before changes.
4. Verify website records, email records, and TXT verification records.
5. Test the root domain, www, HTTPS, and email after any update.
6. Document the final setup so the next change is easier.

If you are planning a broader launch, a useful next step is to pair this DNS checklist with hosting and builder decisions early rather than at the last minute. Depending on your setup, these guides can help: Best Hosting for Startups: What to Choose Before Traffic Grows and Best Website Builders for Custom Domains: Ease of Use, SEO, and Pricing.

The safest mindset is to treat domain changes like infrastructure changes, even for a simple creator site. Save the existing records, make one intentional update at a time, and verify the result from the platform dashboard as well as in the browser. That approach works whether you need to point a domain to Shopify, connect a domain to Squarespace, connect a domain to Webflow, or point a domain to WordPress.