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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →To connect a custom domain to a deployed web app, add the domain in your hosting project, enter the DNS records that host specifies at the domain’s active DNS provider, then verify the domain and HTTPS. The exact records depend on your host and whether you’re connecting a root domain such as example.com or a subdomain such as www.example.com.
Before changing DNS, identify the domain and services involved
Three services may be involved: the registrar where you bought the domain, the DNS provider that manages its records, and the host that serves your app. They can be different companies. Make DNS changes wherever the domain’s active DNS is managed—not automatically at the registrar or the app host.
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Also decide which hostname should serve the app. The apex, or root domain, is example.com; a subdomain is www.example.com or app.example.com. Hosts can require different record types for each. Use the values shown in your project’s domain settings rather than copying a generic example from another provider.
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- Associate the hostname with the app. Open the project or site’s custom-domain settings and add the hostname. Follow that host’s sequence: some require ownership verification or project association before DNS changes.
- Read the host’s DNS instructions. Note the record type, name or host field, and target/value for the exact hostname you added. If instructions are customized for your project, use those rather than general documentation examples.
- Enter the records at the active DNS provider. Edit the existing DNS zone. Avoid changing nameservers unless the host specifically requires delegation; nameserver changes affect who manages the domain’s DNS, not just the app record.
- Wait, then verify. Return to the host’s domain settings and rerun verification if needed. For an independent check, query the record with
dig, for exampledig example.comordig www.example.com. - Check HTTPS and the app. Confirm the host reports the domain and certificate as ready, then load the intended hostname using
https://and check that it serves the expected app.
How the setup differs by hosting platform
The following differences are based on each platform’s official instructions. DNS values can change, so the project’s current domain panel takes precedence.
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| Platform | Association and DNS approach | Verification and HTTPS |
|---|---|---|
| Vercel | Add the domain to the project, inspect the project’s required DNS configuration, and enter those records with the DNS provider. The guide notes that a project may have specific values; do not assume its general examples apply. Vercel’s project-domain guide was last updated March 12, 2026. | Inspect the domain again to verify DNS and check certificate issuance. Vercel says it automatically provisions an SSL certificate after DNS verification. Its guide says propagation can take a few minutes; this is platform guidance, not a universal guarantee. Source |
| Cloudflare Pages | Complete the custom-domain association in the Pages dashboard before relying on a DNS record. For an apex domain, Cloudflare Pages requires the domain to be a Cloudflare zone with nameservers pointing to Cloudflare. Cloudflare Pages custom domains (guide updated April 21, 2026). | Adding a CNAME manually without first associating the domain in Pages can lead to a 522 error, according to Cloudflare. Follow the dashboard flow and its status checks. |
| Netlify | Add the domain in the site’s Domain management area, then choose Netlify DNS or an external DNS provider. For external DNS, use the site’s customized pending-verification instructions, not a guessed generic record. Netlify’s domain setup guide. | Netlify says changes can take up to 48 hours to take full effect and suggests checking propagation with dig. This is Netlify’s estimate, not a promise that every DNS change will take that long. Netlify’s domain troubleshooting guide |
| GitHub Pages | Verify ownership before adding the custom domain to the repository, then add the domain to Pages before configuring DNS. For an apex domain, GitHub documents A and AAAA records, or ALIAS/ANAME where supported. For a subdomain, it documents a CNAME to the account or organization’s github.io address. GitHub’s custom-domain guide. |
GitHub recommends ownership verification before repository setup to reduce takeover risk. It strongly advises against wildcard DNS records. Use the Pages settings to check whether the custom domain is recognized. |
Why apex and subdomain records are not interchangeable
An apex domain and a subdomain are separate hostnames, and a host may prescribe different DNS records for them. GitHub Pages, for example, documents A and AAAA records—or ALIAS/ANAME where available—for an apex domain, but a CNAME for a subdomain. That pattern is specific to GitHub Pages; do not apply it to another host unless its instructions say to.
If you want both example.com and www.example.com to work, add each hostname in the hosting project if the platform requires it, and configure the corresponding records it provides. Do not assume that setting up one automatically configures the other.
Nameserver changes are different from DNS record edits
Editing an A, AAAA, or CNAME record changes how a hostname resolves while leaving DNS management in place. Changing nameservers delegates DNS management to another provider and can affect all records in the zone, including email and verification records. Cloudflare Pages requires Cloudflare nameservers for an apex-domain setup; other hosting arrangements may allow you to keep an external DNS provider. Follow the host’s explicit requirement before changing delegation.
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Troubleshoot a domain that remains pending or does not load
- Check the active DNS provider. Make sure you edited the zone served by the domain’s current nameservers. A record entered at a registrar will not help if DNS is managed elsewhere.
- Compare every field with the host’s instructions. Check the hostname/name field as well as the record type and target. A correct target under the wrong name still points the wrong hostname.
- Confirm the project association and ownership. The hostname should be added to the right project or account, and any required verification should be complete before traffic is directed to the host.
- Allow for propagation and recheck. Query with
digand rerun the host’s verification. Netlify gives an estimate of up to 48 hours; Vercel says a few minutes can suffice. These are platform-specific guidance, not a shared deadline. - Check for a required dashboard step. A DNS record by itself may not complete setup. Cloudflare Pages documents a 522 failure when a CNAME is added without first associating the domain in Pages.
- After DNS verifies, inspect HTTPS separately. Check the host’s certificate status, then load the app over HTTPS. DNS resolution alone does not establish that the certificate is ready or that the correct app responds.
Protect the hostname from takeover
Only point a hostname at a service after confirming it is associated with the correct project or account and completing required ownership verification. GitHub recommends verifying a custom domain before adding it to a repository, and warns against wildcard DNS records because of takeover risk. Do not create a wildcard record casually; configure only the hostnames the app needs.
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