The Tool Desk
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Before you change DNS
First make sure the destination is ready to serve the site. Copy or migrate the site files and database as needed, configure the domain in the new host’s control panel, and use the host’s preview or testing method to check the site before directing visitors there. SiteGround advises completing a content transfer before pointing a domain; Google likewise recommends preparing and testing the new hosting infrastructure first.
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- Confirm the new host has the correct site files, database, and domain configuration.
- Get the current DNS instructions from the destination host, including the values for both the root domain (such as
example.com) andwww, if applicable. - Identify where the domain’s active DNS zone is managed and list records used by email and other services, including verification or subdomain records you need to retain.
- Keep the old hosting available during the transition so visitors who still resolve the domain to it can continue to reach the site.
Choose whether to change nameservers or website records
These are two different ways to direct a domain. Changing nameservers delegates DNS authority to another provider; changing website records leaves the existing DNS provider in control and alters only the web-related entries.
| Approach | What changes | Who manages DNS afterward | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Change nameservers | The domain is delegated to the new provider’s nameservers. | The new DNS provider. | Choose this when you want the new provider to manage the domain’s DNS zone. Recreate every record you still need, including mail and service-verification records, before switching. |
| Change website records only | Update the web records to the targets supplied by the new host; leave nameservers unchanged. | The current DNS provider. | Choose this when you want to keep the existing DNS zone or preserve a complex set of records there. Wix describes its pointing method as retaining DNS management at the current provider; SiteGround also documents record-based pointing. |
Neither method is universally better. Choose based on where you want DNS managed, what services use the domain, and which method your new host supports. A host-specific example is not a general recipe: Wix’s pointing workflow, for example, requires its specified A and CNAME records, but another host may give you different targets.
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How to point the domain
- Find the current DNS authority. Check the domain registrar and any DNS service you use to determine which provider serves the authoritative DNS zone. Nameserver changes are normally made at the registrar; record changes belong in the provider currently managing that zone.
- Choose the method and gather exact values. Use the destination host’s current setup instructions for the nameserver pair or DNS record targets. Do not guess an IP address, nameserver, record type, or value; these vary by provider and account.
- Prepare the DNS zone. If changing nameservers, create the required website, email, verification, and other continuing-service records in the new provider’s zone before you delegate the domain to it. If keeping the current nameservers, identify the existing web records that the host tells you to update and leave unrelated records intact.
- Make the change in the correct control panel. Enter new nameservers at the registrar if you are changing DNS authority. If you are changing only website records, edit them in the live DNS zone at its current provider. Follow the host’s instructions for the root domain and
www; do not assume one record automatically covers both. - Save the change and check the result. Confirm the control panel accepted the values, then test the domain and related services as described below. Allow for DNS caches to update rather than assuming every visitor will switch at once.
Protect email and other domain services
A nameserver change can affect more than the website because the new DNS provider becomes responsible for the whole zone. If email remains with a separate provider, its required DNS records must be present in the new zone before the switch. DreamHost specifically recommends setting up custom DNS records for continuing services such as email before changing nameservers. Do not assume the new web host’s default zone includes the correct records for your existing mail service.
When you only change website records and keep the current DNS provider, take care not to overwrite or remove unrelated entries. Check that email and any other services using the domain continue to resolve after the update.
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Verify the move and know when to retire the old host
DNS caches mean different visitors may temporarily reach different servers. There is no single propagation duration that can be promised for every domain, resolver, cache, or provider. Keep both hosting accounts available while you verify the transition.
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- Load the domain and its
wwwversion from different networks or check resolution through public DNS resolvers. - Confirm the new site serves the expected pages and that its important functionality works.
- Test email and other services that rely on the domain’s DNS.
- Monitor logs on both hosts to see whether requests are still reaching the old server.
Google’s hosting-migration guidance recommends retiring the old infrastructure only after traffic to it reaches zero and users, including Googlebot, are getting the new site correctly. If the move also changes page URLs, that is a separate URL-migration issue; Google’s cited hosting guidance covers moves that keep user-visible URLs unchanged.
Quick Recap
Common mistakes to avoid
- Switching before the new site is ready: visitors may be sent to an incomplete or misconfigured destination. Complete and test the move first.
- Changing DNS in the wrong place: edits to a non-authoritative zone will not direct public traffic. Confirm who currently serves DNS before making changes.
- Copying a generic record recipe: nameservers, IP addresses, and record targets are host- and account-specific. Use the destination host’s instructions.
- Forgetting mail records during a nameserver change: the new DNS provider must serve the records for email services that remain in use.
- Cancelling the old host immediately: some visitors may still resolve the domain to the old server while caches update. Keep it running until monitoring confirms traffic has moved.
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