Confused about how to connect your domain name to your Squarespace page? You’re not alone. Squarespace’s attractive templates and user-friendly website-building tools make them a popular webhost for first-time web designers like you, but domain name management isn’t always so intuitive.
Have no fear. This guide will walk you through how to connect an existing domain to a Squarespace page, step by step.
Ready to get your domain set up with Squarespace and finally check this item off your to-do list? Then let’s get started.
Before you begin, you will need:
A Squarespace account
At the moment, all Squarespace website accounts start as a two-week free trial, during which time you can pick a website template or an online store template before deciding whether to upgrade to a long-term contract. You will need to upgrade to publish your site or use a domain name with it.
If you decide to upgrade, prices range from $12-$26 per month for websites and $26-$46 per month for online stores. Your price depends on the type of page you want and the contract length you select (annual contracts cost a few dollars less per month than monthly contracts on average). Look over Squarespace’s Pricing for the most up to date details.
Squarespace also currently offers a student discount of 50% off the first year, though this discount requires an annual contract and your school must be deemed eligible.
A domain name you can modify
Your domain is your website’s named address. You should register one that’s short, memorable, and communicates what you do.
To point your domain name to your Squarespace page, you’ll also need to be able to modify your domain’s DNS settings and the ability to set it to your domain registrar’s default name servers. United Domains provides both services for free. If your registrar doesn’t, transfer the domain to one who does.
If your domain is registered with United Domains
Lucky you! Registering your domain with UD lets you connect to Squarespace fast with the free Web Apps tool. Web Apps handles the technical legwork of connecting your domain that other domain providers would make you do yourself. Here’s how to connect to Squarespace with Web Apps:
Open your UD Account’s main menu and select the Web Apps tab.
2 Under Select Domain, select your domain from the drop-down menu.
3. Under Select Web App, locate Squarespace and click Connect to Domain.
Web Apps will set up your domain and walk you through any extra steps that need your input.
If your domain is registered with another registrar
Part 1: Link your domain to your Squarespace Account
Squarespace’s Home Menu pops out from the left side of your Squarespace account, while your page appears on the right.
From your Home Menu, click either Domains, or Settings > Domains.
Select the option: Connect A Third-Party Domain
Enter your domain name into the Domain Name field, then click Continue. Just type the domain, without “www.” or anything else.
Next, pick your domain’s registrar from the drop-down menu. If your provider isn’t listed, just select Other. Then click Connect Domain.
You’ll then see a message saying it’s time to set up your DNS records. Click Okay to proceed.
Part 2: Complete the connection from your domain registrar
Now that Squarespace associates your domain with your Squarespace page, it’s time to point the domain’s DNS Records to that page on your registrar’s end.
So next, Squarespace will display a table of DNS Records your domain registrar needs. DNS Records are like directions that point a domain to an address on the Internet.
You want to be able to reference or copy/paste these DNS records at your registrar, so open a new browser tab and head to your registrar’s website in that new tab.
If you accidentally close the tab containing your domain’s DNS records, just navigate back to your Squarespace account, click Settings > Domains, and then select your domain name to bring up its DNS settings table again.
Log in at your domain name provider’s website, and find the area where you can configure your domain’s DNS records. This is where you’ll enter the records from Squarespace’s table. If you don’t see this area, contact your domain registrar. They may even be able to set up your domain’s DNS records on your behalf if you ask.
If you see any MX records assigned to your domain, don’t delete any of them. MX Records connect your domain to email hosting services, so deleting any of them could disrupt your domain’s email functionality.
Add your first CNAME Record
In the first line of your Domains panel, copy the unique code that appears directly below the Host column. The unique code is a random string of numbers and letters specific to your domain.
In your provider’s DNS manager, create a CNAME Record. This new, blank CNAME record you made should have an area labeled Host Name, Alias, Domain, or Subdomain. Paste the Host code you copied from Squarespace’s table into this area.
Back in your DNS Record table, in the Required Data column to the right, you’ll see the value verify.squarespace.com.
Your new CNAME Record should also have an area where you can specify a Destination or Points To value. This is the destination where we need to point your CNAME Record. verify.squarespace.com into that section.
That’s it! Your first CNAME Record is set up. Now we’ll just move down the table to create the remaining DNS records, entering the Host and Required Data values for each.
Add your second CNAME Record
Back in Squarespace’s DNS Record table, directly below the first CNAME Record which we’ve just made, you should see another CNAME Record. Only this CNAME has www in the Host column, and must point to ext-cust.squarespace.com.
Just like with the first record, we need to set up a CNAME record at your domain registrar’s DNS Settings manager. Create a CNAME with the following values:
Host Name/Alias/Domain/Subdomain: www
Type/Record Type: CNAME
Destination/Points To: ext-cust.squarespace.com
If your domain already has a CNAME set up on your alias www, edit this existing CNAME Record’s Destination/Points To value to ext-cust.squarespace.com to make sure your new CNAME works correctly.
Add your A Records
Your CNAMES are all done, and you’re halfway finished! Time to move on to A Records. The process is very similar to before.
Copy the IP address in the first A Record’s Required Data column. An IP address is a sequence of numbers separated by dots.
Locate the area of your domain’s DNS manager where you can edit A Records. Create your A Record with the following values:
Host/Host Name: @ (or leave blank if host doesn’t accept @ as a value)
Record/Record Type/Type: A Record
Destination/Points To: 198.185.159.144
If your DNS Manager only lets you create one A Record at a time, the above A Record should be all you need. However, if your provider lets you create multiple A Records, then set up the following A Records as well:
Host/Host Name: @ (or leave blank if host doesn’t accept @ as a value)
Record/Record Type/Type: A Record
Destination/Points To: 198.185.159.145
Host/Host Name: @ (or leave blank if host doesn’t accept @ as a value)
Record/Record Type/Type: A Record
Destination/Points To: 198.49.23.144
Host/Host Name: @ (or leave blank if host doesn’t accept @ as a value)
Record/Record Type/Type: A Record
Destination/Points To: 198.49.23.145
If you see any A Records assigned to your domain that have don’t match the records above, and whose Host value is either blank or the @ symbol, delete those records. Otherwise they could interfere with the A Records you just created.
Don’t delete any pre-existing A Records that have the Host value “mail” or “email” as these connect your domain to your email host, and will cause disruptions with that service if deleted.
Now that you’ve created your domain’s DNS Records, be sure to SAVE YOUR CHANGES at your domain provider before continuing. You’re now done with your domain provider!
Check Your Work
Go back to the Domains panel in your Squarespace account, and click Refresh below the DNS record table.
The Current Data column on the table’s right will show whether your records are entered correctly or if you need to go back and fix any.
Squarespace can take up to 24 hours to detect a record at all. If it doesn’t, check back in an hour or two.
Sit back and wait for the connection to finish
If you entered your records correctly, your domain will connect to your site within 24–72 hours. Once it does, the Domains panel in your Squarespace account will show the domain as Connected. In the meantime, your Domains menu should show the domain’s status as Connection In Progress. Good work!
If Squarespace detects a problem with your domain’s DNS records, the Domains panel will show the message Can’t verify domain ownership for that domain. If that happens, don’t panic. Check the Domains panel and select your domain to see which records are causing the problem. You can then troubleshoot by amending the records at your domain registrar. If you get stuck, contact your domain registrar for some extra help.
