Connect a custom domain
Point any domain you already own at your Claude CMS site. It's two DNS records at your registrar and a short wait for propagation — no code, no file changes, no plugin.
Two records, one short wait
Connecting a domain to any web server always comes down to the same thing: telling the internet's address book (DNS) which server your domain points at. There's nothing Claude-specific about it — the same steps apply whether you're moving a domain onto Claude CMS for the first time or pointing a brand-new domain at a site you've already built.
A record
Points your root domain (yoursite.com) at a server's IP address. This is what makes the bare domain resolve.
CNAME record
Points a subdomain (like www) at another hostname — usually your root domain, so both work identically.
Propagation
The delay before every DNS server worldwide has the new records cached. Usually under an hour, occasionally up to 48 hours.
Find your target
Before touching any DNS settings, you need to know exactly what to point your domain at.
Managed hosting
Your welcome email includes the IP address to use for your A record. If you can't find it, get in touch and we'll send it over.
Self-hosted
Use the IP address of your own server — the same one already shown in your hosting control panel (cPanel, Plesk, or your provider's dashboard).
Add the DNS records at your registrar
Log in to wherever your domain is registered — GoDaddy, Namecheap, Cloudflare, 123-Reg, IONOS, or similar — and open the DNS management screen for your domain. Every registrar's screen looks a little different, but you're adding the same two records:
| Type | Host | Value |
|---|---|---|
| A | @ (root) |
Your server's IP address |
| CNAME | www |
Your root domain (yoursite.com) |
Leave TTL at its default value. If your registrar won't let you point www at your root domain with a CNAME, add a second A record for www using the same IP instead.
Already using this domain for a live site?
Updating these records will move traffic away from wherever the domain currently points, as soon as they propagate. Have your new Claude CMS site ready to go before you switch, and keep a note of the old records in case you need to revert.
Wait for propagation
DNS changes ripple out to servers around the world gradually. Most visitors will see the new site within an hour; in rare cases, full worldwide propagation can take up to 48 hours. Avoid making further DNS changes during this window, and don't worry if the site loads correctly for you but not yet for everyone — that's normal while records are still spreading.
Switch the site over
Once the domain resolves to your site, two things still need to happen: an SSL certificate has to be issued for the new domain, and the site's base URL needs updating. Both touch protected server files (.htaccess and config.php) that Claude can't edit directly — so this last step is done by our team.
Contact us with your new domain name and we'll issue the certificate and point the site's base URL at it — usually done within the same day.
Everything else, Claude handles by prompt:
My domain now points at this site. Update the sitemap, canonical tags and any internal links to use my new domain over https.
Domain connection FAQ
Will this affect my email?
No. Website traffic is controlled by A and CNAME records; email is controlled separately by MX records. Changing where your domain's website points doesn't touch your email unless you also edit MX records.
Can I use a subdomain instead of the root domain?
Yes — for example site.yourdomain.com. Add a single CNAME record for that subdomain pointing at your server's hostname, and leave the rest of the domain's records untouched.
How long does it actually take?
Most of the time, well under an hour. The 24–48 hour window you'll see quoted everywhere is a worst-case allowance for a small number of slow-to-update DNS resolvers, not the typical experience.
Can I preview the site before switching my domain?
Yes. Self-hosted installs are reachable at the server's IP address or a temporary subdomain before you touch any DNS, so you can check everything looks right first. Ask your host for this URL if you don't already have it.
What if I need to move to a different host later?
Because Claude CMS is a standard PHP/MySQL site, moving hosts is a normal DNS and file migration — see self-hosted CMS for what that involves.
Get your domain live on Claude CMS
Update your DNS records today, then talk to us when it's time to switch on SSL.