Websites
How to connect a custom domain to a website
Connecting a custom domain means proving you own it and pointing it at your website, usually with two DNS records at the company where you bought it. Most of the work is copying values carefully; most of the waiting is DNS and the security certificate catching up.
Nuwan Madhusanka · Co-founder
4 min read · Published
To connect a custom domain to a website, you add two kinds of DNS record at the company that runs your domain: a TXT record that proves you own it, and a CNAME that points the website host, usually www, at the website platform. After that the platform verifies the records, issues a security certificate and starts serving your site on the domain. The table under this article lists the records a typical builder asks for.
Before you start
Buy the domain from a registrar and register it in your business name, with auto renew on. Publish the site on its free address first, so you can check it before anyone sees it on the domain. Then find out where your DNS is managed: usually the registrar, unless your domain’s nameservers point to another company. Records added in the wrong place do nothing.
Step 1: add the domain in the builder
In the site settings, add the hostname you want, such as www.saltbushphysio.com.au. The builder then shows the records to add, with values specific to your site. Copy them exactly; most builders have copy buttons for this reason.
Step 2: the verification record
The TXT record proves you control the domain, so nobody else can attach it to their site. Its name is often a special prefix in front of your host, and its value is a token. Some DNS providers add your domain to the end of every name automatically, so if you type the full name you end up with the domain twice. Check the record list after saving.
Step 3: the CNAME
The CNAME makes your host, such as www, an alias of the platform’s address, so the platform can move its servers without you editing anything. A name with a CNAME cannot have other records, so remove any old A or CNAME record for www first. The page on what a CNAME record is explains the rules, and the A record page covers the older alternative.
Step 4: the bare domain
The bare domain, without www, cannot carry a CNAME under DNS rules, because it must also hold records such as MX for email. Many providers offer an ALIAS or ANAME record that works like a CNAME there. If yours does not, make www the primary address and set a redirect from the bare domain at your provider.
Step 5: verify and wait
Press verify. If the TXT record is visible, the domain moves on to the certificate. DNS changes usually show within minutes to a few hours, sometimes longer when old records had long caching times; the page on DNS propagation time explains why. Keep the free address working until the domain is live everywhere.
Step 6: the certificate and going live
Once verified, the platform requests a security certificate so your domain loads over HTTPS. When it is issued and the site is published, the domain goes live. If issuing fails, a CAA record limiting certificate authorities is the usual cause. The SSL certificate page covers that.
How it works in OneCraft
Custom domains are on paid plans: Starter allows 1, Pro 5 and plans above Pro have no cap. In site settings, Add domain shows a TXT record named _onecraft followed by your host and a CNAME to the sites network, with a note that apex hosts need ALIAS or ANAME. Verify now checks immediately, and checks also run every ten minutes; pending domains are retried for 48 hours. Statuses say what is wrong in plain words: TXT record not found yet, CNAME points elsewhere, or certificate could not be issued with a hint about CAA. When the domain goes live you get an email. The first domain becomes primary, and the free onecraft.live address and other domains redirect to it. The custom domain page shows the dialog, and custom domain versus subdomain helps if you are still deciding.
Troubleshooting in order
- Is the record at the right DNS provider?
- Is the name typed without the domain repeated?
- Is there an old record for the same name?
- Has the old record’s caching time passed?
- Is a CAA record blocking the certificate?
| Record | Name | Value | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| TXT | A verification name such as _onecraft.www.yourdomain.com | A token from the builder | Proves you control the domain |
| CNAME | www | A target address from the builder | Points the website host at the builder |
| ALIAS or ANAME | @, the bare domain | The same target, if your provider supports it | Lets the bare domain work without a CNAME |
| MX | @ | Your email provider servers | Email delivery; leave unchanged |
Questions people ask
Where do I add DNS records?
At the company that runs your domain DNS, usually the registrar where you bought it, unless you moved its nameservers elsewhere. Look up your domain nameservers with a public tool if unsure; the company named there is where records must be added for them to take effect.
Should I use www or the bare domain?
Either works if both are set up. Many builders make www the primary address because it can use a CNAME, and redirect the bare domain to it. If your provider supports ALIAS or ANAME, you can make the bare domain primary instead.
Will connecting a domain affect my email?
Not if you only add the records the builder asks for and leave MX records alone. Email uses its own records on the bare domain. Problems start when people delete records they do not recognise while editing DNS, so change only what you were told to.
Why does my domain say certificate pending?
After the domain is verified, the platform requests a security certificate, which can take minutes to hours. If it fails, a CAA record limiting which authorities may issue certificates is a common cause; remove it or add the authority your platform uses.
Can I connect a domain I bought from another company?
Yes. Builders work with domains from any registrar, because connection happens through DNS records rather than by moving the domain. You can keep the domain where it is and only add records there, which also keeps renewals and email settings with the company you already use.
Written by
Nuwan Madhusanka · Co-founder
Works across the builders and the export paths: how a form becomes a PDF, how a flyer canvas becomes a print file, and how a signed document carries its audit trail.
LinkedIn profileWritten and checked by the OneCraft team. Last checked .
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