How to connect a domain to a Squarespace website
Connecting a custom domain to your Squarespace website makes it easier for visitors to find your site and gives your business a more professional online presence. Whether you purchased your domain through Squarespace or another domain provider, the process is straightforward.
1. Choose Your Domain
Before connecting your domain, make sure you have registered the domain name you want to use, such as yourbusiness.com.
If your domain is registered with a third-party provider such as GoDaddy, Namecheap, or another registrar, you will need access to your domain account because you may need to change its DNS settings.
2. Open Your Squarespace Website
Log in to your Squarespace account and open the website you want to connect to your domain.
From the website dashboard, go to Settings and look for the Domains or Domains & Email section. Choose the option to connect an existing domain.
Squarespace will guide you through the connection process and may ask where your domain is registered.
3. Connect a Domain Registered With Squarespace
If you purchased your domain through Squarespace, the connection is generally automatic because your domain and website are managed within the same platform.
Select the domain you want to use and follow the on-screen instructions to assign it to your website. Squarespace will then configure the necessary settings.
4. Connect a Domain From Another Provider
If your domain was purchased elsewhere, select the option to Use a Domain I Own or the equivalent option shown in your Squarespace account.
Enter your domain name and continue through the setup process.
Squarespace will provide the DNS records that need to be added or changed at your domain registrar. These records typically include a combination of CNAME and A records.
Log in to your domain provider, open the DNS management area, and enter the records provided by Squarespace. Avoid deleting existing DNS records unless you know they are no longer needed, as they may be used for email or other services.
5. Verify the Connection
Return to Squarespace after updating your DNS records and allow Squarespace to check the connection.
DNS changes can take some time to propagate. Although changes can sometimes appear quickly, it may take up to 24–72 hours for DNS changes to be recognised everywhere.
Once the connection is complete, Squarespace should show that your domain is connected.
6. Set Your Primary Domain
If you have more than one domain connected to your website, you can choose which one should be your primary domain.
Your primary domain is the address visitors will normally see when they visit your website. For example, if you have both yourbusiness.com and yourbusiness.co.uk, you can select the address you want to use as the main URL.
Squarespace can redirect other connected domains to your primary domain.
7. Check Your Website and SSL Certificate
After connecting your domain, visit the website using your new domain to make sure everything works correctly.
Check that:
Your homepage loads correctly.
Your internal pages work.
The domain displays the correct website.
The website uses HTTPS rather than HTTP.
Any email service connected to your domain still works.
Squarespace provides SSL certificates for connected domains, although activation may take some time after the domain is connected.
Common Problems When Connecting a Domain
If your domain is not connecting correctly, check that the DNS records match the values Squarespace provided. A single incorrect character or conflicting DNS record can prevent the connection from working.
Also check whether your domain is locked at the registrar, whether DNS changes have finished propagating, and whether your domain has expired.
If you use a custom email address such as hello@yourbusiness.com, take particular care when changing DNS settings. Removing or changing mail-related records can interrupt email delivery.
Final Checklist
Before considering the setup complete, make sure:
☐ The domain is registered and active
☐ The domain has been added to Squarespace
☐ Required DNS records have been configured
☐ Squarespace has verified the domain
☐ Your chosen domain is set as primary
☐ Your website loads using HTTPS
☐ Your email and other domain services continue to work
Once these steps are complete, your Squarespace website should be accessible through your custom domain. DNS changes can take time to propagate, so don't worry if the domain does not work immediately after you update the settings.