Connect your own domain

Before you start

• Your plan must include custom domains. If it does not, the Domains page says so and offers an upgrade.
• Only the workspace owner can add or remove a domain.
• A website has one custom domain. Visitors reach it with and without www.
• Your website keeps its address on Efforio as well, also after the domain is connected.

Add the domain in the console

1. Open the website in the console and go to Settings › Domains.
2. Under “Link custom domain”, enter just the domain, such as yourbusiness.com — without https:// and without www.
3. Press “Add domain”. The page now shows the DNS records to set and the four connection steps.

The three DNS records

Set these at the company where your domain's DNS is managed — usually where you bought the domain. The console shows the exact values for your website: the server address (IP) for both A records and your own TXT value. Copy them from there.

• The TXT record proves that the domain is yours. Keep it in place after the domain is connected.
• Delete any AAAA (IPv6) records for the domain and for www, and any other A records with those names. They send visitors to another server.
• If www already has a CNAME record, delete it: a name can carry a CNAME or A records, not both.
• If your domain has a CAA record, it must allow Let's Encrypt, which issues the security certificate.
• Add the TXT record within 7 days. Otherwise the registration expires and you add the domain again.

The connection steps and “Check now”

The Domains page shows four steps: the ownership record (TXT), the domain pointing to your website (A records), the security certificate (https) and the website live on your domain. Each one says whether it is done, in progress or needs a change on your side.

• We check your DNS every few minutes by ourselves. After you change a record, press “Check now” to see the result at once. One check every half minute is possible.
• If something is wrong, “What to change at your DNS provider” lists what your DNS showed at the last check and what to set instead.
• DNS changes take time to spread: usually a few minutes, sometimes up to 24 hours. If an old value still shows, wait a little and check again.
• The certificate is issued and renewed by itself. There is nothing to do on your side once the records are right.

Where to set the records at common providers

Most providers want only the part before your domain as the name — www or _efforio-verify — and @ for the domain itself. Menu names change from time to time; look for the DNS settings of your domain.

IONOS

Domains & SSL › your domain › DNS. Add the records there. IONOS often has an AAAA record for the domain and www already; delete it.

Strato

Domains › Domainverwaltung › your domain › DNS settings. Strato may ask you to create the subdomains www and _efforio-verify first, then set their A or TXT record. Delete AAAA records Strato set for the domain.

GoDaddy

My Products › your domain › DNS (Manage DNS). Change the existing A record named @ to the IP from the console, and remove the CNAME on www before adding the A record.

Namecheap

Domain List › Manage › Advanced DNS. Add the records under Host Records, with @ and www as host. Remove the parking or URL redirect records Namecheap adds for new domains.

Cloudflare

Your site › DNS › Records. Set both A records to “DNS only” (grey cloud), not “Proxied”: through Cloudflare's proxy we cannot see that the domain points to your website, and the certificate cannot be issued.

Still stuck?

Write to us and tell us which website and which step it is about: support@efforio.com