Key takeaways
- A domain points to hosting through DNS (Domain Name System) records: A and AAAA for the website, MX for email and TXT for verification and email security.
- You can either change the nameservers or edit individual records at your current DNS provider. Editing records keeps everything you don't touch.
- Lower the TTL a day before the change and keep the old hosting active until the new records have spread.
- Don't touch the MX records unless your email is moving too, and update SPF, DKIM and DMARC at the same time when it does.
Buying a domain name doesn't put a website on it. To point your domain to your hosting, you tell the internet's address book, the DNS, which server answers for your website and which one receives your email. It takes a few minutes of work and some patience while the change spreads.
This guide explains the two ways to connect a domain to a website, which records a typical hosting plan needs, how to check your work and the mistakes that cause most problems.
How a domain finds your hosting
When someone types your domain into a browser, their device asks a DNS resolver for the address behind the name. The resolver follows a chain: the root servers point to the servers for the extension (such as .com or .co.uk), which point to your domain's authoritative nameservers. Those nameservers hold your DNS zone, the list of records that says where your website, email and other services live.
Three parties are involved, and they are often different companies:
- The registrar, where you bought and renew the domain.
- The DNS provider, whose nameservers hold your zone. By default this is usually your registrar.
- The hosting provider, whose servers store your website files and, often, your mailboxes.
Pointing a domain to hosting simply means updating the zone so that its records lead to your hosting provider's servers.
Nameservers vs A records: two ways to connect
There are two common methods. Both work; they differ in who manages your DNS afterwards.
| Method | What you change | Advantages | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Change nameservers | The domain's nameservers, at your registrar | The hosting provider manages the whole zone for you | Every existing record (email, verifications) must be recreated at the new provider, or it stops working |
| Edit DNS records | Individual records (A, MX, TXT) at your current DNS provider | Only what you change is affected; you stay in control | You add and update the records yourself, carefully |
If your domain already has email, third-party services or verification records set up, editing records is usually safer: nothing you leave alone can break. Changing nameservers suits a brand-new domain with nothing configured yet.
The DNS records your hosting needs
Each record has a type, a name (the part before your domain, with @ meaning the domain itself), a value and a TTL (time to live, how long resolvers may cache it).
| Type | What it does | Typical example |
|---|---|---|
| A | Points a name to an IPv4 address | @ and www → your server's IPv4 address |
| AAAA | Points a name to an IPv6 address | @ → your server's IPv6 address, if provided |
| CNAME | Makes one name an alias of another name | www → yourdomain.com |
| MX | Says which server receives email for the domain, with a priority number | @ → 10 mail.yourprovider.com |
| TXT | Holds text used for verification and email security | SPF, DKIM and DMARC records, search console verification |
For a website alone, the essentials are an A record for @ and an A record or CNAME for www. If your hosting includes email, you also need the MX record and the three email-security TXT records described below.
Step by step: point your domain to new hosting
- Collect the records from your hosting provider. Your welcome email should list exactly what to add. Don't guess IP addresses.
- Write down your current records. Take a screenshot or export the zone before you change anything, so you can undo a mistake.
- Lower the TTL a day in advance. If your DNS provider allows it, set the TTL of the records you will change to 300 seconds (5 minutes). Caches then refresh quickly when you switch.
- Update the A record for
@. Replace the old IP address with the new one. Edit the existing record rather than adding a second one. - Update
www. Point it to the same address with an A record, or make it a CNAME to the main domain. - Update email records only if email is moving. See the email section below.
- Save and check. Use the methods in the next section to confirm what the public DNS now returns.
- Keep the old hosting active for at least 48 hours, until you are sure every visitor reaches the new server.
Moving an existing website? Copy and test the site on the new hosting before you change any DNS. Our guide on how to migrate a WordPress site explains how.
DNS propagation: how long does it take?
"Propagation" is really caching. Resolvers around the world keep the old answer until its TTL expires, then fetch the new one.
- Record changes (A, MX, TXT) usually reach most visitors within minutes to a few hours. With a TTL of 300 seconds, most see the change in about five minutes.
- Nameserver changes can take 24 to 48 hours, because the extension's servers cache delegation records for longer.
- Your own computer, router and browser cache answers too, so you may be one of the last people to see the new site.
During the switch, some visitors reach the old server and some the new one. That is why the old copy should keep working until propagation is complete.
How to check your DNS changes
Don't rely on what your browser shows. Ask the DNS directly:
- Online: dns.google shows what Google's public resolver returns for any record type. The Google Admin Toolbox Dig tool lets you query several types at once.
- Windows: open Command Prompt and run
nslookup yourdomain.com 8.8.8.8, ornslookup -type=mx yourdomain.com 8.8.8.8for email. - macOS and Linux: run
dig yourdomain.com A,dig www.yourdomain.comordig yourdomain.com MX +shortin Terminal.
dig yourdomain.com A +short
dig yourdomain.com MX +short
dig yourdomain.com TXT +shortWhen public resolvers return the new values, the job is done. Anything else is a local cache that will clear on its own.
Keep your email working: MX, SPF, DKIM and DMARC
Email is the part most often broken by a DNS change. Email follows the MX record, not the website's A record, so the rule is simple: if your email isn't moving, don't touch the MX or email TXT records.
If your new hosting also provides your mailboxes, update these together:
| Record | Purpose |
|---|---|
| MX | Delivers incoming email to the new mail server. Remove the old MX records so mail doesn't split between two servers. |
SPF (TXT on @) | Lists the servers allowed to send email for your domain. Keep a single SPF record; two SPF records make it invalid. |
DKIM (TXT on a selector such as default._domainkey) | Publishes the key used to sign outgoing messages, so receivers can verify they weren't altered. |
DMARC (TXT on _dmarc) | Tells receivers what to do with mail that fails SPF and DKIM, and where to send reports. Start with p=none while you monitor. |
Before switching the MX record, create the same mailboxes on the new server. Messages already stored on the old one can be copied over with an IMAP migration. Our guide to setting up a professional email address explains the client settings.
HTTPS after pointing your domain
Free SSL certificates are issued automatically once the certificate authority can confirm that your domain points to the server. In practice:
- Point the domain first, then let your host issue the certificate. Until it is issued, browsers may show a warning for a short time.
- Make sure both
yourdomain.comandwww.yourdomain.compoint to the server, so the certificate can cover both. - If you use a CAA record (a record that restricts which authorities may issue certificates), check that it allows your host's certificate authority.
Common mistakes and how to fix them
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Site loads sometimes old, sometimes new | Two A records for @, old and new | Delete the old record so only the new address remains |
www shows an error or the old site | www was forgotten | Add or update the A or CNAME record for www |
| Some emails go missing | Old MX records left alongside the new ones | Keep only the MX records for your current mail server |
| Emails land in spam | Missing or duplicate SPF, missing DKIM or DMARC | Publish one SPF record, plus DKIM and DMARC from your provider |
| IPv6 record "saves" but doesn't work | Some DNS editors reject the shortened :: format without warning | Enter the address in full, expanded form and check it with dig or dns.google |
| Changes don't appear after hours | Edited the zone at a provider that isn't authoritative | Check which nameservers your domain uses and edit the zone there |
The last row catches many people: if your domain's nameservers belong to company A, records you edit at company B have no effect. Look up your nameservers with dig NS yourdomain.com +short before you start. The ICANN Lookup tool also shows them, along with your registrar.
How it works with Getradi
With Getradi you keep your domain with your current registrar and DNS provider. There's nothing to transfer.
- You choose a plan and send the order form.
- Once payment is received, our team sets up your account by hand, usually within one working day.
- Your welcome email lists the exact records to add: A records for
@,wwwandwebmail, an MX record pointing tomail.getradi.eu, and the SPF, DKIM and DMARC TXT records for your domain. - When your domain points to us, we issue your free SSL certificate.
Moving an existing site? Every plan includes free website migration: we copy your site, test it on our servers and tell you when to change the records. If you get stuck, our support team answers by email 24/7. Plans start at €15.90/month billed yearly (+VAT), with NVMe SSD storage, OpenLiteSpeed with HTTP/3 and a 15-day money-back guarantee.
Frequently asked questions
Should I change nameservers or edit DNS records?
Both work. Changing nameservers hands the whole DNS zone to your hosting provider, so every record has to be recreated there. Editing records at your current DNS provider changes only what you touch and keeps everything else, such as existing email or verification records, exactly as it was. If you are unsure, editing the records is usually the safer choice.
How long does it take for a domain to point to new hosting?
Changes to individual records usually reach most visitors within minutes to a few hours, depending on the TTL (time to live) the old record had. Nameserver changes can take up to 24 to 48 hours because they are cached at the top-level domain. Lowering the TTL a day in advance shortens the wait.
Will pointing my domain to a new host affect my email?
Only if you change the MX records. Email follows the MX records, not the A record of your website. If you want email to stay where it is, leave the MX, SPF and other email records untouched. If your new hosting also provides email, update the MX record and the SPF, DKIM and DMARC records together.
Why does my site still show the old host after I changed the DNS?
Your computer, browser or internet provider is still using a cached answer. Check what public DNS returns with a tool such as dns.google. If it shows the new address, the change is done and the cache will expire on its own. Clearing your browser cache or trying mobile data usually shows the new site sooner.
Do I need to transfer my domain to my hosting company?
No. Registration and hosting are separate services. You can keep your domain with your current registrar and simply point it to the hosting by updating its DNS records. With Getradi, you keep your domain where it is.