Troubleshoot connection errors and DNS settings.
When your custom domain isn’t pointing to Webflow correctly, a connection error message will appear under your domain name in Site settings > Publishing > Production.
To verify that your DNS settings are correct and that your domain is correctly pointing to Webflow, click Check status under each of your domain names. If the connection is re-established, publish your site again. If not, please continue the following troubleshooting steps.
Pro tip
Use the Why is my site down? tool to check for issues like missing Site plans, DNS misconfiguration, or unpublished custom domains and get quick steps to fix them.
What issues may cause an “Issues detected” error message?
Incorrect nameservers
Webflow hosting doesn’t need custom nameservers (also called name servers or NS records), so make sure you’re using the default nameservers of your registrar or DNS host, or that you’re managing your DNS records with the host where your NS records are pointed.
For support, check out your DNS host’s documentation on nameservers.
DNS propagation issues
While most DNS providers try to update your DNS records as fast as possible, many factors impact how long it takes for your site to appear on your custom domain, including TTL (time to live) and internet service providers. DNS changes can take up to 48 hours to fully propagate in all geolocations, although this typically occurs within a few hours, so it may be a matter of waiting a bit longer for the site to “come online.”
You can double-check that your DNS records are correct and view the propagation status using a tool like whatsmydns. Only the Webflow DNS record values should appear as A and CNAME records for your root domain and subdomains. Check Site settings > Publishing > Production to confirm the correct DNS records for your site.
If your domain isn’t working correctly after 48 hours, please troubleshoot your DNS settings or contact your domain provider’s help desk. If your DNS settings are correct, but you’re still experiencing issues with your published site, please contact Webflow’s customer support team.
Factors that affect DNS propagation speed:
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Time to Live (TTL) is the period of time that servers cache the information for your DNS records. Shorter TTL settings increase propagation speed but slows down your server’s processing time. We recommend that you keep the default value.
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs) store your DNS settings locally rather than retrieving fresh data from your DNS server. This speeds up web browsing and reduces traffic, which slows your propagation time. Some ISPs ignore TTL settings and only update their cached records every two to three days.
- Some DNS hosts often protect their root nameservers from overuse by setting a high TTL of up to 48 hours and some ISPs cache the information anyway, which can result in a longer propagation time.
Note
If your domain uses CAA (Certification Authority Authorization) records,
you’ll need to update them to allow Webflow’s certificate providers.
Otherwise, SSL certificates for your site may fail to provision or renew.
Learn how to configure CAA records for Webflow SSL.
Incorrect DNS records
This error shows if you haven’t updated your domain DNS records to point to Webflow. To point your domain to Webflow, check out our guide to manually connecting a custom domain.
Depending on your DNS host, you may also be able to quick connect your custom domain to Webflow to update your DNS records automatically.
Additional DNS records
If you have any additional A records on your root domain (besides Webflow’s A record), they’ll conflict with the A record you’ve set to point to Webflow. Make sure to remove any additional A records.
The same is true for CNAME records. Make sure you only have one record for each subdomain you’ve connected to your Webflow site and that the record points to Webflow.
How to fix your DNS settings
To point your domain to Webflow:
- Make sure you’re using the default nameservers of your DNS host
- Make sure you only have the Webflow DNS records set on the root domain and/or the subdomain(s) hosted with Webflow
Check and fix the A record(s)
Check the following:
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Your A record is set on the root domain (with the hostname
@)
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You have one A record value of
198.202.211.1
Check and fix the CNAME record
Check the following:
- You only have one CNAME record set for each subdomain
-
The CNAME record value is
cdn.webflow.com
Note
Some DNS providers prefer that you set the root domain (e.g., yourdomain.com) as the hostname instead of @. Some DNS providers prefer that you set the www subdomain (e.g., www.yourdomain.com) as the hostname instead of www. Additionally, some DNS providers require a trailing dot at the end of CNAME records (e.g., cdn.webflow.com.). We recommend that you check your DNS provider’s documentation to confirm their preferences and requirements.
Still having issues?
If your DNS settings are correct, but you’re experiencing issues with your published site, please contact our customer support team and we’ll help you resolve any issues.