Set the root domain as the default domain

Updated

Redirect your site traffic to the root domain.

Note

Using the root domain (e.g., yourdomain.com) as the default domain requires CNAME flattening. This process is different from connecting your custom domain using the Quick connect domain option or using a subdomain as the default (e.g. www.yoursite.com, blog.yoursite.com, etc.). CNAME flattening does not use A records.

If your DNS provider offers CNAME flattening, ALIAS or ANAME records, you can choose to redirect all traffic to your site to your root domain (e.g., yourdomain.com). 

The following DNS providers allow you to point root domains to a CNAME/ANAME /ALIAS record:

You can also contact your DNS host to find if they offer CNAME flattening. 

Note

If your DNS provider doesn’t offer CNAME flattening, you can point your domain nameservers (i.e., NS records) to a third-party DNS provider like Cloudflare so you can manage your DNS records there. Learn more about connecting Cloudflare domains to Webflow.

How to update your DNS records

To update your DNS records, you’ll need to access your domain’s DNS settings in your domain registrar or DNS host’s dashboard. 

Every DNS provider has their own process for updating DNS records. We recommend that you read the help documentation of your DNS provider, and contact their support for help with their interface and settings if needed. ‍

Important

We’re in the process of updating our DNS records. As of April 9, 2025, there are two possible sets of DNS records for your site. Please refer to Site settings > Publishing > Production to find the correct DNS records for your site.

To configure your DNS records to use the root domain as the default: 

  1. Open the DNS settings for your custom domain (in your domain registrar or DNS host’s dashboard)
  2. Remove any A records set on your root domain (i.e., A records with the hostname @ or yourdomain.com), if applicable
  3. Create a CNAME or ANAME record with the hostname @ and the value shown in Site settings (i.e., proxy-ssl.webflow.com or cdn.webflow.com)
  4. Create a CNAME record with the hostname www and the value shown in Site settings (i.e., proxy-ssl.webflow.com or cdn.webflow.com)
  5. Create a TXT record with the hostname _webflow and the value shown in Site settings beginning with one-time-verification= (e.g., one-time-verification=01ab2345-cd67e-89f0-11gh-12i13456j789k) 

Important

Webflow hosting is not compatible with the Cloudflare proxy. To avoid issues with SSL provisioning and renewal on your custom domain, you’ll need to set the proxy status of your DNS records to DNS Only in Cloudflare.

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., proxy-ssl.webflow.com.). We recommend that you check your DNS provider’s documentation to confirm their preferences and requirements.

Note

If you run into any issues setting a CNAME or ANAME record on your root domain, make sure you’ve removed any A records from your root domain (e.g., A records with the hostname @ or yourdomain.com). Many DNS providers will prevent you from adding CNAME or ANAME records on the root domain if A records have already been set.

How to set the default domain

To set the root domain as the default domain: 

  1. Open Site settings > Publishing > Production
  2. Click Make default next to the root domain (e.g., yourdomain.com) 

How to confirm your domain is pointing to Webflow

To verify that your DNS settings are correct, and that your domain is correctly pointing to your Webflow site, click Check status under your domain name in Site settings > Publishing > Production.

DNS changes can take up to 48 hours to fully propagate in all geolocations as the DNS cache expires, although this typically occurs within a few hours. If your site verification doesn’t work right away, you can come back later to check the status again. 

If your DNS records are live and pointing to Webflow and you’re still experiencing issues with domain verification after two days, please contact Webflow’s customer support team.

How to verify and publish your site

Before you can publish your site, you’ll need to verify ownership of your custom domain. By following the steps above to set your DNS records, you’ll create a TXT record in your DNS settings with a one-time verification code to confirm that you own the connected domain. 

To complete the verification process and publish your site from Site settings: 

  1. Click Verify domain
  2. Wait for the “Custom domain verified” confirmation message
  3. Click Publish to open the publish menu
  4. Check the domain(s) to which you want to publish your site
  5. Click Publish to selected domains

Note

If you’ve already verified your custom domain, you don’t need to re-verify the domain before publishing.

Note

If you add a new domain or subdomain to your site after you’ve already set a default domain, the new domain or subdomain won’t appear within the publish menu. To resolve this, go to Site settings > Publishing > Production and click Make default next to the default domain. Then, publish your site to the new domain or subdomain and set the default domain again.

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