How to Connect a Custom Domain to Squarespace or Wix (DNS Made Simple)

You built your site, you bought your domain — and now you’re stuck on the one step that trips up more website-builder users than anything else: DNS. You paste in records that look like alphabet soup, hit save, and… nothing. The site still shows a parking page, or a scary security warning, or works on your phone but not your laptop.

This guide is for non-technical site owners connecting a domain they bought elsewhere (GoDaddy, Namecheap, Google-migrated-to-Squarespace domains, IONOS, etc.) to either Squarespace or Wix. You’ll learn exactly which records to add, where to add them, how long to wait, and how to tell the difference between “broken” and “still propagating.”

By the end you’ll have your domain pointed correctly, understand the two or three record types involved (that’s genuinely all there is), and know the fixes for the most common failure modes.

Table of Contents

• DNS in 60 seconds: the only 3 record types you need
• How to connect a domain to Squarespace (step by step)
• How to connect a domain to Wix (step by step)
• Squarespace vs Wix DNS at a glance
• Troubleshooting: when it still doesn’t work
• FAQ
• Conclusion
• Sources

DNS in 60 seconds: the only 3 record types you need

DNS records are just signposts stored at your domain registrar that tell browsers where your website lives. For this task you only touch three kinds:

Record type	What it does	Example
A record	Points your bare domain (yourdomain.com) to a server IP address	@ → 198.185.159.144
CNAME record	Points a subdomain (like www) to another hostname	www → ext-cust.squarespace.com
Nameservers (NS)	Hands full DNS control to another company	ns0.wixdns.net

Two universal rules before you start:

1. Never delete your MX records. Those manage your email. Squarespace’s own documentation warns against removing them — deleting MX records kills your custom-domain email.
2. Expect a wait. Both Squarespace and Wix state DNS changes can take 24–48 hours to propagate worldwide. Partial behavior during that window (works on one device, not another) is normal.

How to connect a domain to Squarespace (step by step)

These steps follow Squarespace’s official documentation for connecting a third-party domain.

Prerequisites

• A paid Squarespace site plan (domain connection isn’t available on expired trials)
• Login access to your domain registrar’s DNS settings panel

Steps

1. Open the Domains panel in your Squarespace account and click Use a Domain I Own.
2. Enter your full domain name (e.g., yourdomain.com) and click the arrow.
3. Select your domain provider from the dropdown — or choose Other if it isn’t listed — then click Connect Domain and Continue. Squarespace now shows you a DNS panel with the exact records to copy.
4. In your registrar’s DNS panel, add the first CNAME (verification):

• Host/Name: the unique verification code shown in Squarespace’s DNS panel (a random string — copy it exactly)
• Value/Points to: verify.squarespace.com

1. Add the second CNAME (www routing):

• Host/Name: www
• Value/Points to: ext-cust.squarespace.com

1. Add all four A records, each with Host @:

• 198.185.159.144
• 198.185.159.145
• 198.49.23.144
• 198.49.23.145

1. Save, then wait. Squarespace says the connection can take 24–48 hours to start working. When it succeeds, a green Connected label appears in your Domains panel.

Important quirk: if the verification CNAME is missing or entered incorrectly, Squarespace will unlink the domain after 15 days. If your connection mysteriously “fell off” weeks later, this is usually why — re-check that verification record first.

How to connect a domain to Wix (step by step)

Wix offers two methods, and its official documentation is direct about which it prefers: name servers first, pointing as the fallback. In Wix’s own words, “We don’t recommend pointing in most cases because we’re unable to assist in case you have DNS issues.”

Method 1: Name servers (Wix-recommended)

1. In your Wix account, go to Domains → Add an Existing Domain → Connect a domain you already own.
2. Choose your site, enter your domain, and select the name servers method. Wix displays its nameserver addresses.
3. At your registrar, replace the existing nameservers with the Wix ones shown in your dashboard.
4. Save and confirm back in Wix. Propagation can take up to 48 hours.

With this method Wix takes over all DNS management — simpler, but if you run email or other services on custom DNS records, note them down before switching so you can re-add them inside Wix’s DNS panel.

Method 2: Pointing (keep DNS at your registrar)

Use this if you have complex existing DNS records you want to keep managing at your registrar.

1. Follow the same path (Domains → Add an Existing Domain), but select pointing as the connection method.
2. At your registrar, add an A record:

• Host: @ (or leave blank, depending on the registrar’s interface)
• Value: 185.230.63.107

1. Add a CNAME record:

• Host: www
• Value: pointing.wixdns.net

1. Save and wait up to 48 hours for propagation.

You must add both records. Wix’s documentation warns that skipping either the A record or the CNAME can trigger browser security warnings. Also note: Wix does not support DNSSEC or DNS proxies like Cloudflare’s proxy mode — if your domain sits behind Cloudflare, set the relevant records to “DNS only” (grey cloud) and disable DNSSEC before connecting.

Squarespace vs Wix DNS at a glance

	Squarespace	Wix
Preferred method	DNS records (CNAME + A)	Name servers
Records for pointing	2 CNAMEs + 4 A records	1 A record + 1 CNAME
Verification record	Yes — unique CNAME code	No separate verification record
Propagation window	24–48 hours	Up to 48 hours
Gotcha	Missing verification CNAME unlinks domain after 15 days	No DNSSEC / Cloudflare proxy support

Troubleshooting: when it still doesn’t work

Work through these in order. The first two solve the large majority of cases.

1. It hasn’t actually been 48 hours yet

Both platforms are explicit that propagation takes up to 48 hours (Squarespace notes some cases stretch to 72). Check real propagation status at whatsmydns.net — enter your domain and record type and see which regions have picked up the change. If half the map is green, you’re mid-propagation, not broken.

2. A record or CNAME typo

The classic mistakes, per Squarespace’s troubleshooting documentation and independent Squarespace-specialist write-ups:

• Pasting the value into the Host field (or vice versa)
• Adding only some of Squarespace’s four A records
• Leaving old A records from a previous host in place alongside the new ones — delete the stale ones
• A trailing dot, space, or http:// accidentally included in a value

Fix the record, then in Squarespace’s DNS settings panel click Refresh Records (Squarespace advises waiting 48 hours between refreshes).

3. Nameserver connect failed (Squarespace)

Squarespace’s troubleshooting guide has a specific escape hatch: if you connected a GoDaddy, Namecheap, or Network Solutions domain using nameserver connect and it still hasn’t connected after 48 hours, reset your nameservers to the registrar’s defaults and connect manually with the CNAME + A records instead.

4. “www.www.” redirect loop (Wix)

Users report a strange www.www.yourdomain.com loop after connecting via pointing — Wix’s documentation identifies this as incorrect DNS setup or incomplete propagation. Re-check that the CNAME host is exactly www (not www.yourdomain.com, which some registrar panels silently expand) and wait out propagation.

5. Security warning / SSL error

Users report certificate warnings in the first day or two after connecting. On Wix, this commonly means only one of the two required records was added. On Squarespace, SSL certificates issue automatically after the domain fully connects — so a certificate warning during the propagation window usually resolves itself once the green Connected label appears.

6. Domain disconnected weeks later (Squarespace)

Users report domains that worked fine and then dropped. Check the verification CNAME — if it was deleted or edited (for example, during an email setup that “cleaned up” DNS), the 15-day unlink countdown started without you knowing.

FAQ

How long does it take to connect a domain to Squarespace? Squarespace states 24–48 hours for the connection to start working properly after the records are added correctly. Some propagation cases take up to 72 hours. If nothing has changed after 48 hours, move to troubleshooting rather than waiting longer.

Should I use pointing or name servers on Wix? Wix officially recommends the name servers method and notes it can’t assist with DNS issues on pointed domains. Choose pointing only if you need to keep managing other DNS records (email, subdomains, verification records) at your current registrar.

Will connecting my domain break my email? Not if you leave your MX records alone. Email uses MX records, which are separate from the A and CNAME records you’re adding. The one risk area is the Wix name servers method, which moves all DNS to Wix — copy your MX records first and re-add them in Wix’s DNS panel.

Do I need to transfer my domain to Squarespace or Wix? No. Connecting (what this guide covers) leaves the domain registered where it is. Transferring moves the registration itself — a separate, optional process. Connect first; transfer later only if you want one bill.

Why does my site work on my phone but not my computer? Different networks’ DNS servers update at different times during the 24–48 hour propagation window, and your computer may also be caching the old lookup. It usually resolves on its own; restarting the browser or flushing your DNS cache can speed up what you see locally.

Conclusion

DNS feels intimidating exactly once. After you’ve done it, it’s ten minutes of copy-paste: two CNAMEs and four A records for Squarespace, or one A record and one CNAME (or a nameserver swap) for Wix — then a 24–48 hour wait that no amount of refreshing will shorten.

If you’re still choosing a builder, both handle custom domains well once connected. Squarespace’s guided provider dropdown and green Connected indicator make the process slightly harder to get wrong for first-timers, while Wix’s name servers method means never touching individual records at all.

Ready to get your site on its own domain? Start with the builder that fits you and connect your domain today — and keep this guide open in the next tab for the DNS step.