Turning on auto-renew
How to enable automatic domain renewal at the most common registrars so your domain never expires by accident.
One of the most important things you can do for your domain is turn on auto-renew. It takes two minutes and prevents one of the most common (and avoidable) disasters in web management: accidentally losing your domain because you forgot to renew it.
Quick summary
Auto-renew charges your saved payment method and renews your domain automatically before it expires. Turn it on at your registrar — the exact steps vary by registrar but the setting is usually in your domain's management panel. Make sure your payment method is current.
What you'll need
Beginner 2 minutes- Access to your registrar account (GoDaddy, Namecheap, etc.)
- A current credit or debit card saved to your account
How to turn on auto-renew
The exact steps vary by registrar, but the general process is the same everywhere.
Log in to your Namecheap account at namecheap.com.
Go to Domain List in the left sidebar.
Find your domain and click Manage next to it.
On the Domain tab, find the Auto-Renew setting and toggle it On.
Confirm that a valid payment method is saved under Billing > Payment Methods.
Log in to your GoDaddy account.
Go to My Products (or Domains) from your account menu.
Find your domain and click the three-dot menu or Manage next to it.
Find the Auto-Renew setting and make sure it's turned on.
Check that a valid payment method is on file under Billing & Payments.
Log in to your Google Domains or Squarespace Domains account.
Click on your domain name to open its settings.
Find the Registration settings section and look for the Auto-renew toggle.
Enable auto-renew and confirm your payment method is up to date.
Log in to your Cloudflare account at dash.cloudflare.com.
Go to Domain Registration in the left sidebar.
Click on your domain to open its settings.
Find the Auto-renew toggle and switch it on.
Confirm a payment method is saved under Account > Billing.
After turning on auto-renew
Once auto-renew is enabled, make sure:
- Your payment method is current. If your card expires or is cancelled, the auto-renewal charge will fail and your domain could lapse.
- Your account email is one you check regularly. Registrars send renewal receipts and payment failure notices to that address.
- You have access to your account. Save your login details in a password manager.
Auto-renew isn't 100% guaranteed
If your payment method fails (expired card, insufficient funds), the renewal won't go through. Most registrars will try again and send you warning emails, but if you don't act, the domain will still expire. Check your payment method every year.
Common questions
Related guides
- Renewing your domain (don't let it expire!)
- What happens when a domain expires
- How to find where your domain is registered
- Who owns your domain (and why it matters)
Need a hand?
Renewing your domain (don't let it expire!)
How and when to renew your domain name, what the renewal process involves, and why letting it expire can be a costly mistake.
What happens when a domain expires
A plain-English timeline of what happens after a domain name expires — and how to recover it before it's too late.