Pointing your domain to a new site
How to update your domain's DNS records so it loads your new website — whether by changing nameservers or updating individual DNS records.
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
When your website moves to a new host or platform, visitors need to be sent to the new location. That means updating your domain's DNS. This guide explains how to do it — and which approach to use.
Quick summary
To point your domain to a new site, you either update the nameservers (handing full DNS control to your new host) or update individual DNS records (usually the A record). A change usually starts working within a few hours, and registrars commonly tell you to allow 24 to 48 hours for a nameserver change. Your site may be briefly unreachable during that window.
Two ways to point a domain
There are two approaches, and which one you use depends on the situation:
| Approach | When to use it |
|---|---|
| Change nameservers | Your new host or DNS provider wants to manage all your DNS (e.g., Cloudflare, or Squarespace's nameserver connect option) |
| Update DNS records (A record) | You want to keep managing DNS at your current registrar/DNS provider and just update where the site points |
See Nameservers vs DNS records for a full explanation of the difference.
Changing nameservers affects email too
If you change your nameservers, all DNS records — including your email (MX records) — need to be set up at the new nameserver provider. If you don't, email will stop working when the change propagates. Always check with us before changing nameservers.
Option A: Changing nameservers
Use this if your host or DNS provider asks you to point the domain to their nameservers — for example Cloudflare, or Squarespace's nameserver connect option. Not every host has its own nameservers. WP Engine says it has none, and asks you to point DNS records at it instead, or to run your DNS on Cloudflare.
Get the new nameservers. Your host will give you two or more nameserver addresses. Copy them exactly as shown — with Cloudflare, for example, you get two names following the pattern something.ns.cloudflare.com, where Cloudflare picks the word in front and assigns your domain its own pair. There is no generic ns1.cloudflare.com to type in.
Log in to your domain registrar. This is where your domain is registered (GoDaddy, Namecheap, etc.).
Find the nameserver settings. Look for "Nameservers," "DNS," or "Domain settings."
Replace the existing nameservers with the new ones your host provided. Remove the old ones.
Save the changes.
Set up your DNS records at the new nameserver provider. This includes your website's A record and, critically, your email's MX records.
Wait for propagation. Changes typically take a few hours, and registrars commonly quote 24 to 48 hours for a nameserver change to reach DNS servers worldwide.
Option B: Updating the A record
Use this if you're keeping your nameservers the same and just need to point the domain to a new IP address.
Get the new IP address. Your host will give you the IP address of the new server — four numbers separated by dots, like 203.0.113.10.
Log in to wherever your DNS is managed. This might be your registrar or a DNS service like Cloudflare.
Find your domain's DNS records.
Edit the A record for your root domain (often shown as @ or the domain itself). Change the value to the new IP address.
Edit the A record for www as well, if it exists separately.
Save the changes and wait for propagation.
After making the change
During propagation, some visitors may still see the old site while others see the new one — this is normal. Once fully propagated:
- Test by visiting your domain in an incognito/private browser window.
- If the site still shows the old version, try clearing your browser cache and DNS cache.
- If you changed nameservers, verify your email is still working by sending a test message.
Reducing downtime with TTL
Before making DNS changes, experienced users sometimes lower the TTL (Time To Live) on existing records to 300 seconds (5 minutes) — a day or two in advance. This makes the change propagate faster when you do make it. Afterward, you can restore the TTL to a normal value like 3600.
Common questions
How do I know which IP address to use?
Your new host will tell you. It's usually in your hosting dashboard, your welcome email, or in their help documentation. If you're not sure, ask us and we'll find it for you.
My site isn't loading after making the change. What should I do?
First, be patient — for a nameserver change, allow the 24 to 48 hours registrars usually quote. Try checking from a different device or using a VPN to see if the change has reached other locations. If it's been more than 48 hours and the site still isn't loading, there's probably an error in the record values rather than a propagation delay, so contact us. See also Common DNS problems & fixes.
Do I need to update www separately?
Often, yes. If your DNS has a separate A record or CNAME for www, you'll need to update it too. Many hosts use a CNAME for www pointing to the root domain, so both resolve to the same place.
Can I test the new site before pointing the domain?
Yes — your host usually provides a temporary URL (like yoursite.kinsta.cloud) that you can use to test the new site before switching the domain over.
Related guides
- Nameservers vs DNS records
- DNS records explained (A, CNAME, MX, TXT)
- DNS propagation: why changes take time
- Common DNS problems & fixes
- Cloudflare basics for clients
- How DNS & hosting fit together
- Hosting vs email: why they're separate — so pointing your site doesn't break your inbox
- Give us access to manage your DNS
- Give us access to your domain registrar
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