Connecting a third-party domain

Connecting your third-party domain to Shopify points your custom URL at your Shopify store. When you connect a domain to Shopify, customers can enter your custom URL into their web browser to visit your online store. You still use your third-party domain provider to manage your domain settings, pay for your domain, and renew it.

Note

If you want to manage all of your domain settings directly in your Shopify admin, then you can also transfer your domain to Shopify.

What are root domains and subdomains?

Root domains are what you purchase when you buy a domain. An example of a root domain is shopify.com. You need to buy a root domain before you can add subdomains. Most people point their root domain to their online store.

Subdomains are additions to the root domain. A commonly used subdomain is www. This subdomain combines with the root domain to create www.shopify.com.

For more information on root domains and subdomains, refer to key terms and definitions about domains.

Generic third-party domain setup guide

If you can't find instructions for your third-party provider, then follow this generic setup guide to connect your existing domain to Shopify.

1. Add the domain to Shopify

2. Connect it to Shopify

3. Verify your connection in Shopify

Grow your business

If you need help connecting a domain to your store, then you can hire a Shopify expert.

Add an existing domain to your Shopify store

Caution

Unexpected behavior can occur when you use third-party proxies. Shopify is not responsible for any loss of information.

First, you need to add your custom domain to your Shopify store. This step identifies you to Shopify as the owner of your custom domain.

Tip

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Steps:

Desktop

1. From your Shopify admin, go to Online Store > Domains.
2. Click Connect existing domain.
3. Enter the domain that you want to connect, such as johns-apparel.info.
4. Click Next.

Now you need to set up your existing domain to point to Shopify.

iPhone

1. From the Shopify app, tap Store.
2. In the Sales channels section, tap Online Store.
3. Tap Domains.
4. Tap the ... button, then select Connect existing domain.
5. Enter the domain that you want to connect, such as johns-apparel.info.
6. Tap Next.

Now you need to set up your existing domain to point to Shopify.

Android

1. From the Shopify app, tap Store.
2. In the Sales channels section, tap Online Store.
3. Tap Domains.
4. Tap Connect existing domain.
5. Enter the domain that you want to connect, such as johns-apparel.info.
6. Tap Next.

Now you need to set up your existing domain to point to Shopify.

Note

Lowering the Time to Live (TTL) value of your domain can help your domain update faster. Contact your third-party domain provider for suggestions and instructions on how to change your TTL.

Set up your domain with GoDaddy, Google Domains, or 1&1 IONOS

You can automatically connect your GoDaddy, Google Domains, or 1&1 IONOS domain to your Shopify store. If the domain doesn't connect automatically, then you can connect it manually.

Connect your domain automatically

Desktop

1. From your Shopify admin, go to Online Store > Domains.

iPhone

1. From the Shopify app, tap Store.
2. In the Sales channels section, tap Online Store.
3. Tap Domains.

Android

1. From the Shopify app, tap Store.
2. In the Sales channels section, tap Online Store.
3. Tap Domains.

1. Click Connect existing domain.

2. Enter the domain that you want to connect, such as johns-apparel.info.

3. Click Next.

4. Click Connect automatically.

5. In the Sign In window, log in to your GoDaddy, Google Domains, or 1&1 IONOS account.

6. Click Connect.

If you experience problems setting up your domain automatically, then try setting it up manually from within your third-party provider's admin. If you contact third-party support, then review what to tell your third-party provider.

Connect your domain manually

1. Log in to the account that you have with your third-party domain provider.

2. Find your DNS settings, domain management area, DNS configuration, or similar.

3. Edit your A record to point to Shopify's IP address 23.227.38.65.

   The domain settings panel might feature drop-downs or editable fields, or you might have to check boxes or edit a table. You need to complete the following steps:

   • In the Type or Record Type field, enter or choose the @ symbol, or A record.
   • In the Points to field, enter Shopify's IP address 23.227.38.65 as the destination for the A record.

4. Save the A Record by clicking Save, Save Zone File, Add Record, or similar.

5. Change your subdomain CNAME record to point to shops.myshopify.com. For example, if you want your subdomain shop.johns-apparel.com to point to your Shopify store, then change your shop CNAME record to point to shops.myshopify.com.

   

6. Save the CNAME Record by clicking Save, Save Zone File, Add record, or similar.

7. From your Shopify admin, click Online Store, and then click Domains.

8. Click Connect existing domain.

9. Enter your subdomain in the text field. For example, shop.johns-apparel.com.

10. Click Next.

11. Click Verify connection in your Shopify admin to confirm that your custom domain has been connected to your store.

Note

Your root domain is also added automatically. If you want to connect only a subdomain and not the root domain, then you can delete the root domain by clicking the delete icon next to it in the Manage domains section.

Set up your existing domain to connect to Shopify

If you've purchased your domain through a third party provider, then you need to edit the following DNS settings:

• Your A record should point to Shopify's IP address, which is 23.227.38.65.
• Your www CNAME record should point to shops.myshopify.com.

Editing these domain settings might have an effect on other things, such as email forwarding. You can contact your domain provider to find out how any changes might affect your DNS settings.

Some domain providers, such as Hover, GoDaddy, Google, and 1&1 IONOS, automatically set up your domains for you in different ways.

Note

You can only have one A record associated with your primary domain. If your domain is already associated with an A record when you edit your DNS settings to point your A record to Shopify's IP address, then remove the old A record.

Steps:

1. Log in to the account that you have with your third-party domain provider.

2. Find your DNS settings, domain management area, DNS configuration, or similar.

3. Edit your A record to point to Shopify's IP address 23.227.38.65.

   The domain settings panel might feature drop-downs or editable fields, or you might have to check boxes or edit a table. You need to complete the following steps:

   • In the Type or Record Type field, enter or choose the @ symbol, or A record.
   • In the Points to field, enter Shopify's IP address 23.227.38.65 as the destination for the A record.

4. Save the A Record by clicking Save, Save Zone File, Add Record, or similar.

5. Change your www CNAME record to point to shops.myshopify.com.

   • Enter or choose the www prefix. Often, you need to provide just the www prefix without the dot, but some domain providers need the whole subdomain www.. Use the existing entries as a guide, or follow your provider's instructions.
   • Enter shops.myshopify.com as the destination for the CNAME record. CNAME records must always point to a domain name, never to an IP address.

6. Save the CNAME Record by clicking Save, Save Zone File, Add record, or similar.

Now you need to verify your connection in Shopify.

Verify your connection in Shopify

Click Verify connection in your Shopify admin to confirm that your custom domain is connected to your store.

Note

It might take up to 48 hours for your custom domain to point to your Shopify store. If you have problems or need help setting up your third-party domain, then you can reach out to your domain provider.

What to tell your third-party provider

Your third-party domain provider is familiar with the terms related to domains. When you call your provider for support, you can tell them the following information:

• You want your A record to point to Shopify's IP address, which is 23.227.38.65.
• You want your CNAME record to point to shops.myshopify.com.

Note

You don't need to assign your subdomain an A Record for Shopify even if you are using it as your primary domain.

If you want to set up email forwarding, then you can also tell your third-party provider that you want to use their email client (if they have one) and need to configure your MX records.

Connect a subdomain

A subdomain is a subset for your root domain at the beginning of a URL. For example, in the URL shop.johnsapparel.com, shop is the subdomain. The most popular subdomain is www. You can use subdomains like store and blog to organize your website and make it easier for visitors to find the information that they're looking for.

You can also set up a third-party domain to have the root domain point to a different website and a subdomain point to a Shopify store. For example, you could have shop.johns-apparel.com pointing to your Shopify store, but johns-apparel.com pointing to a different website host.

Note

Troubleshooting this setup is not supported by Shopify.

Setup

To connect a subdomain, complete the following steps.

1. Log in to the account that you have with your third-party domain provider.
2. Find your DNS settings, domain management area, DNS configuration, or similar.
3. In your DNS settings area, edit your subdomain's CNAME record to point to shops.myshopify.com.
   

• In the Host name or Alias field, enter the subdomain that you want to connect to your Shopify store. For example, if you're connecting shop.johns-apparel.com, then the name of the CNAME record is shop.Often, you need to provide just the www prefix without the dot, but some domain providers need the whole subdomain www.. Use the existing entries as a guide, or follow your provider's instructions.
• In the Type or Record Type field, enter or choose the CNAME record.
• In the Points to field, enter shops.myshopify.com as the destination for the CNAME record. CNAME records must always point to a domain name, never to an IP address.

1. Save the CNAME Record by clicking Save, Save Zone File, Add record, or similar.
2. From your Shopify admin, go to Online Store > Domains.
3. Click Connect existing domain and then follow the steps.
   
4. Click Verify connection in your Shopify admin to confirm that your subdomain is connected to your store.

Note

It might take up to 48 hours for your subdomain to point to your Shopify store. If you have problems or need help configuring your third-party domain, then you can reach out to your domain provider.

Third-party domain providers

If you own a domain from one of the following providers, then click the link to get specific instructions for connecting your domain:

• 1&1 IONOS
• 123 Reg
• Bluehost
• Domain.com
• Enom
• GoDaddy
• Google Domains
• OVH
• Namecheap
• Network Solutions
• Register
• Blacknight Solutions
• Hostgator - HostGator doesn't let you control your DNS settings directly. To make the necessary changes to your HostGator domain, you must contact the HostGator support team and give them the following instructions:
  • set your nameservers to HostGator's defaults
  • disable all forwarding on your domain
  • point your root domain's A record to the Shopify IP address: 23.227.38.65
  • point your subdomain's www CNAME record to the Shopify-hosted domain: shops.myshopify.com.

Where to go for help

If you need help pointing your custom domain to your Shopify store, then contact your third-party provider’s support team. Shopify Support can't log in to your third-party domain account for you, even if you give your explicit permission.

Next steps after adding your custom domain to Shopify

After you add your domain to your Shopify store, you need to set the primary domain. The primary domain is displayed to customers in their browser's address bar when they visit your online store.

You can also set up email forwarding from the domain after you add it to Shopify.