Connect a domain from another registrar

If you already own a domain at GoDaddy, Namecheap, Cloudflare or anywhere else, you can connect it to InstaWP instead of transferring it. There is nothing to pay and no transfer to wait for.

Connecting hands InstaWP the domain's DNS only. The domain stays registered where you bought it, so renewal, domain lock and transfers are still handled there. Once the domain is connected, it behaves like a domain bought through InstaWP: you can link sites to it and manage its DNS records from the same dashboard.

💡 Want to move the registration itself to InstaWP? See Transfer a domain to InstaWP instead.

In this documentation, we will explore:

• Before you start
• Step 1: Add the domain
• Step 2: Verify ownership
• Step 3: Point your nameservers at InstaWP
• After the domain is connected
• Disconnect a domain
• Troubleshooting

Before you start

• You need access to the domain's current DNS provider (to add a verification record) and to your registrar's account (to change nameservers).
• Connect the root domain, exactly as you own it and without www, for example example.com.
• Pointing your nameservers at InstaWP replaces the DNS your current provider serves. Note down any records you still need (mail records above all) so you can recreate them in InstaWP's DNS manager afterwards.
• A domain you add but never verify is released after 72 hours, so the name is not locked away from anyone else.

Step 1: Add the domain

Step 1: Go to the Domains page in your InstaWP dashboard.

Step 2: Click Add Domain at the top right and choose Connect Domain.

Step 3: Enter your domain under Domain Name, exactly as you own it and without www, then click Connect Domain. InstaWP creates the domain in your account and moves you to the ownership check.

Step 2: Verify ownership

InstaWP shows a TXT record to add at your current DNS provider, in the form:

Field	Value
Type	TXT
Name / Host	_instawp-verify (the full record name is _instawp-verify.example.com)
Value	instawp-domain-verification=... , the token shown in the dialog

Use the copy icons beside Name and Value so the record is exact.

Add the record, save it at your DNS provider, then click I've added the record.

If the record is not visible yet, the dialog says so and you can try again a little later:

Nothing is provisioned until the record is found. This ordering matters: it is what stops anyone from claiming a domain they do not own.

💡 Leave your nameservers alone until ownership is verified. InstaWP only creates the domain's DNS zone at that point, so pointing the nameservers here earlier would stop the domain resolving.

Once verification succeeds, InstaWP creates the DNS zone for the domain.

Step 3: Point your nameservers at InstaWP

At your registrar, replace the domain's nameservers with InstaWP's:

ns1.instawp.com
ns2.instawp.com

Then come back and click Check nameservers.

Nameserver changes can take up to 24 hours to propagate. You can close the dialog at any point and come back later. Until setup is complete, the domain waits in your Domains list with a Pending verification or Pending nameservers status. Click Continue setup to reopen the dialog where you left off.

If you added a domain by mistake, or no longer want to connect it, click the delete icon beside Continue setup. A domain that is never verified is also released automatically after 72 hours.

After the domain is connected

The domain shows as active with an External badge, which marks it as registered with another registrar and managed here for DNS only. From here you can:

• Link the domain or a subdomain to a site
• Add and update DNS records
• Set up a redirect

Renewal, auto-renewal, domain lock and transfers stay with your registrar, so those actions are not offered on a connected domain.

Disconnect a domain

Open the domain and go to its Settings, then choose Disconnect domain.

⚠️ Disconnecting removes the domain's DNS zone and all its records from InstaWP. Any site served on that domain stops resolving immediately. The domain itself stays registered with your registrar.

Troubleshooting

Message	What it means
We could not find the verification record yet	The TXT record is not visible to us yet. DNS changes take a few minutes to an hour. Check the record was saved at your DNS provider, then try again.
This domain is already in your account	The domain is already connected or registered under your team.
This domain is already in use on InstaWP	It is connected to another InstaWP account. If it is yours, disconnect it there first.
This domain is still being removed from another account	A disconnect is still finishing. Try again in a few minutes.
Your nameservers are not pointing at InstaWP yet	The registry still lists your old nameservers. Recheck the change at your registrar and allow up to 24 hours.

Related Articles

• Transfer a domain to InstaWP - Move the registration itself
• Link Domain/Subdomain to a site - Point the domain at a site
• Add/ Update DNS Records - Manage records once DNS is with InstaWP
• Update Nameservers - Change nameservers on an InstaWP domain