Map a Domain
Mapping a domain allows you to use your own branded domain names instead of using InstaWP generated domains. InstaWP lets you add your own custom domain to make it easier for people to find and remember your site with a web address. You can also utilize domain name mapping to create separate domains for different departments, product categories, or services while still managing them all within the same WordPress installation.
👉 Note: This feature is available in paid plans only. View Pricing here. If you are not logged in, use this link to view pricing ._
In this documentation, we will be elaborating the steps you need to follow in order to map or redirect www and non-www versions of your domain.
InstaWP helps you map domains for all of the sites at multiple levels.
You can simply map your domain name with-
Specific Staging Site
All Staging Sites
WaaS Sites
InstaWP Live Sites.
Mapping domain for a specific staging site helps you in using your own branded domain name or a subdomain name.
Step 1: To start the domain mapping process for a site, you need to identify the specific site from the list on the Sites page. Once the site is identified, click on the horizontal ellipsis button and select the Map Domain option. It'll take you to the map domain page of the site.
👉 Note: The user can also navigate to the map domain option by directly clicking on the staging site and selecting the map domain option.
Step 2: Click the Map Domain button from the page. A modal window will appear.
Step 3: Enter a custom domain name, decide whether to designate the domain as 'Primary' or 'Alias', copy the provided CNAME records and integrate them into your DNS record settings.
The primary domain is your main website address, while the alias domain is an additional domain that redirects to the primary one. For example, if 'example.com' is your primary domain, you could set 'example.net' as an alias domain that redirects visitors to 'example.com'.
Step 4: Go to the domain registrar panel (such as Cloudflare or Namecheap) and create a CNAME record to map a subdomain of your site. To do that proceed to Records page and click Add Record.
Step 5: Add the CNAME record and click Save.
It'll be displayed on the recorded list once it's added
👉 Note: You need to enter your site subdomain name and paste the copied hostname in the “Name” & “Target” fields respectively. For example, “www or @” as a subdomain for the host field & “your-site-name-instawp.xyz” that you copied as a domain name for the value field. For more information, visit here .
Step 6: After adding CNAME record, go to map domain page and click on the Map Domain button from the modal window. This will complete your domain mapping to the site.
Once done, it'll show a confirmation message on the to right corner of the page.
Using Cloudflare, the proxies redirect traffic through Cloudflare's network and protect your website from DDOS attacks, SQL injection, and spam comments. Once you've mapped a custom domain to your staging site, you can also enable the proxy afterwards, or if you want to disable it, follow the below steps demonstration below.
Go to DNS Records page, toggle of the switch of Proxy Status and click Save.
Further, to withdraw your custom domain name from the site, you can follow the steps demonstration below:
Step 1: Click on the Delete button of the created domain. A confirmation window will appear.
Step 2: Click Remove Domain from the window and the domain will be deleted instantly.
Mapping domain for all staging sites assists you in assigning suffix domains to your branded domains (example- blogs.xyz.com)
If you want to use a custom suffix for your staging sites automatically, then you can map a domain on your team. Every InstaWP account is assigned a team by default. You need to go to team settings from the top right corner of the dashboard.
Step 1: Click on your team and you will see a settings icon next to the name, click on it. It'll take you to the team settings page.
If you are not on a paid plan, you will see an upgrade option. The white label feature is offered as an add-on, and you have to pay for it separately. Post completion of the purchase you will be able to Add you Suffix Domain.
Step 2: Scroll a bit and toggle on the switch for Enable White Label option from the White Label section. A Suffix Domain box will appear for your domain. Enter suffix domain on the box and click on the Add button.
WaaS sites can be created using branded domain names or the suffix domain which is already configured.
If you have followed the instructions above to map a domain for your staging sites, then nothing additional is needed. That same domain would work for the WaaS site and will be shown as the suffix for the new sites. For this case let's assume you're doing all the steps on behalf of your user or client.
Step 1: To begin the process go to WaaS section, select the site and click Copy Link for a shareable link.
Step 2: When your client visits the same link it will have 3 sections- Enter Your Information, Confirm, Setting up your Site.
Step 3: Once the details are done the site is automatically configured. In order to map a custom domain, you need to click on Manage Site.
However to map a domain you need to upgrade. After completing the payment, the customer will get the option to map their own domain.
Step 4: Here, you'll get the option for Map domain. Click on it.
Depending on the server integration you have, there might not be A records. For example, RunCloud or Server Avatar can show different options here.
Step 5: A modal window will appear. Enter the details and copy the A Records to paste it.
Step 6: So, to map your domain (registered on Namecheap) you need to copy the “A” records and paste the same into your domain registrar account.
Step 7: Now, click the Map Domain button from the window. This completes the process. It'll be ready within a few moment.
Once done, it'll be added on the domain list.
Rest process remains the same as explained in Map a Domain for a Specific Staging Site.
Notes -
1- The suffix domain you have configured will be used to create WaaS sites as well. This also works for the templates.
2- This process might take time to complete and is applicable on almost every domain registrar other than Namecheap. Once the process is done, it will automatically display the status.
3- We generate SSL certificate for the non-www version of the domain as well. If the customer wants to use both www and non-www version of the website, they need to add the same A records for both versions. So, there will be four A records in total. And don't forget to save the A records on the DNS settings before clicking save on InstaWP.
The InstaWP Live platform hosts sites permanently and has the best ever hosting architecture. We have more than 23 locations that mirror the main server and work as a CDN. You get 2 A records to add on your DNS manager to redirect your domain to the website.
Note- If you need to use both www and non-www version of the website, please remember to use the same 2 A records for both the versions. So there will be 4 A records for the domain.
For detailed assistance on how you can Map a Domain with InstaWP Live Sites visit this link- Domain Mapping on InstaWP Live.
💡 Did you know - You can create a new site with a custom domain name on your connected hosting account. Learn about Map domain from hosting setting .
👉 Note: This feature is available in paid plans only. View Pricing here. If you are not logged in, use this link to view pricing ._
In this documentation, we will be elaborating the steps you need to follow in order to map or redirect www and non-www versions of your domain.
Mapping a Domain at InstaWP
InstaWP helps you map domains for all of the sites at multiple levels.
You can simply map your domain name with-
Specific Staging Site
All Staging Sites
WaaS Sites
InstaWP Live Sites.
Mapping Domain for a Specific Staging Site
Mapping domain for a specific staging site helps you in using your own branded domain name or a subdomain name.
Step 1: To start the domain mapping process for a site, you need to identify the specific site from the list on the Sites page. Once the site is identified, click on the horizontal ellipsis button and select the Map Domain option. It'll take you to the map domain page of the site.
👉 Note: The user can also navigate to the map domain option by directly clicking on the staging site and selecting the map domain option.
Step 2: Click the Map Domain button from the page. A modal window will appear.
Step 3: Enter a custom domain name, decide whether to designate the domain as 'Primary' or 'Alias', copy the provided CNAME records and integrate them into your DNS record settings.
The primary domain is your main website address, while the alias domain is an additional domain that redirects to the primary one. For example, if 'example.com' is your primary domain, you could set 'example.net' as an alias domain that redirects visitors to 'example.com'.
Step 4: Go to the domain registrar panel (such as Cloudflare or Namecheap) and create a CNAME record to map a subdomain of your site. To do that proceed to Records page and click Add Record.
Step 5: Add the CNAME record and click Save.
It'll be displayed on the recorded list once it's added
👉 Note: You need to enter your site subdomain name and paste the copied hostname in the “Name” & “Target” fields respectively. For example, “www or @” as a subdomain for the host field & “your-site-name-instawp.xyz” that you copied as a domain name for the value field. For more information, visit here .
Step 6: After adding CNAME record, go to map domain page and click on the Map Domain button from the modal window. This will complete your domain mapping to the site.
Once done, it'll show a confirmation message on the to right corner of the page.
Enable/Disable Proxy
Using Cloudflare, the proxies redirect traffic through Cloudflare's network and protect your website from DDOS attacks, SQL injection, and spam comments. Once you've mapped a custom domain to your staging site, you can also enable the proxy afterwards, or if you want to disable it, follow the below steps demonstration below.
Go to DNS Records page, toggle of the switch of Proxy Status and click Save.
Delete Domain
Further, to withdraw your custom domain name from the site, you can follow the steps demonstration below:
Step 1: Click on the Delete button of the created domain. A confirmation window will appear.
Step 2: Click Remove Domain from the window and the domain will be deleted instantly.
Mapping Domain for All Staging Sites
Mapping domain for all staging sites assists you in assigning suffix domains to your branded domains (example- blogs.xyz.com)
If you want to use a custom suffix for your staging sites automatically, then you can map a domain on your team. Every InstaWP account is assigned a team by default. You need to go to team settings from the top right corner of the dashboard.
Step 1: Click on your team and you will see a settings icon next to the name, click on it. It'll take you to the team settings page.
If you are not on a paid plan, you will see an upgrade option. The white label feature is offered as an add-on, and you have to pay for it separately. Post completion of the purchase you will be able to Add you Suffix Domain.
Step 2: Scroll a bit and toggle on the switch for Enable White Label option from the White Label section. A Suffix Domain box will appear for your domain. Enter suffix domain on the box and click on the Add button.
Mapping Domain for WaaS
WaaS sites can be created using branded domain names or the suffix domain which is already configured.
If you have followed the instructions above to map a domain for your staging sites, then nothing additional is needed. That same domain would work for the WaaS site and will be shown as the suffix for the new sites. For this case let's assume you're doing all the steps on behalf of your user or client.
Step 1: To begin the process go to WaaS section, select the site and click Copy Link for a shareable link.
Step 2: When your client visits the same link it will have 3 sections- Enter Your Information, Confirm, Setting up your Site.
Step 3: Once the details are done the site is automatically configured. In order to map a custom domain, you need to click on Manage Site.
However to map a domain you need to upgrade. After completing the payment, the customer will get the option to map their own domain.
Step 4: Here, you'll get the option for Map domain. Click on it.
Depending on the server integration you have, there might not be A records. For example, RunCloud or Server Avatar can show different options here.
Step 5: A modal window will appear. Enter the details and copy the A Records to paste it.
Step 6: So, to map your domain (registered on Namecheap) you need to copy the “A” records and paste the same into your domain registrar account.
Step 7: Now, click the Map Domain button from the window. This completes the process. It'll be ready within a few moment.
Once done, it'll be added on the domain list.
Rest process remains the same as explained in Map a Domain for a Specific Staging Site.
Notes -
1- The suffix domain you have configured will be used to create WaaS sites as well. This also works for the templates.
2- This process might take time to complete and is applicable on almost every domain registrar other than Namecheap. Once the process is done, it will automatically display the status.
3- We generate SSL certificate for the non-www version of the domain as well. If the customer wants to use both www and non-www version of the website, they need to add the same A records for both versions. So, there will be four A records in total. And don't forget to save the A records on the DNS settings before clicking save on InstaWP.
Mapping Domain for InstaWP Live Site
The InstaWP Live platform hosts sites permanently and has the best ever hosting architecture. We have more than 23 locations that mirror the main server and work as a CDN. You get 2 A records to add on your DNS manager to redirect your domain to the website.
Note- If you need to use both www and non-www version of the website, please remember to use the same 2 A records for both the versions. So there will be 4 A records for the domain.
For detailed assistance on how you can Map a Domain with InstaWP Live Sites visit this link- Domain Mapping on InstaWP Live.
💡 Did you know - You can create a new site with a custom domain name on your connected hosting account. Learn about Map domain from hosting setting .
Updated on: 02/05/2025
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