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Using domain forwarding as an alternative to CNAME ​

If you've tried to connect your domain (like example.com) to your InstaWP site and your domain provider wouldn't let you add the record InstaWP asked for, this guide is for you. There's a simple workaround called domain forwarding, and you don't need any technical background to set it up — just follow along.

By the end, typing example.com in a browser will bring visitors straight to your InstaWP site.

In this guide:

Do you actually need this workaround? Only use it if your domain provider refuses to add a CNAME record on your root domain. If it accepts one, use the normal custom domain mapping guide instead — it's simpler. Not sure which applies to you? Read the next two sections and it will be clear.

First, some plain-English terms ​

You'll see a few technical words below. Here's what each one means, in everyday language:

TermWhat it really means
DomainYour website's address, like example.com.
Root (or "apex" / "naked") domainThe plain address with nothing in front — just example.com.
SubdomainA domain with a word in front of it, like www.example.com or blog.example.com. The www part is a subdomain.
Domain registrar / providerThe company where you bought or manage your domain (for example Namecheap, GoDaddy, Google Domains, Porkbun).
DNS recordA setting at your provider that tells the internet where your domain should point.
CNAME recordOne type of DNS record. It points a domain at another web address (a name), rather than at a numeric server address. This is the record InstaWP normally asks you to add.
Domain forwarding (or "redirect")A feature at your provider that automatically sends visitors from one address to another — for example, from example.com to www.example.com.
PropagationThe waiting time after you save a change, while the rest of the internet catches up to it. Usually minutes, sometimes up to a day or two.

Keep this table handy — every step below uses these words.

Why this workaround is needed ​

To connect a custom domain, InstaWP asks you to add a CNAME record that points your domain at your InstaWP site.

Here's the catch: adding a CNAME record works fine for a subdomain like www.example.com, but many domain providers won't let you add a CNAME on the plain root domain (example.com with no www). This isn't a mistake or a limit InstaWP can lift — it's a built-in rule of how domains work on the internet, and lots of providers enforce it.

So you're left with a working www.example.com but a root example.com that won't accept the record. The fix below closes that gap.

How domain forwarding fixes it ​

The idea is simple, and it comes in two parts:

  1. Connect your site to www.example.com — a subdomain, which does accept the CNAME record InstaWP needs. Your website now works at www.example.com.
  2. Forward the root example.com to www.example.com — using your provider's built-in forwarding feature. Now anyone who types the plain example.com is automatically sent to www.example.com, where your site lives.

Think of it like a mail-forwarding service: your real mailbox is at the www address, and the plain address simply forwards everything to it. The visitor never notices — they just land on your site.

One thing to know up front: with this method, the address bar will show www.example.com (because visitors are forwarded there). This is completely normal and is how a huge number of websites work. If you'd rather the bare example.com show in the address bar, see the other two methods (ALIAS/ANAME record or Cloudflare), which keep the root address but take a little more setup.

Before you start ​

You'll need:

  • Your InstaWP site on a Starter plan or higher. Custom domains aren't available on the free Sandbox plan. If needed, upgrade the site's plan first.
  • Login access to your domain provider (the account where you manage example.com).
  • About 10 minutes. The setup itself is quick; the internet then needs a little time to catch up (see propagation).

Throughout this guide we use example.com as a stand-in — replace it with your own domain everywhere you see it.

Step-by-step setup (Namecheap example) ​

We'll use Namecheap for the screenshots, but every major provider (GoDaddy, Google Domains, Porkbun, and others) has the same feature under a slightly different name. The Common questions section covers what it's called elsewhere.

Step 1 — Connect your InstaWP site to the www address ​

First, connect your site to www.example.com (the subdomain that accepts a CNAME).

  1. In your InstaWP dashboard, open your site and start the Map Domain process.
  2. Enter www.example.com as the domain.
  3. InstaWP shows you a CNAME record to add — it will look like a web address ending in .instawp.site. Copy it.
  4. In your domain provider, add that CNAME record for the www part, then come back to InstaWP and finish mapping.

The full walkthrough with pictures is here: How to map a custom domain to an InstaWP site.

Connecting the www subdomain to your InstaWP site in the Map Domain dialog

Check before moving on: open https://www.example.com in your browser. Once it loads your InstaWP site (this may take a few minutes), you're ready for Step 2. If it doesn't load yet, wait a little and try again — the record just needs time to take effect.

Step 2 — Log in to your domain provider ​

Sign in to the account where you manage your domain. In Namecheap, click Domain List in the left-hand menu, find your domain, and click the Manage button next to it.

Step 3 — Find the domain forwarding (redirect) setting ​

Still in Namecheap, open the Domain tab and scroll down to the section called Redirect Domain. That's Namecheap's name for domain forwarding — the exact feature we need.

(On other providers this is often called Forwarding, URL Redirect, or Domain Forwarding — see Common questions.)

Step 4 — Fill in the forwarding rule ​

Set up the forward so the plain example.com sends visitors to www.example.com. Enter these exact values:

  • Source (from): example.com — the plain root address you want to forward.
  • Destination (to): https://www.example.com — where visitors should land (your www address, with https:// in front).
  • Redirect type: Permanent (301).

Why "Permanent (301)"? A "301" simply tells browsers and Google that this forward is permanent. That way search engines correctly credit your www site and remember the forward — good for your search rankings. If you're unsure, Permanent (301) is the right choice here.

Step 5 — Save, then give it a little time ​

Click Save changes (or your provider's equivalent button). That's the whole setup!

Now the internet needs a short while to pick up the change. This usually happens within a few minutes but can occasionally take up to 24–48 hours. There's nothing more for you to do — just wait a bit before testing in the next section.

How to check it worked ​

Once you've given it a few minutes:

  1. Open a new browser tab and type example.com (the plain address, no www).
  2. You should be automatically sent to www.example.com, and your InstaWP site should load.
  3. Look for the padlock icon in the address bar — that means the secure https:// connection (SSL) is active. InstaWP sets this up for you automatically once the domain is connected; it can take a little time to appear after Step 1.

If it works, you're done — visitors can now reach your site by typing either example.com or www.example.com. 🎉

If it's not working yet, the Common questions below cover the usual causes.

Common questions ​

It's been a few minutes and example.com still doesn't forward. What now? Give it more time — changes can take up to 24–48 hours to fully spread across the internet, though it's usually much faster. Double-check that in Step 4 the Source was example.com and the Destination was https://www.example.com (with the https://), and that you clicked Save.

The site loads, but the address bar shows www.example.com instead of example.com. Is that a problem? No — that's exactly how this method is meant to work. The forward sends visitors to the www address, so that's what shows. It's normal and won't cause any issues. If you specifically want the bare example.com to stay in the address bar, use one of the other two methods instead.

I don't use Namecheap. Where is this setting on my provider? Look for a feature named Forwarding, Domain Forwarding, URL Redirect, or Redirect — it's the same idea everywhere. A few examples:

ProviderWhat the feature is usually called
NamecheapRedirect Domain (under the Domain tab)
GoDaddyForwarding → Domain (under Domain Settings)
Google Domains / Squarespace DomainsForward / Forwarding
PorkbunURL Forwarding

If you can't find it, search your provider's help center for "domain forwarding" or contact their support — they'll point you to it.

There's no padlock / my site says "not secure." The secure certificate (SSL) is issued automatically after your domain connects, but it can take a little time. If it hasn't appeared after the domain is working, open your site's Connectivity → Map Domain page in InstaWP and click Retry SSL.

Do I need a Cloudflare account for this? No. That's the whole point of this method — it works using only your domain provider's own forwarding feature. (Cloudflare is one of the other ways to solve the same problem, if you ever want it.)

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