Connecting Squarspace to an existing domain name (on AWS)

To connect your domain, start in the Domains panel:

1. Open the Domains panel.

2. Click Use a Domain I Own.
3. Enter the full domain name you’re connecting in the Enter Domain field, then click the arrow.
4. Click Connect Domain.

5. Select your domain provider from the drop-down menu. If you don’t find your domain provider, select Other. You can still connect your domain if your provider isn’t in the list.
6. Click Connect Domain.
7. In the message that appears, click Continue.

After you click connect, the DNS Settings panel will appear. This panel shows the records you need to enter in your provider’s account to connect your domain to your Squarespace site. Keep this panel open for your reference.

Your domain records may be green or red, depending on the DNS information our system receives from your domain provider.

In a new browser tab or window, log into your domain account, then find where to manage your domain’s DNS settings. Depending on your provider, the settings for managing your domain’s DNS records may be called DNS, Advanced DNS Records, Manage Domains, or something similar.

After finding the settings, you may see that you already have DNS records in place. Some providers may require you to change or delete them so your domain correctly links to your Squarespace site.

After finding where to manage your DNS settings, you’ll create these records.

In the first line of your Squarespace DNS Settings, copy the unique code that appears directly below the Host column. The unique code is a random string of numbers and letters that must point to verify.squarespace.com.

In your provider’s DNS manager, create a CNAME with these values:

If you can’t add this CNAME due to your provider’s settings, you can add a TXT record instead.

In the second line of your Squarespace DNS Settings, www appears directly below the Host column. This record must point to ext-cust.squarespace.com.

Depending on your provider, you may already have a CNAME set up with a www Alias. If so, edit this existing CNAME so that Points To is ext-cust.squarespace.com. (For most providers, add this without the last “.”)

In your provider’s DNS manager, create a CNAME with these values:

In the last four lines of your Squarespace DNS Settings, you’ll see four IP addresses in the Required Data column. Each of these displays @ in the Host column.

Depending on your provider, you may already have some A records in place. If so, edit any existing A records with Host Name @ so that Points To matches the values below.

Find the area of your DNS settings where you edit your A records. If possible, create four A records matching what’s shown below. If you can only add one A record, use the record in the first row.

If your provider doesn’t accept @ as a Host Name, we recommend leaving the Host/Host Name field blank or entering your domain name without the “www” in front.

It can take 24 to 72 hours for the connection to start working properly. While you wait you can review the connection’s progress, and domain settings in the Domain overview panel.

To find your Domain overview panel, open the Domains panel, then click your domain.

There you can:

• Review the connection’s progress – In the Connection in progress section, click View DNS settings, then click Refresh records in the top-right corner. The Current Data column displays if your records are entered correctly. When the domain is correctly linked, it will show a “connected” label in the Domains panel.
• Watch for your SSL certificate to generate – In the Details section, review the SSL certificate status. If you visit the domain while it’s connecting, you may find error messages about privacy. After the connection completes, your domain generates the SSL certificate and any error messages should disappear. 
• Monitor error messages – It’s normal for your domain to show errors for up to 72 hours after completing the steps in this guide. If the error messages persist after 72 hours have passed, troubleshoot the connection in the next section.

If we detect that your records weren’t set up properly, your domain appears in the Domains panel with the message DNS Error. To troubleshoot, use the DNS checker tool in the DNS Settings panel to determine the exact CNAME and A records to fix with your domain provider.