[Support Guide] DNS Quick Start - How to set up DNS — by laura on Netlify Support Forums

beginnerforumLink only (©)

A Netlify staff support guide on connecting a new or existing domain to a site, comparing External DNS (recommended) with Netlify DNS. Reminds you to copy existing records, especially email ones, before changing nameservers, and to allow 24-48 hours before asking for help.

Quick steps

Add the custom domain to the site first
External DNS: A record for the root plus CNAME for www at your registrar
Or Netlify DNS: replace registrar nameservers with the four Netlify provides
Copy existing records before switching
Wait for propagation

Paraphrased from the source. Menus can differ by version, so check the original for full details.

Read the full thread on answers.netlify.com

Source reviewed

2026-11-02

Link checked

2026-11-02

Tested hands-on

Not by Oddbyte.Me

netlifydnsnameserversemail records

Get started with domains (external DNS records) — by Netlify Docs

beginnerpage

Netlify's docs for pointing a custom domain at a site. For external DNS it lists the record to use: ALIAS/ANAME to apex-loadbalancer.netlify.com or an A record where flattening is unavailable, and a CNAME for www and other subdomains. Verify with dig after propagation.

Manage DNS records — by Cloudflare

beginnerpage

Cloudflare's guide to creating, editing and deleting DNS records in a zone. It explains the record fields (proxy status, TTL, comments) and gives examples such as updating an origin IP or using placeholder addresses for originless domains.

New tool: Mess with DNS! — by Julia Evans

beginnerpage

Introduces a site that gives you a free subdomain on a live DNS server and shows incoming queries in real time, with experiments in weird, useful and tutorial groups. The post also describes how it was built.

[Support Guide] DNS Quick Start - How to set up DNS — by laura on Netlify Support Forums

Quick steps

More in Domains & DNS