How to Set Up Custom DNS Records for a Wix Website

Connecting your Wix website to a custom domain requires updating your domain registrar's DNS settings to point traffic directly to Wix's servers. By configuring specific A records and CNAME records with your domain host, visitors typing your web address will seamlessly load your Wix site instead of a default placeholder page.

Before making any changes to your production domain, it is best practice to verify your current records using the DNS Lookup tool to check your existing configuration and ensure you are starting with a clean slate.

Understanding the Required DNS Records for Wix

To point your domain to Wix, you must add specific DNS records provided by Wix into your domain registrar's DNS manager. Domain registrars use these records to route web traffic (HTTP/HTTPS requests) and traffic validation properly.

Wix primarily relies on two types of DNS records:

• A Records: Point your root domain (e.g., example.com) to Wix's server IP addresses.
• CNAME Records: Point subdomains, such as www and m, to your Wix-hosted alias destination.

The Standard Wix DNS Values

While you should always verify the exact values inside your Wix account dashboard, standard Wix DNS setups typically require pointing your root domain to Wix's primary IPv4 address and setting up your www CNAME to your unique pointer provided by Wix.

Here is an example of what your DNS configuration table should look like in your registrar's control panel:

Type	Host / Name	Value / Target	TTL
A	@ or example.com	23.236.62.147 (Wix IP)	1 Hour (3600)
CNAME	www	www.example.com.wixdns.net	1 Hour (3600)
CNAME	m	www.example.com.wixdns.net	1 Hour (3600)

Note: The actual IP addresses and CNAME targets are generated specifically for your Wix account. Always copy the values directly from your Wix account setup wizard.

Step-by-Step Guide to Connect Your Domain to Wix

Follow these sequential steps to safely link your custom domain to your Wix platform without experiencing prolonged website downtime.

Step 1: Gather Your DNS Settings from Wix

1. Log in to your Wix account and navigate to the Domains page under your site settings.
2. Click Connect a domain you already own and enter your domain name (e.g., example.com).
3. Select your current domain registrar from the drop-down menu if prompted, or choose manual setup.
4. Note down the exact A records and CNAME targets displayed on your screen.

Step 2: Access Your Domain Registrar's DNS Manager

1. Open a new browser tab and log in to the account where you purchased your domain (such as GoDaddy, Namecheap, Cloudflare, or Google Domains).
2. Locate your domain portfolio or domain management dashboard.
3. Find the setting labeled DNS Management, Manage DNS, or Advanced DNS. Note that provider menu paths differ slightly depending on your registrar.

Step 3: Add or Update the A Record

1. Look for existing A records in your DNS table.
2. If you find an A record with a host of @ or blank pointing to an old IP address, edit it. Otherwise, click Add New Record.
3. Set the Type to A.
4. Set the Name/Host to @ (or leave it blank, depending on your registrar's interface to represent the root domain).
5. Enter the IPv4 address provided by Wix (for example, 192.0.2.1 in test environments, or your actual Wix-assigned IP).
6. Set the TTL (Time to Live) to 1 Hour or automatic, then save the record.

Step 4: Add or Update the CNAME Records

1. Locate your CNAME records list in the DNS manager.
2. Add a new CNAME record for the www subdomain:
   • Type: CNAME
   • Host / Name: www
   • Value / Target: Enter the Wix target URL provided in your dashboard (e.g., www.example.com.wixdns.net).
   • TTL: 1 Hour
3. Save the record. Repeat this process if Wix requires a mobile CNAME record (m).

Verifying Your DNS Configuration

Once you save your records, DNS changes need time to propagate globally. This process can take anywhere from a few minutes to 48 hours depending on your previous TTL settings.

You can verify that your DNS records are resolving correctly using command-line tools or online utilities. Open your terminal (macOS/Linux) or PowerShell (Windows) and run the following commands:

# Check the A record for your root domain
nslookup -type=A example.com

# Check the CNAME record for the www subdomain
nslookup -type=CNAME www.example.com

Sample expected output for a correctly configured CNAME query:

Server:		8.8.8.8
Address:	8.8.8.8#53

Non-authoritative answer:
www.example.com	canonical name = www.example.com.wixdns.net.

If you prefer a quick web-based check, you can also query your domain using dig via terminal:

dig example.com A +short

Quick Checklist for a Successful Wix Domain Connection

• Gathered exact A and CNAME values from the Wix domain dashboard.
• Logged into the correct third-party domain registrar account.
• Created or updated the root A record pointing to the Wix IPv4 address.
• Created or updated the www CNAME record pointing to the .wixdns.net target.
• Deleted conflicting or duplicate A/CNAME records that pointed to old hosting providers.
• Waited for DNS propagation and verified resolution using command-line tools.
• Confirmed site connection status inside the Wix domain manager.

Common Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Even experienced webmasters occasionally encounter hiccups when mapping external domains to SaaS platforms like Wix. Here are the most frequent issues and their resolutions:

1. Conflicting Root Records

If your domain registrar automatically generated an A record or URL redirect pointing to an old host, having two conflicting A records for the root domain will cause intermittent site loading errors or browser security warnings.

• Fix: Delete all redundant A records for the @ host, ensuring only the single Wix-assigned A record remains active.

2. Missing the www CNAME Record

Many users successfully point their root domain (example.com), but forget to configure the www subdomain. When visitors type www.example.com, they encounter an error page.

• Fix: Ensure you add both the root A record and the www CNAME record to your registrar's DNS panel.

3. Adding CNAME Records to the Root Domain

DNS specifications do not allow a CNAME record to coexist with other records on the root domain (apex). Trying to create a CNAME record for @ will cause validation errors at your registrar.

• Fix: Always use an A record for the root domain (@) and reserve CNAME records for subdomains like www or m.

4. Premature Propagation Panic

If your site does not load immediately after saving your records, it does not necessarily mean your configuration is wrong. Global DNS caches take time to expire.

• Fix: Check your domain using external lookup tools. If the global nameservers show your new Wix IP address, you simply need to clear your local browser cache or wait for your local ISP to update its cache.