Troubleshooting third-party domain connections

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Troubleshooting third-party domain connections

Last updated October 13, 2026 14:50

Check your domain's settings for specific error messages or incorrect DNS records to fix your domain connection.

Use this guide to learn how to identify and resolve issues with your third-party domain connection.

It can take 24 to 48 hours for the connection to start working properly, so any error messages in the DNS settings panel during that time are normal.

Note: This guide is for domains purchased from a third-party, like GoDaddy or Namecheap. We have separate steps for connecting a Squarespace domain to a Squarespace site.

Tip: If you're consistently having trouble with your third-party host, consider transferring your domain to Squarespace.

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How to start troubleshooting

Connecting a domain from a third-party host to a Squarespace site is a multi-step process, so the first part of identifying an issue with the domain connection is to understand what part of that process isn't working.

To find the source of the issue:

1. Visit your domain. Go to your URL in a browser and look for any error messages that display instead of the site. If you find an error message, review our specific error messages for troubleshooting. If not:
2. Check domain settings. Open your Domains panel, then click the domain that's not connecting. If you find an error message, review our specific error messages for troubleshooting. If not:
3. Review the DNS panel. In your Domains panel, click View DNS settings. Refer to the Current Data column to find error messages or CNAME and A records that aren't connecting, and visit its section to troubleshoot:
4. CNAME issues
5. A record issues
6. “Record not found” message
7. Extra records

Note: Certain providers have CNAME limitations that can cause connection issues. If you're having trouble adding the correct CNAME on your provider's end, review our list of possible CNAME record issues.

Nameserver connect

If you connected your GoDaddy, Namecheap, or Network Solutions domain with nameserver connect and your domain still hasn't connected after 48 hours, reset your nameservers to your domain provider’s default nameservers and manually connect your domain by updating the DNS records.

We have step-by-step instructions on this process for the following providers:

• GoDaddy
• Namecheap
• Network Solutions

Error messages

Some errors with third-party domain connections prompt specific messages on your site. Below are the most common error messages and how to troubleshoot each one.

If an error message displays when visiting your site or reviewing your site's Domains panel, review the list below for troubleshooting steps.

Security and SSL warnings

If your browser shows security warnings when you visit your site, or your SSL panel displays an SSL certificate message, visit Troubleshooting SSL for help.

Error message: This domain is already connected to another Squarespace site

If this message appears in your site's Domains panel, review your other Squarespace sites in your account dashboard to find where the domain is connected. When you find the site, disconnect the domain, then connect it to the site you want it to go to.

This message may also appear when a domain is using Squarespace nameservers.

If you can't find the site where your domain is connected, contact us for help.

Deprecated record label

If a deprecated label appears in the Current Data column of your site's DNS settings panel, you're using outdated domain records. While most visitors can still access your site through a standard URL (beginning with http://), deprecated records can prevent visitors from loading your site through an SSL-secure URL (beginning with https://). To fix this, log into your domain provider's account and ensure your CNAME and A records match our current requirements.

General DNS error

When a DNS error message appears in your domain settings, Click View DNS settings to review your DNS panel.

Look for the type of record (CNAME or A record) that has an error in the Current Data column, and visit the related section of this guide to troubleshoot:

• CNAME issues
• A record issues
• “Record not found” message
• Extra records

Tip: DNS records that aren’t connecting properly are highlighted in red in your DNS settings.

CNAME record issues

There are two CNAME records needed to connect your domain. If your domain's DNS settings show a CNAME error, check if it's the verify.squarespace.com record. If so, follow the verification CNAME troubleshooting steps below. If those don't work, or if the error is for the ext-cust.squarespace.com record, follow the general CNAME troubleshooting steps.

Verification CNAME record issues

If there's an error or issue related to your verification CNAME record (the one that points to verify.squarespace.com), try these troubleshooting steps:

General CNAME issues

Try these troubleshooting steps for issues with either or both of the required CNAME records:

A record issues

If you find A records in your domain provider's account that don’t match the four used to connect your domain, they may need to be deleted. You can take the following actions based on the data in the Data or Name field:

• Alias, Host, or Name: @ - Delete only if it doesn't match the four records used to connect your domain.
• Alias, Host, or Name: blank - Delete. “Blank” specifies your domain without the www in front.
• Alias, Host, or Name: Mail or Email - Don’t delete. This connects to your email address. Deleting it could interfere with your email service.

“Record not found” labels in the DNS Settings panel

When we detect an issue with the connection, records in your site's DNS Settings panel appear red and may show a “Record not found” label. A “DNS error” warning message may also display in your Domains panel.

To fix this issue, ensure the DNS settings are entered correctly:

1. Open your domains dashboard and click the domain.
2. Click to open the settings panel.
3. Click Domains and email in the left-side menu.
4. Click Domains.
5. Click the domain that’s not connecting properly.
6. Click View DNS settings.
7. Look for “Record not found” labels in the Current Data column. These records aren’t connecting to your site.
8. Log into your domain provider's account and find where you edit your DNS settings.
9. Correct the error shown for each record, by ensuring that the Name, Type, and Required Data information is entered correctly in your domain account. For help, visit Connecting a domain to your Squarespace site. You can also review the full list of provider-specific guides.
10. Click Refresh Records in the top-right corner of your Squarespace DNS Settings panel.

While waiting for your settings to refresh, keep the following in mind:

• Records can take between 24 and 48 hours to update. If the record is entered correctly in your provider's DNS panel but your Squarespace DNS Settings panel still shows an error, wait 48 hours, then click Refresh Records again.
• Refreshing repeatedly causes the DNS checker to try different servers. Some servers update with the new records sooner than others. This may temporarily cause your domain to connect for some visitors but not all. If clicking to refresh shows inconsistent results, wait 48 hours from your last attempt before refreshing again.
• Return to the Domains panel. If your DNS Settings display “Record found” for all values in the Current Data column, your domain will show a banner that says “Connection in progress.” After the changes have fully propagated and your domain is correctly linked, it will show a “Connected” label in the Domains panel.

If you followed the steps above and the DNS Settings panel still shows an error message, contact your domain provider to troubleshoot. You can also contact us as you work on the connection. We may suggest that you retry the connection process. This involves disconnecting the domain from your site and deleting the records from your provider’s account, before starting over.

Extra records in the DNS settings

If your domain has records that conflict with the Squarespace required records, your site's DNS settings panel will show those records in red in the Current Data column. These are different than the “Record not found” labels, as those will be listed beside the required Squarespace records.

To fix the conflict, log into your domain provider's account and delete the extra records.

Changes with domain provider don't reflect in DNS settings

If you're making changes to DNS records that aren't showing up in your Squarespace site's DNS settings after 48 hours, you could be having a nameserver issue. Check with your domain provider to ensure you're using their default nameservers. Then, disconnect the domain from your site and manually start the connection process again.

Note: If you're using Nameserver Connect to connect your third-party domain, it's normal to update to Squarespace nameservers as part of that process.

More help

If you've reviewed all the steps here, but your domain is still failing to connect or showing errors in your Squarespace settings, we recommend contacting your domain provider for more help.

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Troubleshooting third-party domain connections