Custom domains

Before you start

You'll need access to your domain's DNS settings at your registrar or DNS provider. A subdomain (app.yourdomain.com) is the easiest path — apex/root domains (yourdomain.com with no subdomain) sometimes need provider-specific ALIAS/ANAME support, so if you're not sure, start with a subdomain.

Adding a domain

From your site's Domains tab, click Add domain and enter the hostname you want to use. Webstead generates three DNS records for you to add at your provider:

1. Routing (CNAME) — points your hostname at the Internet Computer's gateway.
2. Canister proof (TXT) — proves which canister the domain should route to.
3. TLS challenge (CNAME) — lets the IC's certificate authority issue HTTPS for your domain automatically.

Copy buttons are provided for each record so you don't have to retype anything.

Common pitfalls

• Cloudflare or another proxying DNS provider: keep the record DNS-only (grey cloud, not orange) while setting this up. A proxied record hides the actual target and the validation check will fail.
• Registrars that auto-append your root domain: if your provider adds .yourdomain.com automatically when you type a record name, enter only the left-hand part (e.g. app, not app.yourdomain.com).
• Apex/root domains: these sometimes need your provider's ALIAS, ANAME, or CNAME-flattening feature instead of a plain CNAME, since a bare apex can't hold a CNAME under the DNS spec. If your provider doesn't support one of those, use a subdomain instead.

Checking and activating

Once your records are in place, click Check DNS and canister. We validate the records against the Internet Computer's custom-domain service and tell you exactly which check is failing if something isn't right yet. When validation passes, click Register domain — IC gateways then provision routing and a TLS certificate, which can take a few minutes. Your Domains tab shows live status the whole time: pending → verifying → active.

Why a redeploy is sometimes required

The Internet Computer only routes a custom domain to your canister if the canister itself publishes a small ownership file (/.well-known/ic-domains) listing the hostname. Webstead adds this automatically the next time you deploy after adding a domain — if you added a domain but haven't deployed since, trigger a redeploy before checking DNS.

Multiple domains

You can attach more than one domain to a site and mark one as primary. Non-primary domains still resolve; the primary one is what we show as the "main" address across your dashboard.

Questions about a domain that won't validate? Contact us with the hostname and we'll take a look.