Every Shopify store starts on a myshopify.com address. Before launch, you'll want your own domain. If you bought it elsewhere (GoDaddy, Namecheap, Cloudflare, a local registrar), you connect it to Shopify by updating a couple of DNS records. Here's how.
Option A: Automatic connection
For some registrars, Shopify can set the records for you.
- In the admin, go to Settings → Domains.
- Click Connect existing domain and enter your domain.
- If Shopify recognises your registrar, it offers to connect automatically. Sign in to your registrar when asked and approve the change.
Option B: Manual connection
If automatic connection isn't offered, set the records yourself in your registrar's DNS settings:
| Type | Name / host | Value |
|---|---|---|
| A | @ (the root domain) | 23.227.38.65 |
| CNAME | www | shops.myshopify.com |
- Remove any other A records for
@and any other CNAME forwww, otherwise they will conflict. - Leave MX records (email) and TXT records (verification) untouched.
- Back in Settings → Domains, click Verify connection.
The domain connection screen in your admin shows the records Shopify currently expects; if they ever differ from the table above, use what the admin shows. If you use Cloudflare, set these records to "DNS only" (grey cloud) unless you know you need the proxy.
Set your primary domain
Once connected, choose which version is primary: www.example.com or example.com. Shopify redirects the other version and the myshopify.com address to it, so there is only one version of each page for visitors and search engines.
SSL
Shopify issues a free SSL certificate automatically after the records are correct. If the status stays pending for more than a day, check the records again; a leftover A record is the most common cause.
Common problems
- "Domain not connected" after an hour: wait longer, or check that old A records were removed.
- www works but the root doesn't (or the other way round): one of the two records is missing or wrong.
- Email stopped working: MX records were changed or deleted. Restore them from your email provider's settings.
- Moving from another platform: set up URL redirects before you switch the domain, so old links don't break. See the Shopify migration page.
Next, work through our Shopify SEO checklist before you launch. If you'd rather hand over the whole setup, see our store setup service.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take for a domain to connect?
Often within an hour, but DNS changes can take up to 48 hours to spread across the internet. SSL is issued automatically once Shopify can see the correct records.
Will connecting my domain to Shopify break my email?
Not if you change only the A record for the root domain and the CNAME for www. Email uses MX records, which you should leave as they are.
Should I transfer my domain to Shopify?
You don't have to. Connecting is enough, and your domain stays with your current registrar. Transferring simply means managing and renewing it inside Shopify.
Author
Uğur KeskinFounder @ShopiuzmanFounder of Shopiuzman. He builds, migrates and grows Shopify stores for brands in Türkiye, Europe and the US, and leads the development of our apps on the Shopify App Store.
