To connect a custom domain, add the domain in your app's publishing settings, then copy the records it shows you (usually an A or CNAME record plus a TXT record for verification) into the DNS panel at the company where you bought the domain. Once the records propagate, usually within minutes to hours, an SSL certificate is issued automatically and your site opens over https. Do not delete existing MX records or your email will stop.
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How do you connect a custom domain to your app?
Connecting a custom domain to your app means telling the internet: when someone types yourstore.com, send them to the server that hosts my app. You do that by adding a few records in the DNS panel at the company you bought the domain from; the hosting platform then verifies the connection and issues an SSL certificate automatically.
It looks intimidating because DNS panels are full of acronyms, but in practice you usually need two or three records. The domain stays yours and stays with the same registrar; you do not have to move it anywhere. You are simply writing your app's address into the internet's address book.
If you have not bought a domain yet and are considering a Saudi one, read the guide to .sa domains first. If you are still planning your shop's site, start with a website or app for your shop: where to start.
What is DNS and why should you care?
DNS translates the name people remember into a numeric address machines understand. Every domain has a zone full of records, and each record says one specific thing: where the website lives, where the email goes, who owns the domain. These are the types you will meet:
| Record type | What it does | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| A | Points a name to a numeric IP address | The root domain yourstore.com |
| AAAA | Same as A, for IPv6 addresses | Optional, depending on the host |
| CNAME | Points one name to another name | The www or app subdomain |
| TXT | Text used for verification | Proving domain ownership, email authentication, store verification |
| MX | Says which server handles email | Company email such as info@yourstore.com |
| NS | Says who manages the whole DNS zone | Changing it moves control of every record |
Step-by-step: connecting your domain
- 1Choose the official version
Will your site live at yourstore.com or with www in front? Pick one; the other will redirect to it.
- 2Add the domain in your publishing settings
In Fanann, open hosting settings and enter the domain. You will see the exact records and values required.
- 3Open DNS at your registrar
Sign in where you bought the domain and open DNS management or the zone editor.
- 4Copy the records exactly
Add the A record for the root, the CNAME for www and the TXT record for verification if asked. Copy and paste values rather than typing them.
- 5Remove only conflicts
If an old A record for the same name points to a previous host, delete it. Leave MX and email records untouched.
- 6Wait for verification and the certificate
Once the records are detected, the platform verifies the domain and issues SSL automatically. Open the site over https and test both versions.
www or not? And subdomains
Search engines do not meaningfully prefer either. What matters is choosing one and redirecting the other with a permanent (301) redirect so your content does not appear twice. Many stores choose the version without www because it is shorter in ads, on Snapchat and on Instagram.
Subdomains are handy for separating parts of your project cleanly, and each one is added with its own CNAME record:
- app.yourstore.com for the web app customers sign in to.
- admin.yourstore.com for the staff dashboard.
- staging.yourstore.com for the test copy before release, as explained in staging vs production.
- ar. or en. only if you prefer separate language hosts; paths such as /ar and /en on one domain are more common today.
Mobile apps benefit too: share links and password-reset links can open the app directly when the domain is connected and declared in the app's settings.
SSL, email and store verification
After connection, an SSL certificate is issued and renewed automatically, so the padlock appears in the browser. Without https most payment gateways and Apple Pay will not work, and customers see warnings that scare them off. For the background, read SSL and HTTPS explained for business owners.
Do not break company email
If your email runs on Google Workspace, Microsoft 365 or another provider, it depends on MX and TXT records (such as SPF and DKIM). Connecting your site never requires touching them. Take a screenshot of every record before you change anything so you can roll back.
Verification with TXT records
Some services ask you to prove domain ownership with a TXT record, including Saudi e-store verification on the Business Platform (formerly Maroof) and search-engine webmaster tools. You can have several TXT records on the same domain without conflict. Details are in verifying your store on the Business Platform.
Domain not working after connecting? Common fixes
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| The old site still appears | Propagation not finished, or browser cache | Wait, then test on mobile data or a private window |
| 'Domain not verified' error | TXT record missing or on the wrong name | Make the record name match exactly what the platform asked for |
| www works but the root does not | Missing A record or one pointing to an old IP | Add or correct the root A record |
| Browser security warning | Certificate not issued yet, or a CDN proxy interfering | Wait for issuance; pause the proxy temporarily if you use one |
| Email suddenly stopped | MX records deleted or NS changed | Restore the records from your screenshot |
| 'Conflicting records' error | A CNAME on a name that has other records | A name with a CNAME cannot hold any other record |
Propagation can take from minutes to 48 hours depending on TTL settings and internet providers. If two days pass and it still does not work, the problem is almost always a mistyped value, not more waiting.
Checklist before you announce the domain
- The site opens over https on both versions, and the unofficial one redirects to the official one.
- Payment return URLs and thank-you pages use the new domain, not the temporary link.
- OTP messages, automated emails and WhatsApp notifications link to the new domain.
- Email sends and receives normally after your changes.
- The domain is registered to you or your company, with auto-renewal on.
- Your registrar account is protected with two-factor sign-in, because whoever controls it controls your site.
Publish my app on the domain yourstore.com, with the version without www as the official one and a permanent redirect from the www version. Give me the exact list of DNS records I need (type, name, value) to add at my registrar, and do not suggest any change to my email MX or TXT records. Add admin.yourstore.com for the dashboard and staging.yourstore.com for the test copy. After verification, enable SSL and make sure payment return links, OTP messages and WhatsApp notifications all use the new domain.
Try it in FanannNext step: open the DNS panel at your registrar now, screenshot every existing record, then add the records that Fanann hosting gives you. Within hours your project will live at its real address.
Key takeaways
- Connecting means adding DNS records at your domain provider, not transferring the domain.
- The root domain usually uses an A record; a subdomain such as www uses a CNAME.
- Leave email MX and TXT records alone, or your company email stops working.
- Propagation can take from minutes up to 48 hours, and the certificate is issued after that.
- Pick one official version (with or without www) and redirect the other to it.
Frequently asked questions
How do I connect a custom domain to an app I built with AI?
How long does DNS propagation take?
Do I need to transfer my domain to connect it?
Will connecting a domain affect my email?
Should I use www or the root domain?
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