How to Connect a Custom Domain from Domain.com or Network Solutions to Shopify

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Learning how to connect domain to shopify takes three DNS edits at your domain host. You point your root A record and IPv6 AAAA record to Shopify. Next, you point your www CNAME record to your store host name. Your domain billing and custom email stay right where they are.

Should you connect your domain by DNS or transfer it to Shopify?

Before you edit a single record, you must pick between two domain paths. Public Shopify help docs list two ways to use a third-party web address. You can connect the domain by DNS, or you can transfer the domain registration. For most store owners, connecting by DNS is the safer and faster path.

When you connect a domain by DNS, your domain stays at your current host. You still pay renewal bills at Domain.com or Network Solutions each year. Only your web traffic moves over to your Shopify store front. Better yet, your existing MX email records and TXT mail rules stay untouched. If your team uses Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, mail keeps flowing without a gap.

A full domain transfer works in a very different way. When you transfer a domain, you move the legal registration over to Shopify. You need an open toggle and an EPP auth code from your old host. Public ICANN rules also block transfers for 60 days after you buy a new name. That same 60-day ICANN lock applies if you just changed your owner contact info. Because of that lock, a brand-new domain cannot be transferred right away. Connecting by DNS avoids the 60-day wait and puts your store online the same day.

Setup factor.	Connect third-party domain by DNS.	Transfer domain registration to Shopify.
Where renewal billing stays.	Billing stays at Domain.com or Network Solutions.	Billing moves inside your Shopify account bill.
ICANN 60-day lock rule.	No 60-day wait applies to DNS edits.	Blocked for 60 days after purchase or owner edit.
Impact on MX email records.	MX and TXT mail records stay safe at your host.	You must rebuild DNS records during the transfer.
Where you edit DNS zones.	Inside Domain.com or Network Solutions DNS panel.	Inside Shopify Admin under Settings and Domains.
Typical wait time.	Usually live in one to two hours, up to 48 hours.	Can take up to 20 days for host release approval.

Check Shopify store plans. Open your store admin first so you can copy your exact myshopify host name.

Which official DNS records does Shopify need at your domain host?

Public vendor docs on the Shopify connecting third-party domains help page list three main DNS records. Every store owner uses the exact same IPv4 and IPv6 numbers for the root domain. Your www subdomain points to your store’s shared Shopify host target instead of an IP number.

First, look for the root A record, which uses the @ symbol as the host name. You must point this @ A record to the Shopify IPv4 address 23.227.38.65. Check your DNS list for any old A records that also use the @ host symbol. Most domain hosts add a default parked page A record when you buy a name. If you leave that old A record in place, half of your visitors will see an error page. Delete any extra @ A records so only 23.227.38.65 remains active.

Second, check the root AAAA record for modern IPv6 traffic. Set the host name to @ and point the value to 2620:0127:f00f:5::. Remove any old @ AAAA records that point to your domain host’s parking server. Adding both the A and AAAA records helps mobile networks reach your store fast.

Third, update the CNAME record for your www subdomain. Set the host name to www and point the target to shops.myshopify.com. Notice the period at the end of shops.myshopify.com. Some DNS panels add that trailing dot on their own, while others ask you to type it. Always point the www CNAME to shops.myshopify.com. rather than your private store name.

Record type.	Host or name field.	Official value required by Shopify.	Cleanup action to check.
A record (IPv4).	@ (or leave blank if host asks).	23.227.38.65.	Delete any old @ A records for parked pages.
AAAA record (IPv6).	@ (or leave blank if host asks).	2620:0127:f00f:5::.	Remove any conflicting @ AAAA parking records.
CNAME record.	www.	shops.myshopify.com.	Delete any old www A record before adding CNAME.
MX records (email).	@ (kept for mail servers).	Your existing mail provider values.	Do not delete MX records if you use custom email.
TXT records (SPF or check).	@ or shopify_verification.	Keep mail SPF and add Shopify check code if asked.	Keep existing SPF and DKIM strings intact.

How do DNS panels differ on Domain.com and Network Solutions?

Both Domain.com and Network Solutions let you edit raw DNS zone rows without moving your domain. Still, their control panels label fields in slightly different ways. Checking the field names ahead of time stops syntax typos that delay your store launch.

In the Domain.com control panel, you open your domain list and click DNS and Nameservers. Next, you open the DNS Records tab to see every active row. Public guides in the Domain.com help center show that the root host uses the @ sign. Before you add the www CNAME row, scroll through the list for an existing www A record. Domain.com often sets www as an A record by default on new names. DNS rules do not allow a www A record and a www CNAME record at the same time. You must delete the old www A record first, then save your new www CNAME row.

In Network Solutions, you open Manage Account, select Domains, and open Advanced Tools. Under Advanced DNS, you click Manage next to your DNS records table. Network Solutions divides A records, AAAA records, and CNAME aliases into separate edit screens. When you edit numeric IP records there, you click Edit A Records and swap the @ row to 23.227.38.65. Then you open Edit CNAME Records and point the www alias to shops.myshopify.com. Set the TTL timer to one hour or the lowest allowed option so changes spread fast.

Panel task.	Domain.com DNS panel path.	Network Solutions DNS panel path.
Where to find DNS records.	Domains menu, then DNS and Nameservers, then DNS Records.	Domains menu, then Advanced Tools, then Manage Advanced DNS.
How root host is entered.	Type the @ symbol in the Name field.	Select or keep the @ row in the Host list.
Common www conflict trap.	Must delete default www A record before adding CNAME.	Must clear any www A row before saving www CNAME alias.
Default TTL setting.	Set TTL to 1 hour or 1/2 hour if available.	Set numeric TTL to 3600 seconds (one hour).
Email safety check.	Leave MX and Google or Microsoft TXT rows alone.	Do not edit the Mail Servers (MX) section at all.

How do you check TLS certificates and set your primary store domain?

Saving your DNS rows at your domain host is only half of the job. You also have to add the domain inside Shopify Admin so Shopify knows which store owns it. Open Settings, click Domains, and choose Connect existing domain. Type your root domain name without www and click Next, then click Verify connection.

Once Shopify detects your A, AAAA, and CNAME records, it starts issuing a free TLS certificate. This TLS check turns on HTTPS and puts the padlock icon in buyer browsers. According to Shopify help docs, DNS changes and TLS certificates can take up to 48 hours to finish. Most stores see the status switch from SSL Pending to Connected within a couple of hours. If SSL Pending stays stuck past 48 hours, check for two common roadblocks. First, make sure no second @ A record or old @ AAAA record is still sitting in your DNS list. Second, if your domain uses CAA records, confirm that letsencrypt.org, digicert.com, and globalsign.com are allowed.

After both your root domain and www subdomain show Connected, set your primary domain. By default, your store might still show your raw myshopify.com address in the browser bar. Inside Settings and Domains, select your custom domain and click Change domain type, then pick Primary domain. Enable the traffic redirect toggle so every visitor lands on that single primary address.

Shopify domain status.	What the message means.	How to fix or finish the step.
A record not pointed to Shopify.	Shopify still sees your old host IP or a second A record.	Delete extra @ A rows so only 23.227.38.65 remains.
CNAME record not pointed.	The www host does not resolve to shops.myshopify.com.	Remove any www A row and point www CNAME to shops.myshopify.com.
SSL Pending.	Shopify is building your free TLS encryption certificate.	Wait up to 48 hours and check for conflicting AAAA or CAA rows.
Connected (not primary).	Domain works, but store still defaults to myshopify.com.	Open domain settings and set your custom name as Primary domain.
Connected (Primary).	All store pages and checkouts use your custom domain over HTTPS.	Test both root and www URLs in a private browser tab.

How to connect your domain to Shopify in six steps.

Follow these six steps in exact order to link your custom domain without breaking email. Keep both your domain host tab and your Shopify Admin tab open while you work.

1. Log in to Domain.com or Network Solutions, open your DNS records table, and write down your current records as a backup.
2. Edit the root @ A record so it points to 23.227.38.65, and delete any other A record that uses the @ host symbol.
3. Add or edit the root @ AAAA record so it points to 2620:0127:f00f:5::, and remove any old parked IPv6 AAAA rows.
4. Delete any existing www A record, then create or edit the www CNAME record so it points to shops.myshopify.com.
5. Open Shopify Admin, go to Settings and Domains, click Connect existing domain, enter your domain, and click Verify connection.
6. Wait for the TLS certificate to show Connected, then set your custom domain as the Primary domain with traffic redirection on.

After you complete step six, open a fresh mobile browser on cellular data to test your store URL. Type both the bare root domain and the www version into the address bar. Both versions should forward cleanly to your primary HTTPS store URL.

Often Asked Questions.

Will connecting my domain to Shopify break my business email?

No, connecting by DNS will not break your email if you leave your MX and mail TXT records untouched. Only edit the @ A record, the @ AAAA record, and the www CNAME record.

How long does Shopify DNS verification and SSL setup take?

Public Shopify help docs state that DNS changes and TLS certificates can take up to 48 hours. When your TTL is set to one hour, most stores connect within one to three hours.

Can I connect a new domain that is under the 60-day ICANN lock?

Yes. The 60-day ICANN lock only blocks moving your domain registration between hosts. You can connect a brand-new domain to Shopify by DNS on the very first day you buy it.

Why does Shopify say SSL Pending even after I added the A record?

SSL Pending usually stays stuck when an old parked @ A record or @ AAAA record is still active alongside Shopify’s IP. Delete the old IP row so only Shopify’s records remain.

Our verdict on connecting a custom domain to Shopify.

Connecting a third-party domain by DNS is the cleanest setup for new and growing Shopify stores. You keep your domain billing and custom email records safe at Domain.com or Network Solutions. At the same time, Shopify handles web hosting, automatic HTTPS certificates, and root-to-www redirects. As long as you delete old parked @ A records and point www to shops.myshopify.com., your store domain will run smoothly.

Related store and domain guides.

Explore our companion ecommerce and domain host guides to finish your store setup:

• Best Ecommerce Platforms and Domain Registrars.
• Shopify Review for a First Online Store.
• Shopify Pricing Plans Explained.
• Domain.com Review.

Official sources checked on 5 November 2026: Shopify Help Center on connecting third-party domains and Domain.com DNS help center. This guide relies on public vendor help docs rather than a live store account test.