So you bought a domain at Namecheap, GoDaddy, or Cloudflare Registrar. Maybe it's been sitting in your account for months. You finally have a product name you like, and namemyapp just generated a clean brand package for it. Now you need to point that external domain at your namemyapp project without breaking email, subdomains, or the DNS records you already set up elsewhere.
This tutorial walks through the exact steps to connect external domain to namemyapp, including how to import dns records safely and what to do with external domain nameservers. No fluff. Just the sequence that works.
What "Connecting" Actually Means
There are two ways to connect an externally-registered domain to any platform.
The first is nameserver delegation. You change the nameservers at your registrar to point to namemyapp's nameservers. From that moment, namemyapp answers all DNS queries for the domain. You manage every record inside namemyapp's dashboard.
The second is DNS record pointing. You keep your domain at your current DNS provider and create individual records, like an A record or CNAME, that point to namemyapp's servers. Your registrar still handles DNS. namemyapp only receives traffic for the specific hostnames you configure.
If you only need a landing page or app on the apex and www, use DNS record pointing. If you want namemyapp to manage email routing, wildcard subdomains, and future records from one place, switch the external domain nameservers instead.
Before You Touch Anything: Export Your Current DNS
The most common mistake people make is switching nameservers first and discovering later that they lost MX records, TXT verification strings, or a staging subdomain.
Before you change a single setting, export a copy of your current zone file.
Most DNS providers let you export records as a BIND zone file or a CSV. If yours doesn't, take screenshots. You want every record type visible:
AandAAAArecordsCNAMErecordsMXrecords for emailTXTrecords for SPF, DKIM, and domain verificationNSrecordsSRVrecords if you use services like CalDAV or SIP
Keep that export open in a second tab. You'll need it in step three.
Option A: Point DNS Records Without Changing Nameservers
This is the lower-risk path. You keep your domain at Namecheap, GoDaddy, Cloudflare, or wherever it currently lives. You add two records that tell the internet where your namemyapp project lives.
Step 1: Find Your namemyapp Target
Log into namemyapp and open the project you want to connect. Navigate to Settings → Domains.
You'll see a section labeled Custom Domain. namemyapp displays a target value. It looks something like:
live-frankly-7x9k.namemyapp.app
That value is your destination for the CNAME record.
Step 2: Add the CNAME at Your DNS Provider
Go to your current DNS provider's dashboard and open the DNS management page for the domain.
Create a new record with these values:
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Type | CNAME |
| Host / Name | www |
| Value / Target | live-frankly-7x9k.namemyapp.app |
| TTL | 3600 or default |
This routes www.yourdomain.com to your namemyapp project.
Step 3: Handle the Apex Domain
The apex is the bare domain: yourdomain.com without www. Many DNS providers do not allow a CNAME on the apex because it conflicts with other record types.
You have three options:
- Use an ALIAS or ANAME record if your provider supports it (Cloudflare calls this a
CNAMEflattening; DNSimple and DNS Made Easy supportALIAS). - Use a redirect service at the apex that forwards to
www. - Point the apex
Arecord to namemyapp's IP address, if namemyapp publishes one in your dashboard.
Check your namemyapp Settings → Domains page for an explicit apex IP. If it's there, create:
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Type | A |
| Host / Name | @ |
| Value | The IP from namemyapp |
| TTL | 3600 |
Step 4: Verify in namemyapp
Back in namemyapp, click Verify next to the custom domain field. namemyapp checks that the CNAME (and apex record, if applicable) resolves correctly.
DNS propagation usually takes under ten minutes for most providers, but TTL settings can stretch it to an hour. If verification fails, wait ten minutes and try again before changing anything else.
Option B: Switch External Domain Nameservers to namemyapp
If you want namemyapp to manage the entire zone, including email routing and future subdomains, switch the external domain nameservers at your registrar.
Step 1: Get namemyapp's Nameservers
In namemyapp, go to Settings → Domains → Custom Domain and select the Nameserver tab.
namemyapp lists at least two nameservers. They follow a pattern like:
ns1.namemyapp.com
ns2.namemyapp.com
ns3.namemyapp.com
Copy all of them.
Step 2: Import DNS Records into namemyapp
Before you change anything at your registrar, import your existing zone into namemyapp.
In the same Nameserver tab, click Import DNS Records. namemyapp accepts a BIND zone file or a CSV export from common providers.
If you're pasting manually, here's the minimum set most domains need:
@ 3600 IN A 192.0.2.10
www 3600 IN CNAME live-frankly-7x9k.namemyapp.app
@ 3600 IN MX 10 mail.provider.com
@ 3600 IN TXT "v=spf1 include:spf.provider.com ~all"
The 192.0.2.10 address is a placeholder. Use the actual apex IP from your current DNS export, or the namemyapp-provided IP if you're pointing the apex at namemyapp.
Do not skip the MX and TXT import. If your domain receives email, switching nameservers without carrying over MX and SPF records will silently break mail delivery. No bounce message. Just missing email.
Step 3: Change Nameservers at Your Registrar
Log into your registrar account. Find the domain management page and look for Nameservers or DNS Servers.
Select the option to use custom nameservers. Enter the namemyapp nameserver values from step one. Save.
Step 4: Wait and Verify
Nameserver changes propagate globally within 24 to 48 hours, though most registrars push the change to the root zone within a few hours.
You can check the current state with:
dig NS yourdomain.com +short
Once the output shows namemyapp's nameservers, the switch is live.
Back in namemyapp, the domain status should change from Pending to Active.
Which Option Should You Choose?
Here's a comparison to make the decision faster.
| Scenario | Use DNS Record Pointing | Use Nameserver Switch |
|---|---|---|
You only need www and apex for a landing page |
✅ | Overkill |
| You use Google Workspace or Outlook for email | ✅ Keep email at current provider | ✅ Import MX records first |
You want wildcard subdomains (*.yourdomain.com) |
❌ Not possible with basic records | ✅ |
| Your current DNS provider is slow or unreliable | ❌ | ✅ |
| You want to keep Cloudflare's DDoS protection | ✅ Keep Cloudflare as DNS | ❌ Loses Cloudflare proxy layer |
| You plan to add many subdomains later | ❌ Manual record per subdomain | ✅ One-time setup |
The record-pointing approach works for most solo founders. You keep your current DNS provider's reliability and any existing email setup untouched. The nameserver switch makes sense when namemyapp becomes the long-term home for the domain.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Verification fails after adding the CNAME. Check that you didn't accidentally create the record on the wrong domain. If you manage multiple domains at your registrar, the DNS editor sometimes defaults to the last domain you viewed.
Apex domain doesn't resolve. Not all providers support apex CNAME flattening. If yours doesn't, and namemyapp doesn't publish an apex IP, use a redirect service or a www-only setup.
Email stops working after the nameserver switch. You forgot to import the MX and TXT records. Go back to your old DNS provider's export, add those records in namemyapp, and wait for propagation.
Old DNS records still showing. The TTL on your previous records determines how long caches hold stale data. If the old TTL was 86400 (24 hours), some resolvers will keep the old answer for a full day.
FAQ
How long does it take to connect external domain to namemyapp?
For DNS record pointing, propagation typically takes 10 to 60 minutes depending on your TTL settings. For a nameserver switch, allow up to 48 hours for global propagation, though most resolvers update within a few hours.
Can I import dns records after switching nameservers?
Yes. namemyapp lets you import dns records at any time from the Settings → Domains page. However, if you switch nameservers first and then import, there may be a window where email or subdomains fail. Import first, then switch.
Do I have to use external domain nameservers to connect my domain?
No. You can keep your external domain nameservers at your current provider and simply point an A record or CNAME to namemyapp. The nameserver switch is optional and only needed if you want namemyapp to manage the full DNS zone.
What happens to my email if I point my domain to namemyapp?
If you use DNS record pointing, your email is untouched because MX records stay at your current DNS provider. If you switch nameservers, you must import your MX and SPF TXT records into namemyapp first. Otherwise email delivery will break silently.
Can I connect a domain I bought through namemyapp's marketplace?
Yes. Domains purchased through namemyapp are already connected by default. This tutorial applies to domains registered at external registrars like Namecheap, GoDaddy, Cloudflare Registrar, Porkbun, or Google Domains.