- Where to change your Substack URL in publication settings
- What happens to old Substack links when you change the subdomain
- Choosing a better Substack URL before you change it
- Updating your Substack links after a URL change
- Substack custom domain or a changed Substack subdomain
- Timing a Substack URL change around your publishing schedule
- If you can't change your Substack URL
- Frequently asked questions
To change your Substack URL, open your publication's Settings page, scroll to the Danger Zone section and select Change subdomain. The detail people trip over: changing it alone breaks existing links, so Substack offers a separate redirect option that can be used only once.
Your newsletter's web address is the first thing people see when you share it. If you launched with a placeholder name, a typo or a title you've since outgrown, it's tempting to fix it. But a Substack address is also the one that ends up in your bio links, your emails and other people's posts, so changing it deserves a plan.
Substack lets you change your publication's subdomain, with one important warning about links. I'll walk through what its help pages say, what can break, and how to avoid it.
Where to change your Substack URL in publication settings
Substack's help says that if you already have a publication, you change the subdomain from the Danger Zone section of the publication's Settings page. The option you're looking for is called Change subdomain.
- Log in to Substack and open your publication's dashboard.
- Go to the publication's Settings page.
- Scroll down to the Danger Zone section.
- Select Change subdomain.
- Enter the new subdomain you'd like and confirm.
The Danger Zone label sounds alarming, but it's simply where Substack keeps changes that affect how people reach you. Menus vary by version, so look for it near the bottom of Settings.
What happens to old Substack links when you change the subdomain
This is the part to read twice. According to Substack's help article on changing a subdomain, changing it on its own breaks existing links. Anyone clicking an old link to your publication, from an old email, a social post or another site, could land on an error.
Substack offers a way round this, a separate option to change the subdomain without breaking links. That version redirects old links to the new address. Substack says it can be used only once, so choose the new name carefully, because you won't get a second go with redirects.
| Option in Danger Zone | What Substack's help says |
|---|---|
| Change subdomain | Changes the address; existing links break |
| Change subdomain without breaking links | Redirects old links; can be used only once |
| Custom domain | A separate set-up with its own help article |
Choosing a better Substack URL before you change it
Substack's own advice here is refreshingly clear. It recommends using your name in your publication URL, because that's most likely what readers will search for. If you already have a website or publication name that readers know, it recommends using that as your Substack subdomain.
Substack gives the reasoning: readers are more likely to search for your name than for the title of a publication they haven't heard of. So the address that matches the name people already associate with you is usually the one to choose.
- Use your own name if you're the brand.
- Use your existing business or site name if readers already know it.
- Keep it short enough to say out loud on a podcast or video.
- Avoid anything you might want to change again soon, since the redirect option is a one-off.
Updating your Substack links after a URL change
Even with redirects, the safest approach is to update the places you control. Substack's SEO help suggests adding your Substack URL as a clickable link in the bio or website field on social media, and sharing your publication link on your own site. Once your address changes, those are the first places to edit.
- Social media bios and website fields.
- The signup form you've embedded on your own site, if you use one.
- Email signatures and business cards.
- Links inside older posts, podcasts show notes and guest articles you control.
- Any directory or media kit that lists your newsletter.
If you're building a newsletter as part of a bigger content plan, my notes on why a website needs a newsletter explain where a publication fits, and whether you need newsletter software at all covers the alternatives.
Substack custom domain or a changed Substack subdomain
Some writers don't want a Substack address at all. Substack has a separate help article on setting up a custom domain, which is a different job from changing your subdomain. A custom domain means readers see your own address, and it's worth thinking about if you've already got a website.
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That route has its own steps in Substack's help centre, so it's worth reading that article before you decide. If you only want a tidier Substack address, changing the subdomain is the shorter job.
Timing a Substack URL change around your publishing schedule
Pick a quiet moment. If a big post is due to go out, or you've just been featured somewhere, hold off until the dust settles. Links that are already circulating are the ones at risk, and a redirect you can only use once is worth saving for a change you're sure about.
It also helps to write down every place your old address appears before you start. A short list, kept next to you while you work, turns the clean-up into a ten-minute job rather than something you keep stumbling across for weeks afterwards. Once the change is made, click through a few of your own links from a different browser to check they land where you expect.
If you can't change your Substack URL
Try these in order:
- Check you're logged in as the owner or an admin of the publication.
- Make sure you're in the publication's Settings page, not your personal account settings.
- Scroll to the very bottom to find the Danger Zone section.
- Choose another name if Substack says the one you picked is taken.
- Contact Substack through its help centre if the option won't appear.
Frequently asked questions
How do I change my Substack URL?
Open your publication's Settings page, scroll to the Danger Zone section and select Change subdomain, then enter the new name.
Will old Substack links stop working if I change my URL?
Substack's help says changing the subdomain on its own breaks existing links. The separate option to change it without breaking links redirects them.
Can I change my Substack URL more than once?
Substack says the without-breaking-links option can be used only once, so choose your new name carefully.
What URL does Substack recommend?
Substack recommends using your name, or an existing site or publication name readers already know, because that's what people are most likely to search for.
Is a custom domain the same as changing my subdomain?
No. A custom domain is a separate set-up with its own Substack help article, and it lets readers see your own address.
