How to Connect a Domain to Wix (Without Breaking Your Email)

If you bought your domain from another company, such as GoDaddy, Namecheap or your old web host, you don't need to move it to use it with Wix. You can connect it, and your site appears at your own address. The steps are guided, but there's one decision to make first, and it matters most if you already use that domain for email.

Before you start

• Your Wix site needs to be upgraded with a plan. Wix says you can't connect a domain until it's upgraded.
• Have the login for the company you bought your domain from.
• Turn off any DNS proxy on the domain. Wix says it doesn't support proxies like Cloudflare's.
• Note any email you run on the domain, because that affects which method you choose.

Connect, or transfer?

Option	What happens	Best for
Connect via name servers	Wix manages your DNS, the domain stays with its current company	Most people, and the method Wix recommends
Connect via pointing	Your current company keeps your DNS, Wix only needs a few records	Domains with complex email or DNS set-ups
Transfer	Wix becomes your domain company	Moving everything, including renewals, to Wix

How to connect your domain to Wix, step by step

1. Go to Domains in your Wix account.
2. Click Add an Existing Domain.
3. Click Connect a domain you already own.
4. Choose the site you want to connect it to and click Continue.
5. Enter your domain and follow the link to connect it to your site.
6. If your domain company supports it, Wix offers to connect it automatically. Otherwise, follow the manual steps.
7. Log in to your domain company in a new tab and replace the name servers with the ones Wix shows you.
8. Return to Wix and confirm.

Then wait. Wix says it may take up to 48 hours for the new settings to spread across the internet and your site to appear everywhere. It's often quicker, but don't panic if it isn't working after an hour.

The catch: your email can break if you choose the wrong method

This is what catches business owners out. When you connect with name servers, Wix takes over your domain's DNS records, the settings that also tell the internet where to deliver your email. Wix automatically brings across your main mail records, but it says some email providers need extra records that you have to add by hand. And for Microsoft 365 business email, which needs several custom records, Wix's own advice is that if your email is already working, connect by pointing instead, so you don't have to re-create them.

So before you click anything: if your domain has working business email, decide whether you're confident re-adding its records in Wix. If not, choose pointing.

Why Wix recommends name servers

With name servers, all your domain settings live in your Wix account, which is simpler to manage, and Wix says some of its features only work with a name servers connection. Pointing leaves your settings where they already sit, which is safer for complicated set-ups, but means you manage DNS in two places.

If your domain isn't working after 48 hours

1. Check the name servers at your domain company exactly match the ones Wix gave you.
2. Make sure there's no DNS proxy switched on.
3. Check the domain is connected to the right Wix site in your account.
4. If it's connected in another Wix account, remove it there first.
5. Contact your domain company with the details Wix provides. Wix even offers a template message to send them.

If DNS feels like a foreign language, my plain-English explainer on what DNS is will help the steps make sense.

After your domain is connected

• Visit your site at the new address on your phone and computer.
• Check your email still sends and receives.
• Update your social profiles and email signature with the new address.
• Make sure the secure padlock shows in the browser.

Connecting a domain bought from Wix

If you bought your domain through Wix, there's no name server step at all. Wix lets you move a domain you own from one of your Wix sites to another, or between Wix accounts, from the Domains area of your account. It's the simplest route, because the domain and the site are already in the same place.

My verdict

Connecting a domain to Wix is a guided job: Domains, Add an Existing Domain, Connect a domain you already own, then update the name servers at your domain company and allow up to 48 hours. Use name servers unless the domain runs business email you don't want to rebuild, in which case pointing is safer. Upgrade the site first and switch off any DNS proxy, and you'll avoid the usual dead ends. If you're comparing hosts for a future site, see my Hostinger review.

Frequently asked questions

What if I bought my domain from Wix?

There's no name server step. Assign it to your site, or move it between sites or accounts from Domains in your Wix account.

How long does it take to connect a domain to Wix?

Wix says it may take up to 48 hours for DNS changes to propagate.

Can I connect a domain to a free Wix site?

No. Wix says you must upgrade your site with a plan before connecting a domain.

Should I use name servers or pointing for Wix?

Wix recommends name servers. Use pointing if your domain has email or DNS records you'd rather not reconfigure.

Will connecting my domain to Wix affect my email?

It can. With name servers, some email records must be added in Wix, so check before you switch.

Does Wix work with Cloudflare?

Wix says it doesn't support DNS proxies like Cloudflare, so turn the proxy off first.