Connect a custom domain

Every Joybird site comes with a free web address ending in joybird.ai. If you own a domain name, such as yourbusiness.com, you can use it instead. Visitors then see your own address, with a padlock in the address bar to show the site is secure.

Connecting a domain takes two parts: you tell Joybird which domain to use, then you copy a few settings into the account where you bought the domain. These settings are called DNS records. They tell the internet where to find your site.

Before you start

You need:

• A domain you own, and the login for the company you bought it from (such as GoDaddy, Namecheap or Squarespace). This guide calls that company your domain provider. Don’t have a domain yet? You can buy one in Joybird, and it is set up for you.
• The Pro plan. If you are on the free plan, you can upgrade as part of these steps. See Free and Pro: what you get.

Each site can use one domain.

Connect the domain

1. Click Site in the left sidebar to open Site settings.
2. In the Domain panel, click Connect a custom domain. (Before you connect a domain, this panel shows your free joybird.ai address and the note “Managed by JoyBird.”)

3. Click Bring your own domain.
4. In Your domain, type your domain, for example www.yourbusiness.com. Leave out https://.
5. Click Continue.
6. Click the button that names your domain:
   • On Pro, click Connect www.yourbusiness.com.
   • On the free plan, click Upgrade with www.yourbusiness.com, then pay for Pro in Checkout. You come back to Site settings afterwards.

Tip: use the www. version. An address starting with www. works with every domain provider. If you type your domain without it (such as yourbusiness.com), Joybird checks your domain provider:

• If your provider can’t point an address without www. at your site, Joybird says so and offers only the www. version.
• If Joybird can’t tell, it warns you and offers both. If you are not sure, click Use www.yourbusiness.com.

Add the DNS records

Joybird now shows a short list of records to copy into your domain provider’s account. Each record has a type, a Name and a Value, and a copy button next to each.

Group	What it is for
Point your domain at us	Sends visitors who type your domain to your Joybird site. Always add this.
Prove the domain is yours	Only needed if your provider will not let you add the first record yet.
Issue the certificate	Lets Joybird set up the padlock (secure connection) for your site.

1. Log in to your domain provider in a new browser tab, and find the page for DNS settings (sometimes called “DNS records” or “Manage DNS”).
2. Add each record exactly as Joybird shows it. Use the copy buttons to copy the Name and Value so nothing is mistyped.
3. If your provider is Cloudflare, set each record to DNS only (the grey cloud icon).
4. Save the changes at your provider, then come back to Joybird.

Wait for it to go live

A status message under your domain shows how things are going.

Status	What it means	What to do
Waiting for your DNS records	Joybird cannot see your new records yet.	If you have added them, wait a little, then click Check now.
Checking your records and issuing the certificate	Joybird found your records and is setting up the padlock.	Nothing. This finishes by itself.
Connected	Your domain is working.	Click the link in the panel to visit your site.
This didn’t complete	Joybird could not find your records in time.	See Domain stuck or not connecting.

Changes at your domain provider can take anywhere from a few minutes to several hours to take effect. You do not need to keep the page open: Joybird keeps checking for up to 7 days. While the page is open, it checks every 10 seconds.

Expected result

The Domain panel shows your domain as a link marked Connected. Click it and your site opens with a padlock in the address bar.

Disconnect a domain

In the Domain panel, click Disconnect this domain. Your site stops appearing at that domain.

Next steps

• Domain stuck or not connecting
• Publish a page