How to Change Nameservers in Squarespace

The short answer. Open the nameserver settings for the domain in Squarespace, switch to custom nameservers, enter the ones your new DNS host gave you and save. Copy your DNS records to the new host first, or the website and email stop working.

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Before You Change Nameservers#

Nameservers decide which company answers every DNS question for the domain: the website, email and every record. Changing them moves all of that at once. The new nameservers start with whatever records they hold, not the ones you have now.

Get Ready First#

Do these four things first, in this order:

1. Recreate every record at the new host. Export or write down the existing records, in particular A, CNAME, MX and TXT.
2. Check DNSSEC. If DNSSEC is on, turn it off at the registrar, or add the new host’s key, before you change the nameservers. A leftover DS record makes the domain fail to resolve.
3. Lower the TTL of important records a day ahead if you can, so mistakes are quick to fix.
4. Pick a quiet time. The change is accepted at once, but caches of the old nameservers expire over up to 48 hours.

The Nameservers to Enter#

ns1.example-dns.com
ns2.example-dns.com

Step by Step in Squarespace#

Step 1. Open DNS Settings

In Domains click the domain, then DNS › DNS Settings.

Step 2. Use custom nameservers

Under Domain Nameservers click Use custom nameservers, then enter each nameserver. Click Use Squarespace nameservers to return.

Step 3. Save

Click Save. Custom records you added here stop applying once the new nameservers answer, so copy them across first.

Common Mistakes#

• Changing the nameservers before the records exist at the new host. The site and mail go dark until you add them.
• Leaving DNSSEC switched on when moving to a host that does not sign the domain. Many resolvers then refuse to answer for it.
• Mixing old and new nameservers. Entries from two hosts return different answers.
• Adding records at the old host afterwards and wondering why nothing changes. Once the nameservers change, records are edited at the new host.
• Typing a nameserver with a typo or a trailing space. Copy them instead of typing them.

Check That It Worked#

Look up the NS records of the domain. They should list the new nameservers; during the change, you may see either set for a while. Then check that the website and mail still work. Changes show up as caches expire, usually within minutes for a record and up to two days for nameservers, see how long DNS propagation takes.

More Squarespace DNS Guides#

• How to Add a DMARC Record in Squarespace
• How to Add an SPF Record in Squarespace
• How to Add a TXT Record in Squarespace
• How to Add MX Records in Squarespace

The same task elsewhere: Namecheap, GoDaddy, Cloudflare, Hostinger.

Menu names last checked October 2026. Providers rename things now and then; if a label differs, look for the closest match.