The short verdict
- Moving a website only needs two or three DNS records to change. Everything else should stay.
- Email problems after a move almost always come from records deleted or overwritten by mistake.
- Screenshot the whole DNS zone before you touch anything.
01What DNS does, briefly
DNS is the address book for your domain. Each record says where one kind of traffic should go. The website records point to the host. The email records point to your email provider. Other records prove to services like Google that you own the domain.
When you move a website, you only change the website records. The problems start when a move also changes things it should not.
02The records you will see
| Record | What it does | Change on a site move? |
|---|---|---|
| A / AAAA | Points the root domain to a server | Yes, to the new host |
| CNAME (www) | Points www to the host | Yes, to the new host |
| MX | Where email is delivered | No |
| TXT (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) | Proves who may send email for you | No, unless adding a new sender |
| TXT (verification) | Proves domain ownership to Google and others | No |
03How things break quietly
Changing nameservers instead of records
Some hosts suggest you point your nameservers at them. That moves the whole address book. If the new host’s zone does not have your email records copied in, email stops at once. Changing just the A and CNAME records avoids the risk.
Deleting records that look unused
A list of long TXT records looks like clutter. Some of them are your email authentication. Delete one and your mail starts landing in spam, often days later, with no error anywhere.
Forgetting the subdomains
app.yourdomain.com, help.yourdomain.com, links from your email tool. If the old host was serving any of these, they need their own records pointing to the right place.
Old builder settings
The AI builder may still think it owns the domain. Disconnect it there too, or it may show errors or try to reclaim the domain.
04A safe order for the switch
- Screenshot or export the full DNS zone. Every record, before anything changes.
- Lower the TTL a day ahead. Set the website records to around 300 seconds, so the change spreads quickly and can be undone quickly.
- Get the new records from the new host. Webflow, for example, lists exactly which A and CNAME records to add.
- Change only the website records. Leave MX and TXT alone.
- Publish and test. Check the root domain, www, and https on both.
- Test email both ways. Send to and from the domain. Check it does not land in spam.
- Raise the TTL again once everything has been stable for a day or two.
“A site move changes where the website lives. Nothing about your email should know it happened.”
05Timing
Do it early in the week, early in the day, when you can watch it. Avoid Fridays and days with a campaign going out. Most changes show up within minutes to a few hours, but some networks cache old answers for longer.
06Questions people ask
Will my site go down during the switch?
Usually not, if the new site is published before the records change. Some visitors see the old site and some the new one for a short while.
Do I need to move my domain to a new registrar?
No. You can keep the domain where it is and only change the records.
What about the SSL certificate?
Most modern hosts, Webflow included, issue one automatically once the records point to them. It can take a little while after the switch.
Can you check our DNS before we move?
Yes. Send us the link and we will review the records as part of planning the move.
