Connect a custom domain
Updated 15 June 2026
Any paid Nippy site can run under a domain you already own — photos.yourstudio.com instead of your-studio.nippy.site — without moving the domain anywhere. The connection is one DNS record. Open the site’s Settings tab, type the domain, and a record appears to copy: a Type (CNAME), a Host or Name, and a Value to point it at. Add that record at the company where the domain is registered, and nothing else changes hands — the domain stays put and the rest of its DNS is untouched.
Enter a bare domain like example.com and both it and the www version are set up together, so visitors reach the site either way; the bare version sometimes goes live a little later. One detail trips people up: in the Host or Name box, many providers want only the short label shown (www, or @ for the root), not the full domain, so the dashboard shows both — if one doesn’t save, try the other.
Verification is automatic: the record is re-checked until it is found, and HTTPS is then issued and renewed for you, so the padlock just works with no certificate to buy. The original nippy.site address keeps working alongside, so links already shared never break.
Step by step
- 1
Add the domain in Settings
Open the site in your dashboard, go to the Settings tab, and enter the domain (or subdomain) you want the site to live at. A DNS record to copy appears.
- 2
Copy the record shown
The dashboard shows three things: a Type (CNAME), a Host or Name (a short label like www, or @ for the root), and a Value to point at. Use the Copy buttons.
- 3
Add it where your domain is registered
Sign in to the company you bought the domain from, open its DNS settings, and add a new record with those exact details. If the Host box rejects the short label, enter the full domain instead. That is the only DNS change needed.
- 4
Wait for the automatic check
The record is re-checked for you until it verifies — usually minutes. HTTPS is switched on automatically, and the site answers at the new address. “Check now” re-runs the check straight away if you don’t want to wait.
Common questions
Do I have to transfer my domain to Nippy?
No. The domain stays exactly where it is registered — you only add one CNAME record there. Every other DNS record on the domain is untouched.
What do I put in the “Host” or “Name” box?
The short label shown in your dashboard: www for the www version, or @ for the bare domain (the root). Some providers want the full domain there instead — if the short label won’t save, enter the full name like www.example.com.
Why are two domains listed after I add one?
Enter a bare domain like example.com and we also set up www.example.com, so visitors reach you with or without the www. You add the record shown for each; the bare one can take a little longer to go live.
How long does it take to verify?
Usually minutes, occasionally longer depending on your DNS provider. The check re-runs automatically — there is nothing to click after adding the record.
Do I need to set up an SSL certificate?
No — the HTTPS certificate is issued and renewed automatically once the domain verifies. The padlock just works.
Does my old nippy.site address stop working?
No — it keeps working alongside the custom domain, so links you shared before connecting the domain don’t break.
Ready to do it?
See plans with custom domainsMore guides
- Publish from Claude with the MCP server
- Deploy from the terminal or CI
- Get your first site online
- Share photos as an online gallery
- My custom domain is taking a while to go live
- Password-protect a site
- Understand site analytics
- Edit your site in the browser
- Share a Claude Artifact at your own link
- Publish a page made with ChatGPT
- Open a Keynote file without a Mac
- Open a Pages file on Windows
- View Word and PowerPoint files in the browser
- How the free trial works
Still stuck?
Our team is happy to help with anything Nippy.