My custom domain is taking a while to go live
Updated 15 June 2026
Most custom domains on Nippy go live within minutes, but sometimes one sits on “Action needed” or “Almost live” longer than expected — and that is usually normal, not broken. “Action needed” means the DNS record hasn’t been seen yet: either it is still spreading across the internet, which can take minutes to a few hours, or it was entered slightly differently from the one shown. “Almost live” means the record was found and the secure padlock (HTTPS) is being switched on for you; this is automatic and occasionally takes up to an hour, especially for a bare domain like example.com rather than www.example.com. Bare domains are slower because providers handle them differently, and a few don’t allow the record at all without an “ALIAS”, “ANAME” or “CNAME flattening” option. The “Check now” button re-runs the check immediately instead of waiting for the next automatic one, which is handy right after you fix a record. There is never a certificate to buy or install — that is all handled. If a domain still isn’t live after a day, or shows a red message, the cause is almost always the DNS record, and support can look at it with you.
Step by step
- 1
Check the record matches exactly
Compare what you added against the Type, Host and Value shown in Settings. The usual slip is the Host box: it wants a short label (www, or @ for the root), and some providers want the full domain instead — if one form won’t verify, try the other. Remove any duplicate or old record for the same name.
- 2
Use “Check now”, then give it time
After fixing a record, choose “Check now” to re-run the check straight away. If it still shows “Almost live”, the padlock is being issued — that is automatic and can take up to an hour. There is nothing else to add.
- 3
For a bare domain, use www or an ALIAS
If your provider won’t save the record on the bare domain (example.com), look for an “ALIAS”, “ANAME” or “CNAME flattening” option, or simply share the www version as your main address — it points to the same site.
- 4
Still stuck after a day? Get help
A domain left unverified for 24 hours is marked as timed out; disconnect it and add it again once the record is in place. If it keeps failing, contact support with the domain name and we’ll look into it.
Common questions
Why is it stuck on “Almost live”?
The DNS record was found and the HTTPS padlock is being switched on for your visitors. That happens automatically and usually takes a few minutes, but can take up to an hour — most often for a bare domain without www. There is nothing for you to do.
What does the “Check now” button do?
It re-runs the DNS and HTTPS check immediately instead of waiting for the next automatic one. It is most useful right after you add or correct a record — it won’t make anything go faster on its own, it just checks sooner.
My provider won’t let me add the record on my bare domain
Many providers don’t allow this record type directly on a bare domain. Look for an “ALIAS”, “ANAME” or “CNAME flattening” option, which does the same job — or use the www version as your main address, since it points to the same site.
I added the record but nothing is happening
DNS changes can take minutes to a few hours to spread. Double-check the Host box holds the short label (or the full domain, if your provider prefers that), make sure there’s no leftover record for the same name, then choose “Check now”.
How long before I should worry?
Give it up to a day. A domain that hasn’t verified after 24 hours is marked as timed out — disconnect it and add it again once the record is correct, or contact support with the domain name.
More guides
- Get your first site online
- Share photos as an online gallery
- Connect a custom domain
- 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
Still stuck?
Our team is happy to help with anything Nippy.