Add/ Update DNS Records

Every domain registered with InstaWP comes with built-in DNS management. From the DNS tab of your domain, you can add or update A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT, NS, SRV, and CAA records to point your domain wherever you need — without leaving your InstaWP dashboard.

In this article, we will learn:

• Add a DNS Record
• Update a DNS Record
• Delete a DNS Record

Add a DNS Record

Step 1: Log in to your InstaWP dashboard and go to the Domains page from the sidebar.

Step 2: Click on the domain name you want to manage the DNS records for.

Step 3: It'll take you to the domain's Summary page. Select the DNS option from the left menu.

Step 4: On the DNS Records page, select the record type you want to add (e.g., A, CNAME, MX, TXT) and configure the following fields:

• Name - Enter the hostname for the record. Use @ for the root domain or a subdomain name like www.
• Value - Enter the value of the record (e.g., an IP address like 192.0.2.1 for an A record).
• TTL (Second) - Select the Time To Live for the record. The default value is 3600 seconds. Once done, click the Add button.

Step 5: That's it! The new DNS record will be added to the list below, showing its type, name, value, and TTL.

Update a DNS Record

Step 1: On the DNS Records page, locate the record you want to update and click on the edit (pencil) icon under the Action column.

Step 2: The record's fields will become editable. Modify the Name, Value, or TTL as needed, and click the Save button to apply the changes.

Delete a DNS Record

Step 1: On the DNS Records page, locate the record you want to remove and click on the delete (trash) icon under the Action column.

Step 2: A confirmation window will appear. Click the Delete button to remove the DNS record from your domain.

DNS Record Types

Here's a quick overview of the DNS record types you can manage from your InstaWP dashboard:

Record Type	Description
A	Points your domain or subdomain to an IPv4 address (e.g., 192.0.2.1). This is the most common record for connecting a domain to a web server.
AAAA	Works the same as an A record, but points to an IPv6 address instead (e.g., 2001:db8::1).
CNAME	Points a hostname to another hostname instead of an IP address (e.g., pointing www.yourdomain.com to yourdomain.com). Commonly used for subdomains and site aliases.
MX	Directs your domain's email to a mail server (e.g., Google Workspace or Outlook). Multiple MX records can be set with different priorities.
TXT	Stores text information for your domain. Commonly used for domain ownership verification and email security records like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC.
NS	Delegates a subdomain to a different set of nameservers, letting another DNS provider manage that subdomain's records.
SRV	Specifies a host and port for specific services such as VoIP or instant messaging.
CAA	Controls which Certificate Authorities (CAs) are allowed to issue SSL certificates for your domain.

Note:

1. The DNS records managed here apply only when your domain uses InstaWP's nameservers. If you have switched to custom nameservers, manage your DNS records at your DNS provider instead.
2. DNS changes can take some time to propagate globally depending on the TTL value. Lower TTL values propagate faster but result in more frequent DNS lookups.
3. Be careful while updating or deleting records that are in use — removing a record linked to your site or email service can cause it to stop working.

💡 Did you know - When you link a domain or subdomain to an InstaWP site, the required CNAME record is created for you automatically — no manual DNS setup needed. Refer to the Link Domain/Subdomain to a Site document for more information.