Register a domain
InstaWP lets you purchase and manage custom domains directly from your dashboard — no third-party registrar needed. Once registered, you can connect your domain to any InstaWP site.
In this documentation, we will explore the steps to:
- Navigate to the Domains section
- Search for a domain
- Select a domain
- Fill in contact information
- Confirm your purchase
- Domain status explained
Navigate to the Domains Section
Step 1: Log in to your InstaWP account and click on Domains from the left sidebar.
If you haven't purchased any domains yet, you'll see an empty state page with a + Buy Domain button in the center.
Step 2: Click the + Buy Domain button (available in the center or top-right corner) to open the domain purchase dialog.
Search for a Domain
Step 3: In the Buy Domain dialog, type your desired domain name (e.g., instademo) in the search field and click Search.
💡 Tip: You can search by keyword or business name — InstaWP will suggest available domain names across multiple TLDs.
Select a Domain
Step 4: A list of Suggested domain names will appear with pricing for each available TLD. Review the options and click Select next to the domain you want.
The selected domain will show a ✓ Selected badge. Once you've made your choice, click Continue.
Fill in Contact Information
Step 5: On the Contact Information step, review the pricing summary shown at the top, then fill in the required details:
- Full Name (required)
- Email (required)
- Phone (required)
- Organization (optional)
- Address, Country, State/Province, City, Postal Code (required)
👉 Note: These details are used for WHOIS domain registration records. Make sure they are accurate.
Step 6: At the bottom of the form, you'll find the Privacy Protection toggle — it is enabled by default.
🔒 Privacy Protection hides your personal contact details from public WHOIS lookups by enabling WHOIS privacy protection. We strongly recommend keeping this enabled.
Confirm Your Purchase
Step 7: Once all required fields are filled in, click Purchase Domain.
A Success notification will appear in the top-right corner confirming that the domain purchase has been initiated. You will receive an invoice by email shortly after.
The domain will appear in your Domains list while registration is being processed.
Once all the domain is registered it will be shown as Active in Dashboard.
Domain Status Explained
After purchase, your domain will go through the following statuses:
| Status | Description |
|---|---|
| Progress bar | Domain registration is in progress. |
| Pending Validation | Domain has been submitted and is awaiting validation from the registry. |
| Active | Domain is fully registered and ready to connect to a site. |
👉 Note: The time to become Active depends on the TLD (domain extension). Most domains activate within minutes to a few hours.
Once your domain is Active, you can connect it to any of your InstaWP sites via the Action menu (globe icon) next to the domain name in the Domains list.