Update Nameservers

When you register a domain through InstaWP, it is automatically configured with InstaWP's nameservers. This allows your domain's DNS to be managed directly from the InstaWP dashboard, so your domain works with your InstaWP sites out of the box — no manual setup required.

Nameservers decide who manages your DNS. You can keep using InstaWP's nameservers (recommended) or switch to your own — for example, if you want to manage your DNS with an external provider such as Cloudflare or another hosting provider.

In this documentation, we will explore the steps to update the nameservers of a domain registered with InstaWP.

Note: Changing nameservers will cause your connected sites and emails to stop working until the new settings propagate. Make sure all necessary DNS records (A, CNAME, MX, TXT, etc.) are already added at your new DNS provider before switching.

Update to Custom Nameservers

Step 1: Log in to your InstaWP dashboard and go to the Domains page from the sidebar. You'll see the list of domains registered with your account. Locate the domain you want to update and click on the horizontal ellipsis button under the Action column.

Step 2: Select the Manage Nameservers option from the dropdown. It'll take you to the Nameservers page of your domain.

Step 3: By default, your domain uses InstaWP's nameservers (ns1.instawp.com and ns2.instawp.com). To switch to your own, select the Change nameservers option.

Step 4: A warning message will appear along with the nameserver input fields. Enter the nameservers provided by your DNS provider, one per field. You can add up to four nameservers — a minimum of two is required.

Step 5: Click the Save button to apply the changes.

That's it! Your nameserver update has been submitted. It can take up to 24–48 hours for the changes to propagate globally, although they often complete within a few hours.

Revert to InstaWP Nameservers

If you want to move DNS management back to InstaWP, you can switch back anytime.

Step 1: Go to the Domains page, click the horizontal ellipsis button next to your domain, and select Manage Nameservers.

Step 2: Select the Use InstaWP Nameservers option and click Save.

Once reverted, the DNS records configured on your InstaWP dashboard (under the DNS tab) will become active again.

Verify the Nameserver Update

Step 1: Go to whatsmydns.net, enter your domain name, and select NS from the record type dropdown.

Step 2: Click Search. Once the results show your new nameservers across most locations, the update is complete.

You can also verify from the terminal using the following command:

dig NS yourdomain.com +short

⚠️ Note -

1. Once you switch to custom nameservers, the DNS records configured on your InstaWP dashboard will no longer be used — your DNS must be fully managed at the new provider.
2. Your domain registration, renewal, and billing remain with InstaWP even after switching to custom nameservers. Only the DNS management moves to the new provider.
3. During propagation, some visitors may still be served by the old nameservers. Avoid making other DNS changes until propagation is complete.
4. You can check the current status of your domain anytime by selecting the Refresh domain status option from the ellipsis dropdown on the Domains page.

💡 Did you know - When your domain uses InstaWP's nameservers, you can manage all your DNS records directly from the DNS tab of your domain — and mapping the domain to any of your InstaWP sites becomes even simpler. Refer to the Map Domain document for more information.