How to troubleshoot common DNS issues on your Squarespace site

Connecting a domain to Squarespace usually just works. When it doesn't, the symptoms are alarming: your site won't load, the browser shows a security warning, or your email stops arriving. Almost every one of these problems traces back to DNS records, and almost all of them are fixable in a few minutes once you know where to look.

We've connected hundreds of domains for clients over the years. These are the ten problems that come up again and again, with the fix for each.

First, a 30-second primer on DNS

DNS (Domain Name System) translates the domain people type (yoursite.com) into the IP address of the server that actually holds your website. When you connect a domain to Squarespace, you're adding records at your domain registrar that point visitors to Squarespace's servers. If those records are wrong, missing, or stale, things break.

Two terms you'll see below: an A record points your bare domain at a server's IP address, and a CNAME record points a subdomain (like www) at another domain name. Squarespace tells you exactly which values to use in Settings → Domains.

One more thing worth knowing: since Squarespace acquired Google Domains, you can register and manage a domain directly inside Squarespace, which sidesteps most of the problems below entirely. Annual website plans include a free custom domain for the first year, and every connected domain gets a free SSL certificate.

The ten most common problems

1. "DNS address could not be found"

Your site is live on Squarespace but the domain returns a DNS error. Check the DNS settings at your registrar (wherever you bought the domain) and verify the records match what Squarespace shows in Settings → Domains. If you recently changed them, wait it out. DNS changes can take up to 48–72 hours to propagate worldwide.

2. Domain shows "connected" but the site won't load

Compare the records Squarespace asks for against what's actually in your registrar's DNS panel. The usual culprit is a CNAME pointing somewhere old, or nameservers that were never switched. If everything looks right and it still fails, disconnect the domain in Squarespace, reconnect it, and give it time to propagate.

3. SSL certificate not available

Squarespace issues SSL certificates automatically, but the process can stall if the DNS setup had an error at the moment of connection. Fix the records first, then disconnect and reconnect the domain to trigger a fresh certificate request. If it still won't issue after 72 hours, it's a backend problem, so contact Squarespace support.

4. DNS changes not taking effect

You updated a record and nothing changed. Clear your browser cache and test from a different network or device, since you may be looking at a cached copy. Then check you don't have an old A record or CNAME still pointing at a previous host. If it's been more than 72 hours, contact your registrar.

5. Domain redirects to an old website

This is nearly always leftover records from a previous host: old A records, CNAMEs, or a URL forwarding rule your registrar set up years ago. Delete the stale records, turn off any URL forwarding (or point it at the new site), and confirm the Squarespace records are the only ones in play.

6. Error messages while adding records

Usually a typo, or a conflicting record already sitting in the panel. Check each value character by character, and delete any record that duplicates or conflicts with the one you're adding. Keep an eye on the TTL (time to live) value too, which controls how long the old value stays cached.

7. Email stops working after a DNS update

If your email died the moment you connected your domain, your MX records got removed or overwritten. MX records route your email, and they live in the same DNS panel as your website records. Restore them to whatever your email provider specifies (Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 both publish theirs), and make sure they point at your email provider, never at Squarespace.

8. Propagation is taking forever

Anywhere from a few minutes to 72 hours is normal. You can watch it happen with a tool like whatsmydns.net, which shows how your records are resolving from servers around the world. If half the world sees the new value and half doesn't, it's still propagating. Wait.

9. Records flagged in red in the Squarespace panel

Squarespace highlights conflicting records in red in its domain settings panel. Log in to your registrar and delete the extras, usually leftovers from an old setup.

10. "Deprecated" label on your records

A deprecated label means your records use old Squarespace values. Update the A records and CNAMEs to the current values shown in your Squarespace domain panel.

Still stuck? General troubleshooting

• Rule out your own connection. Can you reach other websites? Does Down For Everyone Or Just Me say your site is actually down, or just down for you?
• Restart your router. Boring, but it flushes your local DNS cache and fixes more of these than anyone likes to admit.
• Try a different DNS server. Switching your device to a public DNS server (like 1.1.1.1 or 8.8.8.8) tells you whether the problem is your ISP's resolver.
• Run a malware scan. Rare, but malware can hijack local DNS settings.
• Contact your registrar or ISP if nothing above moves the needle.