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CHANGE WEBSITE HOSTING SAFELY

Move your website and keep email working.

Website and email use different DNS records. Change the web destination while preserving your existing mail setup.

Know what the existing records do.

Before a move, find the authoritative DNS provider and save a copy of every current record. A records typically point a name to a website IP address; CNAME records alias one hostname to another. MX records direct incoming domain email to mail servers. TXT records can carry domain verification and email sender policies. Providers may also use mail-related CNAME, SRV, or other records.

Common email security records include SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. These are often published as TXT records, sometimes under names beginning with _domainkey or _dmarc. Keep their names and values intact unless your email provider separately tells you to change them. Do not add a second SPF policy blindly; ask your mail provider how to update an existing one.

Namecheap’s DNS record guide identifies SPF, DKIM, and DMARC as TXT records in its DNS system. Squarespace also lists email records separately from web hosting records in its DNS editing guide.

Change the website destination only.

  1. Publish and test the new site first.

    Use the new host’s temporary URL or preview address. Check the pages, images, contact links, and any external form service before changing the public domain.

  2. Copy the host’s required web records.

    At the authoritative DNS provider, update the apex A or ALIAS/ANAME record and the www CNAME if the new host requires them. Record names and exact target values are host-specific. Keep the existing MX, SPF, DKIM, DMARC, email verification, and unrelated service records.

  3. Keep nameservers in place.

    Changing nameservers moves authority for the entire DNS zone. If the host specifically requires a nameserver change, recreate all existing records at the new DNS provider before switching, then compare the new zone against your saved copy.

  4. Test both services.

    After DNS updates, load the website at the root and www addresses. Send and receive a test email using the domain, then check that mail authentication is passing with your provider. If mail fails, compare the live MX and TXT records with the saved zone and provider instructions.

Use the provider that hosts DNS.

GoDaddy says its account edits DNS only when its nameservers are in use. Squarespace warns not to delete MX records while connecting a website because email can be affected. Follow the host’s current web records and contact your email provider before changing mail records.

See GoDaddy’s DNS guide and Squarespace’s connection guide.

The same care applies to static site moves.

Moving HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and images changes the website hosting destination; it does not transfer mail. Benchlight can prepare a private draft of static site files, but public hosting uses the website UI and a Benchlight hosting plan. Its assistant connector does not edit DNS. You can apply this checklist with any static host.