How to Connect a Domain to Hostinger in 2026: Step-by-Step Guide
If you purchased a domain from GoDaddy, Namecheap, Google-related domain services, or another registrar, you can still use it with your Hostinger hosting account. You do not need to purchase a second domain just because your website is hosted somewhere else.
Connecting a domain to Hostinger means updating its DNS configuration so visitors are directed to the server hosting your website. You can usually do this by changing nameservers or updating specific DNS records.
In this tutorial, we will focus on connecting an existing domain to Hostinger. You will learn how to add the domain to your hosting account, find the correct connection details, update your registrar settings, and confirm that the domain works.
Quick answer: Open your Hostinger dashboard, add your domain to the correct website, and select the Connect option. Copy the nameservers or A-record values shown by Hostinger. Then sign in to your domain registrar, update the required DNS settings, and wait for the changes to propagate.
Your domain name and hosting account are two separate services. The domain is your website's address, while hosting stores the website's files and makes them available online.
When you connect a domain to Hostinger, you configure DNS so that requests for your domain reach the correct hosting service.
Domain registrar
The company where you purchased and manage your domain registration. It controls the domain's registration and often provides DNS management.
Hostinger hosting
The service where your website is stored. It provides the hosting environment and the DNS details needed to connect your domain.
For example, if you registered example.com with Namecheap but purchased hosting from Hostinger, you can keep the domain at Namecheap and point it to your Hostinger website.
What You Need Before Connecting Your Domain
Before changing DNS settings, make sure you have the following:
An active Hostinger hosting plan or compatible website service.
A domain that you own and can manage.
Access to your Hostinger account.
Access to the account where the domain is registered.
Permission to edit nameservers or DNS records.
A record of existing DNS settings, especially email records.
Check before making changes: Your domain should be active and not expired or suspended. Hostinger also requires DNSSEC to be disabled for its standard domain-pointing process. Check the current DNSSEC status before proceeding.
Choose How You Want to Connect Your Domain
Hostinger provides two main methods for connecting an externally registered domain to its hosting service.
Method 1
Change nameservers
Replace the domain's current nameservers with the exact Hostinger nameservers. This moves DNS management to Hostinger and is convenient if you want to manage your website and DNS in one place.
Method 2
Update A records
Keep your current DNS provider and point the required domain records to the Hostinger IP address. This is useful when you want to keep DNS management with another provider.
Which method is better? Choose nameservers if you want Hostinger to manage your DNS zone. Choose A records if you use an external DNS service such as Cloudflare or want to keep your existing DNS provider. Consider your email and other services before changing anything.
From your dashboard, open Websites and find the hosting plan or website where you want to use your domain.
3
Create a website or select an existing one
If you already created your website, locate it in the list. If not, select Create site and follow the onboarding process.
Depending on the setup flow, you can enter your domain during website creation or use a temporary domain and connect your custom domain afterward.
4
Select Connect your domain
Find the domain connection message on your website preview and click Connect. Hostinger's connection wizard will guide you through the required DNS changes.
The wizard may detect your domain provider and provide a direct link to its login page. You can also select the provider manually if needed.
Step 2: Get Your Hostinger DNS Details
Before visiting your domain registrar, retrieve the exact DNS values that Hostinger requires. Do not use nameserver or IP address examples from unrelated tutorials.
Find your nameservers
Open Hostinger dashboard.
Go to Websites.
Find your website and click Connect in the domain connection message.
Choose the nameserver connection method.
Copy the nameservers displayed for your domain.
For supported web and cloud hosting plans, you may also find the nameservers under the website's Plan Details section.
Find your A-record IP address
Open the same domain connection wizard.
Select the option to connect via DNS record.
Copy the IP address or addresses displayed by Hostinger.
Keep the values available while updating your registrar's DNS zone.
Do not guess these values. Hostinger's nameservers and hosting IP addresses can differ depending on the domain and hosting setup. Always copy the exact values from your own dashboard.
Method 1: Connect Your Domain Using Nameservers
This method is suitable if you want Hostinger to manage your domain's DNS records. It is often the simpler option when you are moving both your website hosting and DNS management to Hostinger.
5
Sign in to your domain registrar
Open the website where you purchased your domain. For example, this could be Namecheap, GoDaddy, or another registrar.
6
Open the domain management page
Select the domain you want to connect and look for a section named DNS, Nameservers, Domain Settings, or Manage Domain.
7
Choose custom nameservers
If your registrar offers a nameserver selection, choose the custom nameserver option. The exact label may vary between providers.
8
Enter Hostinger's nameservers
Remove the previous nameserver values and enter the exact nameservers copied from your Hostinger dashboard. Double-check the spelling before saving.
9
Save your changes
Confirm the new nameservers and save the changes. Your registrar may show a confirmation message after the update is submitted.
Once the nameservers are updated and validated, Hostinger becomes the DNS management provider for the domain. You can then manage the DNS zone through its dashboard.
Good to know: If your domain is already registered with Hostinger under the same account, its nameservers are generally configured automatically. You usually do not need to change them manually; just make sure the domain is added to the correct hosting plan.
Method 2: Connect Your Domain Using A Records
If you want to keep your domain's DNS managed by another provider, you can use A records instead of changing nameservers.
This is useful when you already use Cloudflare or another DNS provider and do not want to move the entire DNS zone to Hostinger.
1
Select Connect via DNS record
In Hostinger's domain connection wizard, select the option to connect using DNS records. Copy the IP address displayed for your hosting service.
2
Open your current DNS provider
Sign in to the provider that currently manages your domain's DNS. Open the DNS records or DNS zone section.
3
Review conflicting records
Hostinger's current instructions ask users to remove existing A and/or AAAA records for the root domain (@), and A or CNAME records for www, when they conflict with the new connection.
Review the records carefully before deleting anything. Make sure you do not remove records needed by email or other services.
4
Create the new A records
Add the required A records for the root domain and www, pointing them to the IP address shown in your Hostinger dashboard.
Your DNS provider will usually ask for these fields:
Field
Root domain
WWW hostname
Type
A
A
Name / Host
@
www
Points to
Hostinger IP shown in dashboard
Hostinger IP shown in dashboard
TTL
Default or provider-recommended value
Default or provider-recommended value
Important: The table shows the record structure, not actual server addresses. Use the exact IP address supplied by Hostinger. Do not copy an IP address from an example or another website.
After saving the records, return to Hostinger's connection wizard and confirm that you have updated your DNS settings. The live DNS check can monitor when the required changes are detected.
Protect Your Existing Email Service
This is one of the most important things to consider when connecting an existing domain. Your domain may already be used for business email, contact forms, or other third-party services.
Changing nameservers changes where your DNS records are managed. If you move DNS management to Hostinger, existing email records may not automatically carry over.
Records you may need to preserve
Record
Purpose
MX
Directs incoming email to your mail provider.
SPF TXT
Identifies which servers are authorized to send email for your domain.
DKIM TXT or CNAME
Supports email authentication using digital signatures.
DMARC TXT
Defines how receiving mail servers should handle messages that fail authentication checks.
If you use Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, or another email provider, copy its current DNS instructions before changing nameservers. After the switch, recreate the required records in the new DNS zone.
Nameservers vs A records: Hostinger explains that connecting through A records leaves existing email records unchanged because your current DNS provider remains in control. If you use nameservers, review and update your email records after propagation.
Step 3: Wait for DNS Propagation
Once you save the DNS changes, they do not necessarily become visible everywhere immediately. DNS propagation is the process through which updated DNS information becomes available across different DNS resolvers.
Hostinger advises allowing up to 24 hours for DNS propagation. Many changes take effect within a few hours, but the exact timing depends on DNS caching, TTL values, and the providers involved.
What to do while waiting
Keep your Hostinger dashboard open and check the domain connection status.
Use a DNS propagation checker to monitor nameserver or A-record updates.
Continue working on your website using its temporary domain if available.
Avoid repeatedly changing DNS records while the previous changes are still propagating.
Test your domain again after the updated records become visible.
Possible temporary downtime: Your website may be temporarily unavailable while DNS changes are taking effect. This is normal during some domain migrations and does not automatically mean the connection has failed.
Step 4: Check SSL and HTTPS
After the domain points to your Hostinger website, check whether an SSL certificate is active. SSL helps encrypt the connection between your website and its visitors.
Sign in to your Hostinger dashboard.
Open the Websites section.
Select Manage site for your website.
Find the Security or SSL section.
Check whether SSL is active for your domain.
Follow the displayed instructions if activation is required.
Once SSL is active, visit your domain using HTTPS and check that the browser displays a secure connection.
If SSL is not ready immediately after connecting the domain, wait for DNS propagation and check the status again.
Step 5: Test Your Domain Connection
After DNS propagation, verify that the domain points to the correct website.
Test the root domain
Open your domain without www, such as example.com. Confirm that your Hostinger website loads correctly.
Test the www version
Open www.example.com as well. Both versions should work as intended, either by loading the website directly or redirecting to your preferred primary version.
Check the Hostinger connection status
Return to the Websites section and review the domain connection message. Hostinger's live DNS check can confirm when the required changes are detected.
Test email and other services
If your domain is used for email or third-party services, send and receive a test email and check any important integrations.
Common Problems When Connecting a Domain to Hostinger
1. Hostinger says the domain is not connected
Verify that the correct domain was added to your website and that the nameservers or A records match the values shown in your Hostinger dashboard. Also check whether DNSSEC is disabled.
2. The website still opens on the old hosting provider
DNS changes may still be propagating. Check the current DNS values, wait for caches to update, and avoid making repeated changes without checking the existing configuration.
3. The domain works but www does not
Check the www DNS record. Depending on your configuration, you may need an A record or CNAME record for the www hostname.
4. Email stopped working after connecting the domain
Review the MX, SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records. If you changed nameservers, make sure the correct email records have been recreated in the active DNS zone.
5. SSL is not activating
Confirm that the domain points to the correct hosting service and that DNS changes have propagated. Then check the SSL section in your Hostinger dashboard.
6. You cannot edit DNS records in Hostinger
The DNS Zone Editor manages records for domains using Hostinger nameservers. If your domain uses another DNS provider, you must make the changes through that provider instead.
Final Domain Connection Checklist
Before considering the setup complete, check each of the following:
Domain is active and accessible in your registrar account.
Domain has been added to the correct Hostinger website.
Correct nameservers or A records have been configured.
DNSSEC requirements have been checked.
Existing email records have been preserved or recreated.
DNS propagation has completed.
Root domain opens the correct website.
WWW version works or redirects correctly.
SSL is active and HTTPS works.
Important email and third-party services have been tested.
Final Thoughts: Connecting Your Domain to Hostinger
Connecting an existing domain to Hostinger is mainly a DNS configuration task. You can either change your domain's nameservers to Hostinger or keep your current DNS provider and update the required A records.
Nameservers are convenient when you want Hostinger to manage your DNS zone. A records are useful when you want to keep your existing DNS provider, especially if you already use services such as Cloudflare.
Before making changes, save your current DNS settings and pay particular attention to email records. Use the exact connection values shown in your Hostinger dashboard, allow time for propagation, and test your website before considering the process complete.
Ready to Connect Your Domain?
Open your Hostinger dashboard and follow the domain connection wizard to get the correct DNS values for your website.
Add your domain to your Hostinger website, open the domain connection wizard, and copy the required nameservers or A-record values. Update those settings at your domain registrar and wait for DNS propagation.
2. Can I connect a domain from Namecheap or GoDaddy to Hostinger?
Yes. You can connect a domain from Namecheap, GoDaddy, or another registrar by changing its nameservers to Hostinger's values or updating the required A records.
3. Do I need to transfer my domain to Hostinger?
No. You can keep your domain registered with its current provider and connect it to Hostinger hosting through DNS changes. A domain transfer is optional.
4. Where do I find the Hostinger nameservers?
Open Hostinger dashboard, go to Websites, find your website, and click Connect in the domain connection message. The wizard displays the nameservers required for your domain. Always use those exact values.
5. Is it better to use nameservers or A records?
Nameservers are suitable if you want Hostinger to manage your DNS zone. A records are useful if you want to keep your existing DNS provider. Your email and other DNS services should be considered before choosing.
6. How long does it take to connect a domain to Hostinger?
DNS changes often take effect within a few hours, but Hostinger advises allowing up to 24 hours for propagation. The exact timing depends on DNS caching and the providers involved.
7. Will connecting my domain affect my email?
It can if you change nameservers without preserving the existing email DNS records. Keep the correct MX, SPF, DKIM, and DMARC settings for your email provider. Using A records while keeping your existing DNS provider generally leaves those email records unchanged.
8. Why is my domain not connecting even after changing nameservers?
Check that the nameservers were entered correctly, the domain is active, DNSSEC is disabled, and the domain is added to the correct Hostinger website. Allow time for propagation and check the connection status again.
9. Can I connect a domain to Hostinger without changing nameservers?
Yes. You can use the A-record method to point the root domain and www hostname to the IP address displayed in your Hostinger dashboard while keeping DNS management with your existing provider.
10. Can I connect multiple domains to Hostinger?
Hostinger supports multiple websites and domains depending on your hosting plan and its limits. Check the number of websites allowed and the resource requirements before adding additional domains.
Editorial note: Hostinger's dashboard labels and domain connection process may change. Nameservers and IP addresses can vary by domain and hosting setup. Always use the exact values displayed in your own account and back up existing DNS records before making changes.
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