Getting your custom domain connected to Shopify is one of the first things you do before launch - and one of the things that trips up more people than it should. The process is simple once you understand the two options and what DNS records actually do.
Option 1: Buy a domain through Shopify
The simplest approach. In Shopify admin, go to Settings - Domains - Buy new domain. Search for your desired domain name. Shopify sells .com, .co.uk, .net, and other extensions.
Prices are typically $14-$20/year for a .com, comparable to third-party registrars. The advantage: Shopify configures the DNS records automatically. The domain is connected and working as your primary store domain within minutes of purchase, no additional configuration needed.
The limitation: Shopify's domain management is basic. If you ever need to add custom DNS records for email hosting, external services, or subdomains, the options are more limited than a dedicated domain registrar.
Option 2: Connect a domain you already own
If you own a domain elsewhere (Namecheap, GoDaddy, Google Domains, Cloudflare), you connect it by updating DNS records. This is the more common approach for businesses that already have an established domain.
In Shopify admin: Settings - Domains - Connect existing domain. Enter your domain and Shopify will show you the DNS records to add at your registrar.
The records you need to add:
- A record - Points your root domain (yourdomain.com) to Shopify's IP address (23.227.38.65). Add this in your registrar's DNS settings.
- CNAME record - Points www.yourdomain.com to shops.myshopify.com. This covers the www version of your domain.
After adding these records, return to Shopify and click "Verify connection." DNS propagation takes anywhere from a few minutes to 48 hours - most registrars update within 30 minutes.
Setting your primary domain
Once connected, set your custom domain as the primary domain in Settings - Domains - click the three dots next to your domain - Set as primary. This makes yourstore.com the main URL customers see.
Shopify automatically redirects all other connected domains (including yourstore.myshopify.com) to your primary domain. You can't turn this off - but it's the right behaviour for SEO, since all link equity consolidates on one URL.
Common DNS problems and fixes
"Domain not verified" after 48 hours. Check the A record and CNAME at your registrar - either a typo in the value, the wrong record type selected, or a conflicting existing record for the same subdomain. Delete any existing A record or CNAME for www before adding the new ones.
www version works but root domain doesn't (or vice versa). The A record handles the root domain (yourdomain.com) and the CNAME handles www. If only one works, only one record was successfully added. Check both in your registrar.
Cloudflare users: proxy vs DNS-only. If your domain is behind Cloudflare, set the A record and CNAME to "DNS only" (grey cloud) rather than "Proxied" (orange cloud) when first connecting. Once Shopify verifies the connection, you can switch to proxied for Cloudflare's CDN and DDoS protection benefits.
SSL certificate "pending" or not issued. Shopify issues SSL certificates automatically once your domain is verified. If SSL shows as pending for more than 24 hours after verification, the domain DNS settings may still be pointing elsewhere. Verify your A record is pointing to 23.227.38.65 and not a previous server IP.
Email: don't use your Shopify domain for sending
One important note: your Shopify domain should not be used as your sending email domain without proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) configured. If you use contact@yourdomain.com for customer emails, configure email hosting separately (Google Workspace at $6/month is the standard) and add the relevant DNS records your email provider requires alongside the Shopify records.
Sending email from a domain without proper authentication leads to messages going to spam - particularly important for your Shopify transactional emails (order confirmations, shipping notifications) which Shopify sends on your behalf.
