Troubleshooting custom domain issues

Connecting a custom domain to Framer can sometimes fail due to DNS misconfiguration. This guide helps you diagnose and fix the most common issues.

Understanding how custom domains work

Framer uses DNS records to connect your domain to its hosting infrastructure. You must configure these records with your domain registrar (such as Namecheap or Cloudflare), since Framer does not manage DNS.

DNS records map your domain name to the correct servers. If these records are incorrect, your site may not load or may behave unpredictably.

A and CNAME records

A records point your domain to an IPv4 address, while CNAME records point to another domain.

For a correct setup:

• Use A records for your root domain (e.g. example.com)

• Use a CNAME record for subdomains (e.g. www.example.com or blog.example.com)

• Only use the values provided by Framer

If you include non-Framer values, your site may not load, may load slowly, or may fail to work over HTTPS.

Check your DNS records

You can verify your DNS configuration using a tool like DNS Checker.

• Check A records: https://dnschecker.org/#A/example.com

• Check CNAME records: https://dnschecker.org/#CNAME/example.com

If you see many red crosses, your registrar may be experiencing issues.

Fix mismatched DNS values

If the values returned do not match what you set, check the following:

• Nameservers: Ensure you use your registrar’s default nameservers

• Caching: DNS updates can take up to 24 hours to propagate

• Host value: Some registrars require @, others require your domain name

• Proxy settings: Disable proxy features (e.g. set Cloudflare to “DNS only”)

Remove extra A records

If you see additional A records beyond Framer’s values:

• Check for hidden or collapsed records in your registrar UI

• Remove parking records created by your registrar

• Disable any domain or URL redirects

Framer automatically handles HTTP to HTTPS redirects, so you do not need to configure these.

If your registrar has limitations

Some registrars restrict DNS configuration:

• If only one A record is allowed, you can still proceed with a single Framer IP

• If only nameservers (NS) can be set:

  1. Use a DNS provider like Cloudflare or Namecheap FreeDNS

  2. Update your registrar’s nameservers to that provider

  3. Configure A and CNAME records there

AAAA records

AAAA records point to IPv6 addresses. Framer does not support IPv6.

Make sure you do not set any AAAA records. These can prevent SSL certificates from being issued, which breaks HTTPS.

To check for AAAA records:

• Use: https://dnschecker.org/#AAAA/example.com

If AAAA records appear but are not configured by you, your registrar may be adding them automatically. Contact their support team.

CAA records

CAA records control which providers can issue SSL certificates for your domain.

Framer uses:

• Let’s Encrypt

• ZeroSSL (Sectigo)

If you configure CAA records, you must allow both:

Incorrect CAA settings can prevent HTTPS from working. Note that CAA rules apply to the entire domain, including subdomains.

If you’ve checked everything and your domain still doesn’t work, reach out to support team through our contact page with your domain details for further assistance.