Adding DNS records and resetting nameservers at Namecheap
This guide shows you how to add DNS records for a domain registered at Namecheap. You would do this to point your domain at your 1smart.link website, bio page, short links or automation workspace, or to set up email with a provider such as Zoho Mail or Google Workspace.
Every step is one click or one copy and paste. The numbers in the pictures match the numbered steps.
Note: The values you add are different for every member. Always copy the values shown in your Website tab, or in your email provider's setup page. Never copy values from the pictures in this guide.
Before you start
Sign in to your Namecheap account.
Keep a second browser tab open on the page that gives you the records to add. For a website, that is the Addresses section of your Website tab. For email, it is your email provider's DNS setup page.
Find your domain
In the menu on the left, click Domain List.
If you have many domains, type your domain into the Search box above the list.
Click Manage next to your domain.
Set the nameservers back to Namecheap
Your records only work when your domain uses Namecheap's own nameservers. If your domain was set up by another host, it may still point to that host's nameservers. Members are often told to "change your nameservers back to your domain company's default". At Namecheap, the default is Namecheap BasicDNS.
On the Domain tab, find Nameservers and click the box next to it.
Choose Namecheap BasicDNS. If it was showing Custom DNS before, a green tick appears on the right. Click the tick to save.
Warning: Do not type anything into the nameserver boxes. Codes from your email provider and values from your Website tab never go here. They go in Advanced DNS, which comes next.
Note: A nameserver change can take a while to spread across the internet. Your other steps can go ahead straight away.
Open Advanced DNS
Click the Advanced DNS tab.
Under Host Records you will see the records your domain has now. A Namecheap domain that has never been set up usually starts with a parking page on www and a redirect on @.
Remove records that would get in the way
Any record for @ or www that points somewhere else will stop the records you add from working. Typical ones are a URL Redirect Record on @ and a CNAME Record on www that points to a parking page. Remove them first.
Click the bin icon at the end of the URL Redirect Record row.
Namecheap asks "Delete Record?". Click Yes.
Do the same for the CNAME Record on www: click its bin icon, then click Yes.
Tip: Only remove records on @ or www that point somewhere else. Leave other records alone unless the page you are setting up tells you to remove them.
Add the records for your website
Your Website tab shows two records: an A record for @ and a CNAME record for www.
Click Add New Record.
A list of record types opens. Click A Record.
In the Host box, type @.
In the IP Address box, paste the value shown for the A record in your Website tab.
Example only. Your values will be different.
Click the green tick at the end of the row to save.
Click Add New Record again.
In the list, click CNAME Record. You may need to scroll the list a little.
In the Host box, type www.
In the Target box, paste the value shown for the CNAME record in your Website tab.
Click the green tick to save.
Your two website records are now in place. Namecheap adds a full stop to the end of a CNAME target. That is normal, and you do not need to change it.
Note: Saving can take a few seconds. Wait until the row stops showing editing boxes before you click anything else.
Add MX records for your email
Namecheap only lets you add MX records once Mail Settings is set to Custom MX. This also removes Namecheap's own email-forwarding record, which would otherwise clash with your email provider.
Scroll down to Mail Settings and click the box next to it.
Choose Custom MX.
An empty MX row appears. In the Host box, type @.
In the Mail Server box, paste the first mail server from your email provider.
In the Priority box, type the priority your email provider shows for that server.
Click Save All Changes under the table.
For each further mail server, click Add New Record in the Mail Settings section, fill in Host, Mail Server and Priority the same way, then click Save All Changes.
Warning: If your domain had email somewhere else before, do not copy its old MX records across. Only add the mail servers your email provider gives you now.
Add a TXT record
Email providers use TXT records to confirm you own the domain (a verification code), to protect your email (SPF) and to sign it (DKIM). They are all added the same way, in Host Records.
Under Host Records, click Add New Record.
In the list, click TXT Record.
In the Host box, type the host your provider shows. For a verification code or SPF this is usually @. For DKIM it is a name ending in _domainkey.
In the Value box, paste the value your provider shows.
Click the green tick to save.
Repeat steps 27 to 31 for each TXT record your provider gives you. A DKIM value is long. Paste it in one go and check that nothing was left behind.
When you have finished, your Host Records and Mail Settings will look something like this:
Warning: A domain must have only one SPF record (a TXT record starting with v=spf1). If you already have one, replace it rather than adding a second. Your email provider may show a combined value you can use instead.
Namecheap tips
You cannot add MX records. Set Mail Settings to Custom MX first.
Your changes are not showing. Records can take a little while to spread. Wait a few minutes, refresh the page, and check the record is listed before trying again.
A record will not save or delete. Make sure the type list is closed, then click the green tick or Yes again. If the domain uses Custom DNS nameservers, records in Advanced DNS have no effect until you choose Namecheap BasicDNS.
The Host box. Type only @, www or the name your provider gives. Never type your full domain name.
The old email-forwarding SPF record still shows up for a while. After switching to Custom MX it can take some time before it stops showing up online.
Using a different domain company?
The steps are much the same everywhere, but the names change.
Where the records live. Look for a page called DNS, Manage DNS, DNS Zone, DNS Management or Advanced DNS. It is usually inside your domain's settings.
What the boxes are called.
Box | Also called |
|---|---|
Type | Record type |
Host | Name, Host name, Hostname |
Value | Points to, Target, Content, Data, IP address, Mail server |
TTL | Time to live. Leave it on the default or Automatic. |
Priority | Only for MX records |
Ask your domain company to do it for you. Most domain companies have live chat. Copy this message, add your domain and your records where shown, and send it:
Hello, please add the DNS records below to my domain [your domain]. Please also remove any other A, CNAME or URL redirect records on @ and www, because they would clash with these. If I am switching email provider, please also remove my old MX records and my old SPF record (the TXT record that starts with v=spf1), so the email records below are the only ones left. Please make sure the domain uses your own default nameservers. Thank you.
[paste your records here: Type, Host, Value, and Priority for MX records]