Add a site

When you add a site to Cloudflare, you need to create a new domain within Cloudflare and then perform additional steps to activate that domain.

Note

These instructions are tailored to customers using a full setup for Cloudflare DNS (the most common configuration). If you are using a partial setup or secondary setup, your setup process will be different.

Prerequisites

To use Cloudflare, you need to own a domain (example.com).

If you do not already own a domain name and plan to use Cloudflare for your authoritative DNS, we highly recommend purchasing your domain name through Cloudflare Registrar.

Using Cloudflare Registrar simplifies your setup process by automatically using Cloudflare for authoritative DNS.

If you are onboarding an existing domain to Cloudflare, make sure DNSSEC is disabled at your registrar (where you purchased your domain name). Otherwise, your domain will experience connectivity errors when you change your nameservers.

Provider-specific instructions

This is not an exhaustive list of how to update DS records in other providers, but the following links may be helpful:

• DNSimple
• Domaindiscount24
• DreamHost
• Dynadot
• Enom
• Gandi
• GoDaddy
• Hostinger
• Hover
• InMotion Hosting
• INWX
• Joker.com
• Name.com
• Namecheap
• NameISP
• Namesilo
• OVH
• Squarespace
• Registro.br
• Porkbun (do not fill out keyData)
• TransIP

Why you have to disable DNSSEC

When your domain has DNSSEC enabled, your DNS provider digitally signs all your DNS records. This action prevents anyone else from issuing false DNS records on your behalf and redirecting traffic intended for your domain.

However, having a single set of signed records also prevents Cloudflare from issuing new DNS records on your behalf (which is part of using Cloudflare for your authoritative nameservers). So if you change your nameservers without disabling DNSSEC, DNSSEC will prevent Cloudflare’s DNS records from resolving properly.

1. Add site in Cloudflare

1. Log in to the Cloudflare dashboard.

2. In the top navigation bar, select Add site.

3. Enter your website’s apex domain (example.com) and then select Continue.

   Note

   If Cloudflare is unable to identify your domain as a registered domain, make sure you are using an existing top-level domain (.com, .net, .biz, or others).

   Additionally, Cloudflare requires your apex domain to be one level below a valid TLD defined in the Public Suffix List (PSL).

4. Select your plan level. For more details on features and pricing, refer to our Plans page.

5. Review your DNS records.

   When you add a new site to Cloudflare, Cloudflare automatically scans for common records and adds them to the DNS zone. The records show up under the respective zone DNS > Records page.

   
   

   1. Since this scan is not guaranteed to find all existing DNS records, you need to review your records, paying special attention to the following record types:

      • Zone apex records (example.com)
      • Subdomain records (www.example.com or blog.example.com)
      • Email records

      Note

      If you activate your domain on Cloudflare without setting up the correct DNS records for your domain and subdomain, your visitors may experience DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN errors.

   2. If you find any missing records, manually add those records.

   3. Depending on your site setup, you may want to adjust the proxy status for certain A, AAAA, or CNAME records.

   4. Select Continue.

2. Update nameservers

Once you have added a domain (also known as a zone) to Cloudflare, that domain will receive two assigned authoritative nameservers.

Before your domain can begin using Cloudflare for DNS resolution, you need to add these nameservers at your registrar. Make sure DNSSEC is disabled at this point.

Caution

If your domain is particularly sensitive to downtime, review our suggestions to minimize downtime.

3. Complete SSL/TLS setup

To prevent insecure connections and visitor browser errors, make sure you have SSL/TLS protection and go through the Quick Start Guide to improve security.

4. Go beyond the basics

For suggestions and guidance about getting the most out of your Cloudflare account, refer to our Fundamental Tasks.