Fix a domain that is not working

Most domain problems come down to a DNS record that is missing or slightly wrong, a change that has not reached the internet yet, or a site that is not published. Find the symptom that matches what you see and work through the fix.

The domain stays on "Waiting for DNS"

After you add a custom domain, the Domain page shows a setup card with two rows, Domain (DNS) and SSL certificate. FolioPage checks your domain automatically for up to 24 hours, so in most cases you only need to wait. If the DNS row is still waiting after an hour or two, check the record at your domain provider:

The record type is CNAME, not A, ALIAS or URL forwarding.
The Name / Host is the part before your domain, usually www. Some providers want just www, others want the full hostname; never both at once.
The Value / Target is exactly the address shown on the Domain page. Use the Copy button to avoid typos.
There is no second record with the same name, such as an old A record left over from a previous website. Delete or replace it.
The hostname you added on the Domain page matches the record. Adding www.janedoe.com in the dashboard while the record is for portfolio.janedoe.com will never verify.

Once the record is right, click Recheck now. You can recheck once a minute; the card shows when it last checked.

Note: DNS changes can take anywhere from a few minutes to a day to reach every network. If you only just saved the record, give it time.

The domain failed verification

If the record is not found within 24 hours, the card changes to say the domain could not be verified. Fix the DNS record using the checklist above, then click Remove and try again and add the domain once more. Your site has stayed live on your subdomain throughout, so visitors were never affected.

DNS is connected but the certificate is still pending

The SSL certificate row may show Waiting for domain validation or Issuing certificate for a while after the DNS row turns green. The certificate is issued automatically and nothing is needed from you. Until both rows are active, the domain stays pending and your subdomain remains the live address.

Visitors see "This domain is being set up"

This page means your DNS record already points at FolioPage but verification has not finished. Your site switches over on its own as soon as the checks pass; there is nothing to change.

`www.janedoe.com` works but `janedoe.com` does not

FolioPage connects a subdomain such as www.janedoe.com; the bare domain is not connected directly, because most providers do not allow the required record on a root domain. The fix is a redirect at your domain provider: forward janedoe.com to https://www.janedoe.com as a permanent (301) redirect. Look for Domain Forwarding, URL Redirect or similar in your provider's settings. The Setup instructions for popular providers link on the Domain page shows where this lives.

The site shows "Coming soon"

The domain is fine; the site is not published. Open Settings in the sidebar and switch on Publish site. If the toggle is disabled, the helper text explains why, for example an email address that still needs to be confirmed.

The site shows "This site has expired"

The site's subscription is no longer active. Open Plan & Usage in the sidebar to see the site's billing status and what to do next. The domain and DNS record need no changes.

My edits do not show on the domain

If the site loads but looks out of date, the domain is working and the issue is the live site not being updated yet. See Why your changes do not show on the live site yet.

Tip: Still stuck after checking the record and waiting a day? Contact support and include your domain and site address; a screenshot of the DNS record at your provider helps us answer in one reply.