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Change nameservers to Cloudflare

Update your domain's nameservers at your registrar so Cloudflare can manage DNS and protect your traffic.

This is the final step to activate Cloudflare for your domain. You'll update the nameservers at your domain registrar (the company where you purchased your domain) to point to Cloudflare's nameservers.

Once this change takes effect, Cloudflare will handle all DNS resolution for your domain — including routing, SSL, and Worker integrations.

What you'll need

  • Access to your domain registrar's dashboard (where you bought the domain)
  • The two Cloudflare nameservers assigned to your domain (shown at the end of the "Cloudflare domain connection" step, or under DNS > Cloudflare nameservers in your Cloudflare dashboard)

Step 1: Log in to your domain registrar

Your registrar is where you originally purchased your domain. Common registrars include:

  • Namecheap — namecheap.com
  • GoDaddy — godaddy.com
  • Google Domains (now Squarespace) — domains.squarespace.com
  • Cloudflare Registrar — if your domain is already registered at Cloudflare, nameservers may update automatically

Log in to your registrar's website and navigate to the management page for your domain.

Step 2: Find the nameserver settings

Look for a section labeled Nameservers, DNS settings, or Custom nameservers. The exact location varies by registrar:

  • Namecheap: Domain List > your domain > Nameservers dropdown
  • GoDaddy: My Products > Domains > your domain > DNS > Nameservers
  • Squarespace Domains: Domains > your domain > DNS > Nameservers

If you see an option like "Use default nameservers" vs. "Use custom nameservers", select Custom.

Step 3: Replace the nameservers

  1. Delete any existing nameservers listed.
  2. Enter the two Cloudflare nameservers you were given. They look something like:
    • ada.ns.cloudflare.com
    • hank.ns.cloudflare.com
  3. Make sure there are no extra spaces or typos.
  4. Click Save or Apply changes.

Step 4: Wait for propagation

DNS changes don't happen instantly. Here's what to expect:

  • Most changes take effect within 1–4 hours.
  • In rare cases, full propagation can take up to 24–48 hours.
  • Cloudflare automatically checks your nameservers periodically. Once the change is detected, your domain status will change from Pending to Active in the Cloudflare dashboard.
  • You'll receive an email from Cloudflare confirming activation.

How to verify

After saving the nameserver change:

  1. Return to this onboarding page and click Retry lookup.
  2. If the nameservers now show Cloudflare addresses (ending in .ns.cloudflare.com), the change has propagated.
  3. You can also check your domain's status in the Cloudflare Dashboard — it should say Active.

Troubleshooting

  • Still showing old nameservers after several hours? Double-check that you saved the changes at your registrar. Some registrars require you to confirm via email.
  • Domain stuck in "Pending" on Cloudflare? Click the "Re-check now" button in the Cloudflare dashboard to trigger an immediate verification.
  • Can't find nameserver settings? Search your registrar's help center for "change nameservers" or contact their support team.