DNS Setup Guide

How to Change Your Nameservers to Cloudflare

Pointing your domain to Cloudflare nameservers activates Cloudflare's CDN, DDoS protection, and SSL — and is required to complete your hosting setup. This guide walks you through exactly how to do it at every major registrar.

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Overview

Five steps to get your domain pointing to Cloudflare.

Add your site to Cloudflare

Go to dash.cloudflare.com, create a free account (or log in), then click Add a Site and enter your domain name.

Get your assigned nameservers

Cloudflare will scan your existing DNS records and then show you two unique nameserver addresses — something like ada.ns.cloudflare.com and miles.ns.cloudflare.com. These are specific to your account; copy both of them.

Log in to your domain registrar

This is wherever you bought your domain — GoDaddy, Namecheap, Google Domains, Name.com, etc. Navigate to the domain's DNS or nameserver settings (see the registrar guides below).

Replace the existing nameservers

Remove all current nameserver entries and add the two Cloudflare nameservers Cloudflare gave you in step 2. Save the changes. The exact interface varies by registrar — see the cards below.

Wait for propagation

DNS changes typically take a few minutes to a few hours, though in rare cases it can take up to 48 hours. Cloudflare will email you when your domain is active on their network.

Registrar-Specific Guides

Steps vary slightly by registrar. Find yours below.

🐢

GoDaddy

  • Log in and go to My Products → Domains
  • Click your domain, then DNS
  • Scroll to Nameservers and click Change
  • Choose Custom and enter both Cloudflare nameservers
  • Save changes and confirm
GoDaddy docs
🐱

Namecheap

  • Log in and go to Domain List
  • Click Manage next to your domain
  • Under Nameservers, select Custom DNS
  • Enter both Cloudflare nameservers
  • Click the green checkmark to save
Namecheap docs
🔤

Google Domains / Squarespace

  • Log in to domains.squarespace.com
  • Select your domain, then DNS
  • Choose Use custom name servers
  • Delete existing entries and add both Cloudflare nameservers
  • Save and confirm
Squarespace/Google docs
☁️

Cloudflare Registrar

  • If your domain is registered at Cloudflare, you're already set!
  • Cloudflare automatically uses their own nameservers
  • No changes needed — your domain is already on Cloudflare's network
Cloudflare Registrar docs
📛

Name.com

  • Log in and go to My Domains
  • Click the domain, then Nameservers
  • Click Manage Nameservers
  • Remove existing entries, add both Cloudflare nameservers
  • Save changes
Name.com docs
🐷

Porkbun

  • Log in and go to Domain Management
  • Click Details next to your domain
  • Under Authoritative Nameservers, click Edit
  • Remove defaults and add both Cloudflare nameservers
  • Save changes
Porkbun docs

What Cloudflare Nameservers Look Like

Cloudflare nameservers come in random word pairs unique to your account.

Your nameservers will look like the examples below — two addresses, each with a random first name followed by .ns.cloudflare.com. These are assigned when you add your site to Cloudflare and are visible in your Cloudflare dashboard under DNS → Nameservers.

amy.ns.cloudflare.com
bob.ns.cloudflare.com

These are example values. Your real nameservers use a different word pair and are found in your Cloudflare dashboard after adding your domain.

Propagation Timing

How long until my domain uses the new nameservers?

~5 min

Typical fastest propagation

1–4 hr

Most common propagation window

Up to 48 hr

Worst-case global propagation

DNS changes propagate as caches across the internet expire. Cloudflare will send you an email once your domain is verified and active. You can also check propagation status in real time:

Check propagation at whatsmydns.net

Frequently Asked Questions

Cloudflare automatically scans and imports your existing DNS records (A, MX, CNAME, TXT, etc.) when you add your site. Review the imported records in your Cloudflare dashboard before saving to make sure everything looks correct, especially MX records for email.
No. Cloudflare's free plan includes nameservers, CDN, DDoS protection, and free SSL — which is everything you need for this setup. Paid plans add advanced features like WAF rules, analytics, and image optimization.
Each Cloudflare account is assigned to a specific nameserver pair for routing and load balancing purposes. The random word pair (e.g. "amy" and "bob") is consistent for your account across all domains you add.
The process is the same for any registrar: find the "Nameservers" or "DNS" section in your domain's settings, switch to "Custom nameservers", and enter the two addresses from Cloudflare. Search "[your registrar] change nameservers" for registrar-specific screenshots.
Double-check that you entered the nameservers exactly as shown in your Cloudflare dashboard — no typos, no extra characters. Verify the registrar saved the changes (reload the page to confirm). You can also use whatsmydns.net to see what nameservers are currently reported globally. If still stuck, contact us at contact@themajesticnetwork.com.
Yes. Simply go back to your registrar and enter your previous nameservers (your registrar may show the old values, or your old host can provide them). Be aware that reverting will take some time to propagate as well.
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