Connect a Custom Domain to Your AI-Built Website
If you want to connect a custom domain to your AI-built website and the preview link works but your own address doesn't, the site itself is probably fine. What's usually missing is the connection between your domain and the place the site is hosted. That connection is a DNS setting, and it tends to be where people get stuck first.
How a custom domain connects to your site
Your domain is registered with a company like GoDaddy or Namecheap. Your site lives on a host, which might be the AI tool's own hosting or a service you set up separately. DNS records are the instructions that tell a browser where to go when someone types in your domain.
If those records point somewhere else, or nowhere, your own address won't show the site even though the preview link does.
Check your plan first
Some AI builders only allow a custom domain on a paid plan, and a few lock publishing behind it too. If you can't find a domain option at all, look at the plan before you touch any DNS settings.
Add the records
Your host will give you the values to use. Usually that's an A record for the main domain, which shows up as "@" in most DNS panels, and a CNAME record for "www." Some builders can connect automatically if your domain is at a registrar like GoDaddy or Cloudflare, so look for that option before you edit anything by hand.
If an older site was connected to the domain, remove the old records that conflict with the new ones. Leaving both in place can keep the connection from working.
Be careful with anything labeled MX. Those records run your email, and deleting them can stop messages from arriving.
Pick one main address
Your site can usually be reached with or without "www," and it helps to choose one as the main address and send the other to it. If both load separately, Google might treat them as two different sites.
Give it time
DNS changes can take up to 48 hours to show up everywhere, although it's often quicker. In the meantime, the site might load on your phone but not on your laptop, which is normal while the change spreads.
If the records look right and you're still seeing the old page, try a different network or a private browser window before you change anything else.
Fix SSL warnings
Once the domain connects, the host usually issues an SSL certificate on its own, which is what puts the padlock icon in the browser's address bar. If that gets stuck on something like "waiting on DNS," two leftovers tend to cause it: an old IPv6 (AAAA) record that still points to a previous host, or a CAA record that doesn't allow the certificate provider your host uses.
If you don't see either of those, give it a few hours and check again before you start over.
When to get help
If you've gone through all of this and the domain still won't connect, or you'd rather not edit DNS on a domain your email depends on, that's a reasonable time to hand it off, and where we can come in to help.
If you'd rather skip this step, send us a message below.
Questions people ask
How long does it take for a custom domain to work on a website?
DNS changes can take up to 48 hours to show up everywhere, though it's often much faster. If the records are correct, waiting is usually the only fix.
Do I need to buy my domain from the AI website builder?
Usually not. Many builders let you connect a domain you already own. Buying through the builder can make the DNS setup automatic, but it also means the domain is tied to that account, so make sure you can transfer it later.
Why does my site load on my phone but not on my computer?
DNS changes reach different networks at different times, and your computer might be holding on to the old record. Try a private window or a different network, and give it some time.