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To put an existing website behind Cloudflare, add your domain to Cloudflare, review and correct the imported DNS records, change the domain’s nameservers at your registrar to the two Cloudflare assigns, then configure SSL/TLS and verify the site. The nameserver change makes Cloudflare the authoritative DNS provider in the common full setup; it does not usually move your website hosting.
What Cloudflare setup changes—and what it does not
Cloudflare can provide authoritative DNS and, for supported web records set to Proxied, route website traffic through its network. Your domain registration remains with your registrar, and your website generally remains on its existing host. Cloudflare says it does not host most websites, though it can host JAMstack sites with Pages (Cloudflare: How Cloudflare works).
These are separate roles: the registrar manages the domain registration and nameserver delegation; the authoritative DNS provider publishes the records; the host serves the site; and proxying sits between visitors and a supported origin hostname. A typical setup changes the authoritative DNS provider and proxies selected web traffic without changing the host.
Choose full setup or partial setup
| Setup | What changes | When it may fit | Limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full setup | Cloudflare becomes authoritative DNS after you update nameservers at the registrar. | You can edit nameservers and want the common Cloudflare configuration. | Review the zone records before switching; the registrar-side nameserver change is required. |
| Partial/CNAME setup | Your existing DNS provider remains authoritative while Cloudflare is used as a reverse proxy. | You cannot or do not want to move authoritative DNS, and your account and setup support this option. | Eligibility and steps depend on the current Cloudflare configuration; do not assume every account qualifies. |
Cloudflare documents full setup as its common configuration. If you need partial setup, check its current requirements before making changes (Cloudflare: Zone setups). The steps below describe the full setup.
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Before you start
- Have access to the Cloudflare account you will use and the registrar account for the domain.
- Know where the website is hosted and use the host’s current domain-connection instructions to confirm the required DNS targets.
- Know which hostnames are in use: for example, the apex domain,
www, a blog, a shop, or an application subdomain. - Collect the exact DNS records required by your email provider and any third-party services that use the domain.
- If DNSSEC is enabled, check Cloudflare’s and your registrar’s current instructions for a nameserver change. Existing DNSSEC configuration can affect resolution; do not guess at registrar-specific steps.
Set up Cloudflare’s full DNS configuration
1. Add the domain
- Sign in to Cloudflare and choose the option to add a site or domain.
- Enter the apex domain, such as
example.com, rather than only a subdomain such aswww.example.com. - Follow the current onboarding flow to choose a plan and import method. Cloudflare may scan for existing DNS records, but treat that scan as a starting point, not a complete migration audit.
Cloudflare’s onboarding guidance warns that missing or incorrect DNS records can prevent a domain from resolving. Review the records before changing nameservers (Cloudflare: Full setup).
2. Audit the DNS records
Compare Cloudflare’s imported records with the records at your current DNS provider and your web host’s instructions. Check the apex and each active hostname, including www. Add or correct records as needed, using the exact values supplied by the host or service provider.
- Website records: Confirm the A, AAAA, or CNAME target for each hostname your host requires. Do not substitute a target based on guesswork.
- Email records: Preserve the email provider’s MX records and relevant TXT values, including SPF, DKIM, and DMARC where configured. Use the provider’s exact values.
- Verification and service records: Preserve TXT or CNAME records used by search tools, SaaS products, or domain verification. Follow the service’s instructions about proxy status; some records must be DNS-only.
Cloudflare’s DNS guide includes examples of mail records and explains that supported records can be proxied or left DNS-only (Cloudflare: DNS records and full setup).
3. Choose proxy status per hostname
For supported A, AAAA, and CNAME records, Proxied routes web requests through Cloudflare. DNS only returns the record’s DNS value without proxying that traffic. Proxying may enable Cloudflare network services such as caching and security features, but it is not appropriate for every destination or service.
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Set each record according to what it points to and the service’s requirements. Do not turn on proxying indiscriminately, especially for mail records or a third-party verification hostname that explicitly requires DNS-only status. Cloudflare documents the status behavior and supported record types in its proxy guidance (Cloudflare: Proxy status).
4. Change nameservers at the registrar
- In Cloudflare, open the domain’s DNS or overview area and find the two nameservers assigned to that zone.
- In a separate tab, sign in to the domain registrar and open the domain’s nameserver or DNS delegation settings.
- Replace the existing nameservers with the exact two Cloudflare values shown for your domain. Nameserver values are zone-specific; do not use examples intended for another account.
- Save the change and follow Cloudflare’s current instructions for checking activation. Nameserver updates may take time to be reflected across DNS resolvers.
This change at the registrar is what makes Cloudflare authoritative in the full setup. The registrar remains the domain registrar. If you are unsure how your registrar handles DNSSEC during a nameserver change, follow the current instructions from Cloudflare and the registrar rather than copying a generic procedure (Cloudflare: Full setup steps; Cloudflare: Update nameservers).
5. Configure SSL/TLS and HTTPS
Once Cloudflare is active, review SSL/TLS settings rather than assuming the edge certificate settles every encryption decision. Cloudflare’s getting-started guide separates the choices: select an edge certificate, choose an encryption mode, and decide whether to enforce HTTPS (Cloudflare: SSL/TLS getting started).
Cloudflare says Universal certificates are free, publicly trusted certificates that it issues and renews for domains added to and activated on Cloudflare. This is the visitor-facing edge certificate. Encryption between Cloudflare and your origin is a separate part of the configuration; choose a mode appropriate to the origin server’s certificate and setup. The right origin mode cannot be determined without knowing how your host is configured.
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Verify the site after activation
Check the services that use the domain, not only the homepage. Open the apex domain and www over HTTPS, and visit other active hostnames such as a shop or application subdomain. Confirm that email still works and that any critical verification or third-party service remains valid. These are checks to perform after your change, not a guarantee that every provider has updated at the same time.
If a hostname does not load, first check that its DNS record exists and has the right target, then confirm the registrar is using the Cloudflare nameservers assigned to your zone. Avoid changing unrelated SSL or security settings until you have identified whether the problem is DNS, origin connectivity, or the application itself.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshooting common setup problems
The website stopped resolving after the nameserver change
Likely causes include a missing hostname record, an incorrect target, or an incomplete nameserver update. Compare the Cloudflare zone against the old DNS records and the host’s domain instructions. Verify that the registrar has the exact assigned nameservers and that Cloudflare shows the domain as active. DNS changes can take time to appear consistently; check again after the registrar confirms the change.
The homepage works, but www or another subdomain does not
Each hostname needs an appropriate record. Check for a separate www, blog, shop, or app record and use the destination specified by the relevant host or service. A working apex record does not prove that every subdomain is configured.
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Email delivery or a domain verification check fails
Review MX and TXT records, including SPF, DKIM, and DMARC values if your mail provider uses them. Check service-specific CNAME or TXT records and whether the provider requires DNS-only status. Restore exact provider-supplied values rather than trying to infer them from the website records.
HTTPS fails or visitors see a certificate warning
Check that the domain is active on Cloudflare, review the edge certificate status, and verify the SSL/TLS encryption mode against the origin server’s actual certificate and configuration. An edge certificate does not by itself establish that Cloudflare can make a valid encrypted connection to the origin. Consult the host if you do not know which origin certificate is installed.
A third-party service no longer validates its hostname
Inspect the specific record the service asked you to create. It may require an exact CNAME or TXT value, or DNS-only status. Follow that service’s current instructions and avoid proxying a verification record unless the service says it is supported.
Cloudflare has not activated the zone
Check the registrar’s nameserver settings against the two values displayed for this particular Cloudflare zone. If DNSSEC is configured, consult the current guidance from both providers; a mismatch during delegation changes can interfere with DNS resolution.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does setting up Cloudflare transfer my domain registration?
No. A full setup changes the domain’s authoritative nameservers; the domain remains registered with your registrar.
Can I use Cloudflare if I cannot change my nameservers?
Possibly. Cloudflare documents a partial/CNAME setup, but eligibility depends on the current account and configuration.
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