Quick answer
How do I connect a domain to Vercel?
To connect a domain to Vercel, add it in the project's Settings › Domains, then copy the DNS values Vercel shows: usually an A record @ 76.76.21.21 and a CNAME www to cname.vercel-dns.com or a project-specific target. DotAlmanac's Vercel template fills both records in one step, as of 29 October 2026.
Vercel DNS at a glance
| Where to add the domain | Vercel project › Settings › Domains › Add Domain |
|---|---|
| Apex (@) | A record: 76.76.21.21 for most projects; newer projects can get another address, such as 216.198.79.1 |
| www and subdomains | CNAME: cname.vercel-dns.com, or a project-specific target such as d1d4fc829fe7bc7c.vercel-dns-017.com |
| Which value wins | The one on the domain card of your Vercel project |
| Access check | TXT record at _vercel, only when another Vercel team already uses the domain |
| Other method | Vercel nameservers: ns1.vercel-dns.com and ns2.vercel-dns.com |
| TTL of the template records | 3600 seconds (1 hour) |
| Email records | Not touched by the template: MX and TXT stay as they are |
What do I need before I connect a domain to Vercel?
DotAlmanac is a domain extension guide and registrar: compare every extension, then register it with no KYC and pay in crypto. Before you start, you need a deployed Vercel project and a domain that uses DotAlmanac's nameservers. The Nameservers tab of the domain must read "Our nameservers" for the records in the DNS tab to be served.
If you are still choosing the name, look at the renewal price. According to DotAlmanac's price grid, 35 of the 43 extensions it sells in the customer's name renew above their first-year price, as of 29 October 2026. A .io costs $33.99/year, then $52.49/year: 54% more from the second year. A .com stays at $11.99/year. Read .io vs .com before you deploy a startup on either.
How to connect your domain to Vercel in 6 steps
Add the domain in Vercel
Open the project, then Settings › Domains › Add Domain. Enter the bare domain, such as example.com. Accept Vercel's offer to add www and redirect one name to the other.
Copy the values from the domain card
Each domain card shows the record type and value Vercel expects: an A record for the apex, a CNAME for www. Note both values; they can differ from the defaults.
Apply the Vercel template
In the client area, open the domain, then DNS › Templates › Vercel. The template fills 76.76.21.21 and cname.vercel-dns.com. Replace them with the values of your domain card if they differ.
Review the preview, then save
The template replaces the A, AAAA, CNAME and ALIAS records of @ and www. Your MX, SPF and other TXT records stay. Nothing is sent before you save.
Wait for Vercel to verify
Vercel checks the records and changes the domain status to valid. The wait depends on the TTL of any records that resolvers cached before your change.
Add subdomains the same way
For
app.example.comordocs.example.com, add the subdomain in Vercel, then add a CNAME record for it in the DNS tab with the target Vercel shows.
What are the exact DNS records for Vercel?
The template uses Vercel's usual values. The domain card in your Vercel project is the source of truth: copy its values when they differ.
| Type | Name | Template value | Use instead when Vercel shows it |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | @ | 76.76.21.21 | The address on your domain card, for example 216.198.79.1 |
| CNAME | www | cname.vercel-dns.com | Your project's target, for example d1d4fc829fe7bc7c.vercel-dns-017.com |
| CNAME | app, docs or another subdomain | — | The target on the card of that subdomain |
| TXT | _vercel | — | Only if Vercel asks you to verify access: the value it shows |
| CAA | @ | — | Only if you publish CAA records: 0 issue "letsencrypt.org" |
The values Vercel shows for your project always win over this table. A CAA record that does not allow Let's Encrypt blocks Vercel's certificate.
What does the zone look like after the change?
Two records carry the website: one A record on the domain itself and one CNAME on www. The lines below use the template values; yours carry the values of your domain card. The CAA line is needed only if the zone already has CAA records.
@ 3600 IN A 76.76.21.21
www 3600 IN CNAME cname.vercel-dns.com.
; only if the zone already publishes CAA records:
@ 3600 IN CAA 0 issue "letsencrypt.org"Should I use DotAlmanac's DNS or Vercel's nameservers?
Keep DotAlmanac's DNS for most sites. Move to Vercel's nameservers when Vercel needs control of the whole zone, for example for a wildcard domain.
| A and CNAME records (DotAlmanac DNS) | Vercel nameservers | |
|---|---|---|
| Website on Vercel | Yes | Yes |
Wildcard domain (*.example.com) | Possible: NS records for _acme-challenge plus a * CNAME, both accepted in the DNS tab | Yes, Vercel issues the certificates |
| Email forwarding and web forwarding at DotAlmanac | Yes | No: they stop working |
| One-click mail templates (Proton Mail, Google Workspace…) | Yes | No: add the records in Vercel |
| Managed DNSSEC at DotAlmanac | Yes | No |
| What to do first | Nothing | Copy your MX and TXT records to Vercel |
How long until my domain works on Vercel?
It depends on the TTL of the records that existed before your change. A resolver keeps an answer for the number of seconds in its TTL, then asks again.
A name that had no record before resolves as soon as you save. A replaced record can show its old value until the old TTL runs out. The template sets 3600 seconds, which is one hour. For a planned move, lower the TTL of the old records to 300 seconds a day ahead.
Vercel issues the HTTPS certificate once its check passes. The Domains page of the project shows the status of each name.
Why does Vercel show an invalid configuration?
Usually because another record answers for the same name. Check these points:
- Conflicting records. An old A, AAAA or CNAME record for @ or www. The template removes them; a manual edit often leaves an AAAA record behind.
- Values from another project. Each project has its own CNAME target. Copy the one on your own domain card.
- Other nameservers. If the domain uses another DNS provider, DotAlmanac's DNS tab is not served. Add the records there, or switch back to our nameservers.
- CAA records. A CAA record that does not allow Let's Encrypt blocks the certificate.
Vercel's troubleshooting guide compares the published records with the expected values.
Vercel and custom domains: FAQ
Do I need to transfer my domain to Vercel?
No. The domain stays registered at DotAlmanac, with its renewal, WHOIS privacy and transfer lock. Only two DNS records point the website to Vercel.
Will my email stop working when I connect the domain to Vercel?
Not with the A and CNAME method. The Vercel template changes only the A, AAAA, CNAME and ALIAS records of @ and www. With Vercel's nameservers, copy your MX and TXT records to Vercel before the switch.
Should the main address be www or the bare domain?
Vercel recommends adding www and redirecting one name to the other. Pick one as the main address and let Vercel redirect the second. Both need their DNS record.
Can I use a .ai or .io domain on Vercel?
Yes, every extension works the same way on Vercel. A .ai costs $84.49/year and is sold 2 years at a time, the registry minimum. Compare both on .ai vs .io.
Is DNS hosting extra at DotAlmanac?
No. DNS hosting and the Vercel, Netlify and GitHub Pages templates are free with every domain. The pricing page lists the first-year and renewal price of each extension.
Sources (4)
- Adding & Configuring a Custom Domain — Vercel Docs (checked 2026-10-29)
- Can I use my domain on Vercel with A records? — Vercel Knowledge Base (checked 2026-10-29)
- Troubleshooting domains — Vercel Docs (checked 2026-10-29)
- Certificate Authority Authorization (CAA) — Let's Encrypt (checked 2026-10-29)
Need a domain for your Vercel project?
Register it with no KYC, pay in crypto, and apply the Vercel template from the DNS tab.