How to connect domain to website starts with a published storefront and permission to manage the domain’s DNS. In Runner AI, add an owned address, follow the supported Cloudflare setup or the displayed manual records, and check the connection result. Domain attachment, routing, ownership verification, and HTTPS readiness are separate checks; the useful result is a branded address you can open and test.
Prepare the store before learning how to connect domain to website
A custom domain gives customers a recognizable address for your storefront. It does not create the storefront, publish unfinished changes, or configure payments. Start by publishing your reviewed store and opening its existing public URL. Check a product page, navigation, and the cart before changing the address. That gives you a working reference if a later problem comes from DNS rather than from the storefront itself.
Runner AI makes domain access dependent on the plan and project state. You need access to the store’s settings and permission to edit records at the domain’s DNS provider. The registrar where you bought the name and the service managing its DNS may be different. Confirm which account controls the records before starting; owning a receipt for the domain is not the same as having the required access.
Open Settings for the intended store and choose Domain. If Runner asks you to publish first, finish that prerequisite instead of attempting to bypass it. Confirm the store name and domain spelling before attaching the address. A domain already attached to another store needs a separate, authorized transfer decision, not repeated attempts to add the same address.
The publishing a website feature explains the release step that comes first. The best ecommerce hosting checklist helps you distinguish the public storefront from its address and operating setup. Use these adjacent workflows to settle launch readiness before making DNS changes.
Connect an owned domain with the records Runner displays
Enter the domain you control and continue through the connection flow. An accepted address means the domain has been attached to the store. It does not mean that DNS already points there, that ownership has been verified, or that the public HTTPS address is ready. Read the connection panel rather than treating the initial confirmation as the end of the process.
For a supported Cloudflare-managed domain, Runner can offer automatic DNS setup. Authorize access using the Cloudflare account that contains the domain. Runner then inspects and configures the required records and checks the result. Provider authorization permits the setup work; it is not proof that every later step succeeded. Follow any configuration, ownership, or certificate status shown after returning to Runner.
If automatic setup is unavailable, use the manual records supplied for that domain. Copy each displayed Type, Host, and Value into the DNS provider’s corresponding fields. Include any ownership-verification record the flow requires. Do not substitute an IP address, CNAME target, or verification value from an unrelated tutorial; those examples belong to a different hosting configuration.
Keep website routing changes separate from unrelated DNS services. Before editing a record, confirm its purpose, especially if the same domain also handles email. After saving the required records, return to Runner and use the connection-check action. The flow can recheck while setup is pending, but it can also pause or require attention. A saved provider form and a pending Runner status describe different parts of the work.
Buying a new domain is not required to connect one you already own. Purchase, renewal, removal, and transfers are separate actions with their own consequences. This feature concerns connecting an existing address, not approval to spend money or detach another store’s domain. The custom-domain guide contains the operating instructions for those other choices.
Verify routing, ownership, HTTPS, and the customer journey
Read the specific remaining step when a domain does not connect. A routing problem means the required DNS configuration has not passed. An ownership challenge needs the displayed verification record or other offered recovery. A certificate-pending state means secure access still needs attention or time. Repeating provider authorization without checking the reported cause can leave the actual problem unchanged.
DNS changes and certificate setup do not have a guaranteed completion time on this page. If checking pauses, use the offered check or retry action after correcting the relevant configuration. Preserve the exact domain and records when seeking help. Do not remove and re-add a working domain simply because a generic tutorial suggests starting over; removal changes the store’s address configuration.
When Runner reports the connection ready, open the custom address in a browser. Confirm that it serves the intended store over HTTPS, then inspect the homepage, a product, navigation, and cart. Verify checkout separately with the payment configuration that store requires. Domain readiness is a connection result, not a test purchase or a guarantee that every integration works at the new address.
If the address opens but the store content is wrong, compare it with the reviewed public version. Publishing, connecting a domain, and changing storefront content remain separate operations. The cloud-based ecommerce platforms feature explains the broader storefront and backend boundary. Browse the Runner AI feature catalog for the next capability after the branded address and customer journey are verified.
Custom domain FAQ
Can I connect a domain I already own?
Yes, an eligible published Runner store can attach an owned domain and follow its connection setup. You need store-settings access and permission to change DNS. Use supported Cloudflare authorization when offered, or copy the domain’s manual records. Confirm the reported connection result and open the public address before sharing it with customers.
Does adding the address make the domain live immediately?
No. Attachment is only the first part of the connection. Routing records, ownership verification, and HTTPS readiness must also reach the required state. Read the remaining step in Runner instead of assuming an accepted address is live. DNS propagation and certificate processing can take time, and this workflow does not promise a fixed deadline.
Do I need to buy a domain through Runner AI?
No. Connecting an existing domain and purchasing a new one are distinct choices. For an owned domain, bring DNS access and follow the connection panel. If you choose to buy or renew a domain instead, review the displayed name, contact details, price, and external payment flow before approving a charge.
Does a connected domain prove checkout works?
No. Knowing how to connect domain to website does not establish payment readiness. Open the branded URL and test the storefront, product selection, cart, and checkout with the correct connected services. A successful domain check confirms the address setup; the customer journey still needs its own review before you invite shoppers to order.