Maybe you want to point your domain name to your Squarespace, Wix, or WordPress.com website. Or you may want to send email campaigns from a custom domain via ConvertKit or MailChimp.
The best, and often only, way to accomplish this is to edit the A records of your domain name. The “A” in “A record” stands for address, and is it a clue to the purpose of this type of DNS record: it points your domain to an IP address.
If the NS records of your domain name point to a Linux server running cPanel (or a web hosting account on it), this means that you must edit all other DNS records, including the A records, from cPanel.
This tutorial will show you how, step by step and with screenshots.
How to Add an A Record From cPanel
Follow the steps below to add a new A record to your domain name from cPanel.
Step 1: Fire up your browser and log in to the cPanel for the server hosting your website. Scroll down until you find the “Domains” widget and click on “Zone Editor.”
Step 2: To add a new A record to your domain name, select the domain name you want to add the A record to and click “A Record.”
Step 3: Add the subdomain that you want to point to the third-party platform under “Name,” then paste the IP address given to you by that third-party platform under “Address.”
Step 4: Click “Add an A Record” and wait at least 20 minutes for the changes to take effect. Sometimes, it may take a few hours to 1-2 days for the DNS server to update your A record (and for those changes to propagate).
How to Edit an Existing A Record From cPanel
Follow the steps below to edit your domain name’s existing A records from cPanel.
Step 1: Fire up your browser and log in to the cPanel for the server hosting your website. Scroll down until you find the “Domains” widget and click on “Zone Editor.”
Step 2: To edit your domain name’s existing A records, select the domain name that you want to edit and click “Manage.”
Step 3: Click “A” in the upper left corner of the screen under “Filter” to display only the A records for your domain name. Then click “Edit” for the A record you want to change.
Step 4: Make the desired changes to the desired record and then save them. Wait at least 20 minutes for the changes to take effect. Sometimes, it may take a few hours to 1-2 days for the DNS server to update your A record (and for those changes to propagate).
