In dotsy, go to Settings › General and click Connect domain. Then in Namecheap's Advanced DNS, add an ALIAS record for @ and a CNAME record for www, both with the value custom.dotsy.site, and remove Namecheap's parking records for those names.
Namecheap won't take a CNAME on the bare domain (@). Its ALIAS record does the same job, so both example.com and www.example.com can point at dotsy. This page is for domains using Namecheap's own DNS (name servers ending in registrar-servers.com).
Steps
- Open your site in the dashboard and go to Settings › General. In the Domain card, click Connect domain.
- Type your domain, keep Connect apex and Connect www ticked and click Continue setup.
- dotsy lists two records,
@andwww, both with the valuecustom.dotsy.site. When it recognises Namecheap, it names it and gives you an Open Namecheap DNS button. For the@row, choose ALIAS at Namecheap: it doesn't accept a CNAME there.
The records to add. For the @ row, choose ALIAS at Namecheap. - At Namecheap, open Domain List, click Manage next to your domain and go to Advanced DNS. Under host records, delete or edit the parking records that use
@orwww(for example a CNAME forwwwor a URL redirect on@), so only dotsy's records answer for those names. Namecheap's menus change now and then, so the names there may differ slightly. - Add the two records and save each one:
- ALIAS Record, host
@, valuecustom.dotsy.site - CNAME Record, host
www, valuecustom.dotsy.site
- ALIAS Record, host
- Back in dotsy, it checks every 30 seconds, or click Check now. Each record changes to Found, then HTTPS follows, usually within a few minutes and at most 15. When you see Your domain is live, you're done.
Wrong value
A record for that name still points somewhere else, usually a Namecheap parking page or your old host. Edit it so the value is custom.dotsy.site, or delete it and add dotsy's record. See Why does my domain still show my old website?
I don't see Advanced DNS host records at Namecheap
Your domain probably uses other name servers (for example Cloudflare or your old host), so its DNS is managed there. Add the records at that provider instead. dotsy names the provider it finds on the records page. For Cloudflare: How do I connect a Cloudflare domain to dotsy?
FAQ
What's the difference between ALIAS and CNAME?
Both point a name at another hostname. A CNAME isn't allowed on the bare domain, so Namecheap offers ALIAS for @. Use the same value, custom.dotsy.site.
Will my Namecheap email keep working?
Yes, as long as you only change the @ and www records. Don't delete your MX records.
Do I need Namecheap's SSL?
No. dotsy sets up HTTPS for every connected address at no extra cost.