If a WordPress domain is not working, troubleshoot it in layers: verify that the domain is active and using the nameservers you are editing, compare the live A or CNAME record with the value supplied by your WordPress host, protect MX and TXT records for email, then check WordPress URLs, HTTPS and Site Health. Only after those checks should you treat the symptom as DNS propagation. This order distinguishes a wrong configuration from a temporary cache and prevents a website repair from taking email offline.
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Identify which failure you actually have
“My WordPress site is down” can describe several different failures. The browser symptom tells you where to start, but it does not identify the cause by itself.
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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware match| What you see | Most likely layer | First check |
|---|---|---|
| A parking page, an old site or a blank destination | DNS web record | Compare the live A record or provider-required CNAME with the current WordPress host instructions. |
| “Server not found” or a DNS error | Domain status, nameservers or missing record | Confirm the domain is active and that its authoritative nameservers point to the DNS provider whose zone you are editing. |
| The site opens for you but not for someone on another network | Propagation or resolver caching | Test over mobile data and use a DNS propagation checker before changing records again. |
| The domain loads but redirects to the wrong hostname or loops between HTTP and HTTPS | WordPress URL or HTTPS configuration | Inspect Home URL, Site URL and HTTPS status in WordPress Site Health. |
| A database-connection or server error appears after DNS is correct | Origin hosting, database or migration | Investigate the host, database credentials and server configuration separately from DNS. |
| The website works but mail stops arriving | MX or mail-related TXT records | Restore the working MX and required TXT records; do not alter mail records as a side effect of a web change. |
DNS only directs a hostname to services. It cannot repair a failed database, an unavailable web server or an incorrect URL stored inside WordPress. Keeping those layers separate makes every later test meaningful.
Use a safe troubleshooting sequence
Work from the ownership layer downward. Record the current values before editing anything, and make one change at a time so you can identify the change that fixed—or caused—the problem.
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- Confirm the domain is usable. Check the registrar account for an active registration, a non-expired status, a completed or correctly progressing transfer, and any suspension or verification notice.
- Find the authoritative nameservers. Write down the NS values currently delegated by the registrar. Those nameservers identify the provider whose DNS zone answers visitors. Editing a different provider’s zone has no effect on the live domain.
- Confirm the domain is attached to the intended site. In the WordPress.com workflow, verify that the domain is connected to the correct site rather than another site in the account. In a self-hosted setup, confirm the host has added the domain to the correct hosting account.
- Compare web records with the host’s instructions. Check the apex A record and any www or subdomain CNAME. Use the exact destination supplied for this account; generic values copied from another provider can send visitors to an old site or nowhere.
- Protect mail and verification records. Save every existing MX and TXT value. Change only the web record needed for the site, and preserve mail-routing, domain-verification and email-security entries.
- Inspect WordPress itself. Open Tools > Site Health and check Home URL, Site URL, HTTPS status, permalinks and critical notices. A correctly resolving domain can still fail because WordPress retains an old hostname or an inconsistent HTTPS setting.
- Allow for propagation only after configuration is correct. Test from a second network and check several DNS locations. Do not repeatedly replace a correct record while different resolvers are still returning an earlier answer.
- Escalate origin errors separately. If DNS answers with the intended host but WordPress reports a database connection or server error, move to hosting, migration, database and server logs rather than making more DNS edits.
Check registration, transfer and ownership status
A domain cannot serve the intended site if it is expired, suspended, locked in an incomplete transfer or attached to another account. Sign in to the registrar named in the domain’s records and verify:
- The registration expiration date is in the future and no payment or identity-verification action is pending.
- The domain is not suspended for abuse, verification or a registrar policy issue.
- A recent transfer has completed, or its pending state is understood before you alter DNS.
- The domain appears in the same WordPress.com site or hosting account that you intend to publish.
- The registrar’s displayed nameservers match the DNS provider where you plan to edit records.
WordPress.com’s guide Troubleshoot WordPress.com domain name errors specifically directs owners to verify domain status, nameservers, transfer state and the site to which the domain is attached. These checks are account-level; changing an A record cannot correct a registration or transfer problem.
Find the authoritative DNS zone
Nameserver delegation is the most common reason an apparently correct edit does nothing. An NS record identifies the provider that controls the authoritative zone. Your registrar may display one provider while the domain’s NS delegation points to another, such as a previous host or a separate DNS service. In that case, edits made in the registrar’s parked editor or an old hosting panel are not live.
How to avoid editing the wrong provider
- Open the registrar’s domain-management page and copy the currently delegated NS values.
- Identify the DNS provider represented by those nameservers.
- Open that provider’s active zone for the exact domain.
- Check whether the zone contains the records currently returned to an external DNS checker.
- Make changes only in this authoritative zone, unless you intentionally plan to change nameserver delegation.
Changing nameservers is a larger operation than changing one A or CNAME record. It moves control of the entire zone, including mail and verification records. Export or copy the existing MX, TXT, CNAME and other required entries before delegating to a new provider.
Correct the website records without breaking email
DNS records control which website loads, where email is delivered and how the domain connects to other services. The exact values are provider- and site-specific, so obtain them from the current WordPress host or DNS provider instead of copying a generic address.
| Record | Purpose | What to verify | Typical mistake |
|---|---|---|---|
| NS | Delegates control of the DNS zone to a provider. | The registrar’s delegation matches the provider whose records you are editing. | Editing a non-authoritative zone and seeing no live change. |
| A | Maps a hostname to an IPv4 address, commonly for the website. | The value exactly matches the IPv4 address supplied for this WordPress site. | Leaving an old host, parking address or typo in place. |
| CNAME | Aliases one hostname to another; often used for www, subdomains or a provider connection. | The target is the exact hostname specified by the provider, with no conflicting record at the same name. | Using an A record where a provider requires a CNAME, or keeping two conflicting entries. |
| MX | Selects the servers that receive mail for the domain. | All required mail-server names and priorities remain present. | Deleting MX entries while changing the website. |
| TXT | Stores verification strings and text policies, including email-security information. | Verification and security values remain intact and complete. | Replacing or truncating a TXT value because it looks unrelated to the website. |
For an apex domain
The root or apex name is often represented by the bare domain, while the host may specify an A record for it. Enter the address exactly as supplied, and remove only obsolete records that conflict with the provider’s instructions. If the provider uses an alternative connection method, follow its CNAME or nameserver procedure instead of inventing an A value.
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For www and other subdomains
The www hostname or a custom subdomain may use a CNAME even when the apex uses an A record. Check each hostname separately. A working root domain does not prove that www points to the same site, and a correct CNAME does not repair an incorrectly delegated apex.
Keep a change record
Before saving, note the old record, new record, hostname, TTL shown by the provider and the time of the edit. This gives support staff a precise rollback point and prevents two people from making contradictory changes.
Preserve mail, verification and security records
Website and email records can coexist in one DNS zone. Changing the A record for the website does not require changing MX records, and changing nameservers without recreating MX and TXT entries can interrupt mail even when the website is fixed.
- Copy every existing MX hostname and priority before a nameserver change.
- Retain TXT values used for domain verification and email-security policies.
- Do not merge, shorten or retype long TXT strings unless the provider explicitly instructs you to.
- After a web edit, send a test message to the domain and confirm that verification services still recognize the domain.
- If mail stopped immediately after a DNS migration, compare the new zone with the saved MX and TXT values before touching the website records again.
WordPress.com’s DNS documentation explains that DNS records determine both website routing and email delivery. Treat mail preservation as a required part of a website repair, not an optional cleanup task.
Check WordPress URLs and Site Health
DNS can resolve perfectly while WordPress still generates links, redirects and assets for an old domain. In the WordPress dashboard, open Tools > Site Health. Review the following items together:
Home URL
The Home URL is the public address visitors use to reach the site. WordPress.org’s Site Health screen defines it as “the URL where your core WordPress files are installed.” Confirm that the hostname, protocol and trailing format match the address you intend to publish.
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Site URL
The Site URL identifies the address WordPress uses for its installation. A mismatch between Site URL and Home URL can create redirect loops, missing styles or links that jump to a staging hostname. Correct the values through the supported dashboard or hosting method for your installation, and take a backup before changing them.
HTTPS status
Check whether WordPress recognizes the site as HTTPS. If the certificate is valid but WordPress still believes the site is HTTP, redirects and mixed-content warnings can result. If DNS has only just been changed, certificate issuance may still be waiting for the new domain connection; do not assume that repeatedly requesting a certificate will accelerate validation.
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Permalinks and critical notices
Review Site Health notices and verify that permalinks are configured for the intended site. A domain move can expose rewrite or configuration errors that look like DNS failures because the home page loads while internal pages return errors.
Understand propagation and test it correctly
DNS answers are cached by resolvers, networks and devices. WordPress.com Support states that propagation “usually completes within a few hours but can take up to a maximum of 72 hours,” while a Learn WordPress lesson describes a range from a couple of hours to 72 hours. That is an expected upper bound for a correctly made update, not a guarantee that every failure will resolve by waiting.
Signs that you are seeing propagation
- The same hostname returns the new site from one network and the old site from another.
- Results change over time without further edits.
- An external DNS checker shows a mixture of old and new answers at different locations.
Signs that waiting will not help
- Every network returns the same wrong address.
- The authoritative nameservers are not the ones you edited.
- The domain is expired, suspended or still transferring.
- The host’s required A or CNAME is missing or mistyped.
- The domain resolves to the right host but the origin returns a database or server error.
A reliable propagation test
- Test the domain on your normal connection and record the result.
- Disable neither security software nor browser protections; instead, test from mobile data or another independent network.
- Use a DNS propagation checker to compare answers from multiple locations.
- Check the authoritative zone directly through the DNS provider’s record view.
- If the authoritative value is correct but some locations are old, stop editing and allow the stated propagation window to pass.
Resolve SSL that remains pending
SSL issuance normally depends on the provider being able to validate the domain and reach the intended connection. A certificate can remain pending when the domain still points to an old host, when the required CNAME or A record is missing, or while different resolvers are still seeing earlier DNS data.
- Confirm the domain is attached to the correct WordPress.com site or self-hosted account.
- Verify the authoritative nameservers and the exact web record required by the host.
- Check that no conflicting A, CNAME or redirect sends validation to another service.
- Allow the DNS update time described by the provider, using independent networks to confirm visibility.
- Once DNS consistently reaches the intended host, review the provider’s certificate status and any domain-validation notice.
- After issuance, verify both the HTTPS page and the HTTP-to-HTTPS redirect, then check WordPress Site Health for a matching HTTPS configuration.
Do not delete MX or TXT records to solve an SSL problem. TXT entries may be needed for validation or email security, and mail records are unrelated to the website certificate’s basic routing.
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WordPress.com and self-hosted WordPress require different checks
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Use the site and domain tools in the WordPress.com account to confirm the domain is attached to the intended site. Follow the platform’s supplied connection method—an A record, CNAME or nameserver change—and use its domain-error guidance to inspect status, transfer state and nameservers. The exact destination values vary by account and connection type.
Self-hosted WordPress
First confirm that the hosting account is configured to accept the domain and that the web server has a site definition for it. Then publish the A or CNAME value specified by that host. Once DNS reaches the server, use WordPress Site Health and the host’s logs to separate URL, HTTPS, database and application errors from DNS.
Instructions written for one platform should not be transplanted to the other. A WordPress.com connection workflow and a self-hosted server migration can use different records, dashboards and certificate processes.
Branch to the right fix for each error
Visitors see an old website
Compare the live A or CNAME answer with the current host’s value. If the answer is old everywhere, correct the authoritative record. If only some networks are old and the authoritative value is correct, treat it as propagation and avoid a second conflicting edit.
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Visitors see a parking page or “site not found” page
Check for an expired or suspended registration first, then verify NS delegation and the apex record. A parking page often means the domain is still using a registrar or previous host destination rather than the WordPress host.
The domain works, but links redirect to another hostname
Inspect Home URL and Site URL in Site Health, then review HTTPS status and any host-level redirect. Correct the stored WordPress URLs using the supported method for the installation and test the home page, an internal page and the login page.
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The site shows a database connection error
Once DNS points to the correct host, stop changing DNS. Developer.WordPress.org notes that database connection failures have multiple causes and can follow a migration or server move. Check database credentials, database availability, permissions, connectivity and server configuration with the host or administrator.
Email stopped after a nameserver change
Compare the new zone with the saved MX and TXT records. Recreate the provider’s complete mail entries and verification values, then allow those DNS changes to propagate. Do not replace working mail records with guesses based on the website host’s instructions.
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When to contact support
Escalate with a compact record of facts rather than a description that only says “DNS is broken.” Include the domain, registrar, delegated nameservers, the authoritative provider, the exact A or CNAME value expected by the host, the value currently returned, the time of each change, the networks tested, and any Site Health or server error text. For an email incident, include the previous and current MX and TXT values. This lets the registrar, DNS provider, WordPress host and mail provider identify which layer they control.
How to choose a provider for future changes
If you are selecting a registrar, DNS provider or WordPress host after a failed migration, evaluate the parts of the repair that create risk:
- Authoritative nameserver control: Can you clearly see which service is answering for the domain?
- Record instructions: Are A and CNAME requirements unambiguous for the apex, www and custom subdomains?
- Mail preservation: Does the workflow warn you before replacing MX and TXT records?
- SSL support: Does it explain issuance, renewal, validation and pending states?
- Propagation diagnostics: Can you inspect current records and identify whether an answer is authoritative or cached?
- Migration assistance: Is there a documented process for moving a site without losing URLs, mail or verification records?
- Support quality: Can support distinguish DNS, WordPress configuration, database and server failures?
- URL correction without downtime: Does the platform provide a safe way to update the public and installation URLs?
A final pre-change checklist
- Domain active, paid and not suspended.
- Transfer status understood.
- Registrar and authoritative DNS provider identified.
- Domain attached to the intended WordPress site or hosting account.
- Current A, CNAME, MX and TXT values copied for rollback.
- Host-specific web destination obtained from the current provider.
- Only the required web record scheduled for change.
- Home URL, Site URL, HTTPS status and Site Health notices reviewed.
- Independent-network and propagation checks planned.
- Database and server troubleshooting reserved for cases where DNS already reaches the correct host.
The practical diagnosis
Most WordPress domain incidents become straightforward once you identify the authoritative nameservers and classify the symptom. A wrong NS, A or CNAME record is a DNS configuration problem; different answers on different networks after a correct edit are propagation; a redirect or mixed-content issue belongs in WordPress URLs and HTTPS; and a database error after correct resolution belongs at the origin server. Preserve MX and TXT records throughout, use the provider’s exact values, and change one layer at a time.
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