Edit DNS records at IONOS

Before you start

• Any plan. Connecting a domain you own is free on Free, Launch and Grow.
• An IONOS login and a published yaya site. IONOS was also sold as 1&1, and the same Control Panel applies.
• The DNS steps from yaya. Open Website > Domain, type the name in Hostname and click Connect domain.

The domain must use the IONOS nameservers. If it does not, edit the records at the company that runs the DNS.

Sign in and find the DNS page

1. Sign in to IONOS and open Domains & SSL.
2. Click the gear icon under Actions next to the domain.
3. Choose DNS to edit a TXT record on the domain.
4. Choose Manage Subdomains to edit a CNAME on a subdomain. Then click the gear icon next to the subdomain and choose DNS.

What the screen calls the fields

• Type: CNAME or TXT.
• Hostname (CNAME) or Host name (TXT): type only the part before your domain, like www or shop. IONOS examples use @ for the bare domain. After you save, the screen shows the full name, so check it.
• Point to (CNAME): the target. Paste it from yaya.
• Value (TXT): the text yaya gives you.
• TTL: optional.

Add the CNAME record for a subdomain or www

1. Open the DNS page of the subdomain, as described above.
2. Click ADD RECORD and choose CNAME.
3. Type www in Hostname.
4. Paste the target from yaya in Point to. Leave out http:// and https://.
5. Click Save.

After the CNAME exists, you cannot make other settings for that subdomain. Email for that subdomain stops working.

Connect the bare domain

For the bare domain, use IONOS domain forwarding to www.

1. Connect www.example.com in yaya and add its CNAME.
2. Select the domain in Domains & SSL.
3. Click Adjust Destination on the Details tab, then Domain Forwarding.
4. Set Type to Arbitrary URL and enter https://www.example.com.
5. Choose HTTP Redirect and click Save. IONOS sets up the redirect with DNS entries.

Leave Domain forwarding for the www. Subdomain off, because www points to yaya. The domain must not be in use by a webspace or another service.

Add the TXT ownership record

yaya shows a name that starts with _cf-custom-hostname. Type only the part before your domain name.

1. Open the DNS page of the domain.
2. Click Add Record and choose TXT under Type.
3. Type _cf-custom-hostname.www in Host name for www.example.com. For the bare domain, type _cf-custom-hostname.
4. Paste the value from yaya in Value.
5. Click Save.

Replace a conflicting record

A CNAME cannot share a name with another record. Open the DNS section and edit or delete the old record for the same host. Leave MX and mail TXT records as they are. See Keep your email working.

Check the result in yaya

1. Open Website > Domain.
2. Click Check again.

IONOS applies a change at once, and it can take up to an hour to spread. yaya sets up HTTPS on its own. There is no deploy step.

Fix common problems

Nothing changes. Check that the domain uses the IONOS nameservers.

The card stays on "Waiting on DNS". See Fix a domain that won't verify.

I need a different name for the site. See Use a subdomain or www.

Provider's own guide: https://www.ionos.com/help/domains/configuring-cname-records-for-subdomains/configuring-a-cname-record-for-a-subdomain/