A nameserver is the DNS server responsible for a domain. When you type a domain into a browser, your computer queries a nameserver to find out where that domain’s website lives. Nameservers are set at your domain registrar, and changing them redirects all DNS queries for your domain to a different DNS provider. For most WP Engine setups, you do not need to change nameservers — you only update individual DNS records. But understanding when nameserver changes are appropriate, and how they differ from record-level changes, avoids common migration mistakes.
Nameservers vs DNS Records: The Key Difference
| Nameserver change | DNS record change | |
| What changes | Which DNS provider handles the domain | Where specific traffic goes (website, email, etc.) |
| Where you do it | At your domain registrar | At your current DNS provider |
| Propagation time | 24 to 48 hours | 1 to 4 hours typically |
| Risk level | Higher — affects all DNS for the domain | Lower — only changes the specific record |
| Use for WP Engine | Only if moving all DNS to a new provider | Standard approach for pointing website to WP Engine |
The Standard Approach: Update DNS Records, Not Nameservers
For the vast majority of WP Engine setups, you do not change nameservers. You update individual DNS records (an A record for the root domain and a CNAME for www) at your existing DNS provider — usually your domain registrar. This is faster (1 to 4 hours propagation vs 24 to 48), lower risk, and preserves your existing email and other DNS records untouched.
Full step-by-step instructions for this approach: DNS and WordPress: How to Point Your Domain to WP Engine.
When You Would Change Nameservers
Nameserver changes are appropriate in two scenarios: you want to move all DNS management to a different provider (for example, switching from your registrar’s DNS to Cloudflare for its performance and DDoS protection benefits), or your current DNS provider is being decommissioned and you need to move DNS management entirely.
If you are moving to Cloudflare DNS (a common and sensible choice for WordPress sites), the process is: add your domain to Cloudflare, Cloudflare imports your existing DNS records automatically, then you update the nameservers at your registrar to Cloudflare’s nameservers. Once propagated, all DNS management happens in Cloudflare’s dashboard.
WP Engine does not require you to use any specific DNS provider or change nameservers. It works with any DNS provider that allows you to set A and CNAME records.
How to Change Nameservers at Common Registrars
Namecheap: Log in, go to Domain List, click Manage next to your domain, find the Nameservers section, switch from Namecheap BasicDNS to Custom DNS, and enter your new nameserver addresses.
GoDaddy: Log in, go to My Products, find your domain, click DNS, scroll to Nameservers and click Change, select Enter my own nameservers, and enter the new addresses.
Google Domains / Squarespace Domains: Go to DNS settings, find the Nameservers section, switch from default to Custom, and enter the new nameserver addresses.
Cloudflare Registrar: If your domain is registered with Cloudflare, nameservers are managed automatically. You cannot change them to a third-party DNS provider when Cloudflare is both registrar and DNS provider.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does WP Engine have its own nameservers?
WP Engine does not provide nameservers for customers to use. WP Engine is a WordPress hosting platform, not a DNS provider. You keep your DNS at your registrar or a dedicated DNS provider like Cloudflare and point your domain to WP Engine using A records and CNAME records. You do not change nameservers to WP Engine nameservers.
How long does a nameserver change take to propagate?
Nameserver changes propagate in 24 to 48 hours globally, though many users see the change take effect within a few hours. This is slower than individual DNS record changes, which typically propagate in 1 to 4 hours. If speed matters, changing individual DNS records is preferable to a full nameserver change.
Will changing nameservers affect my email?
If you change nameservers to a new DNS provider, all DNS records for your domain move to that provider. Your email will stop working until you recreate your MX records at the new DNS provider. When using Cloudflare, it imports existing records automatically during setup, which reduces the risk of email disruption. Always verify your MX records are correctly set at the new provider before completing a nameserver change.
