DNS — Domain Name System — is the mechanism that connects your domain name to your hosting server. When someone types your domain into a browser, DNS translates that domain into the IP address of the server hosting your site. Pointing your domain to WP Engine means updating DNS records at your domain registrar so they direct traffic to WP Engine’s infrastructure instead of wherever your site is currently hosted.
This guide covers exactly which records to set and where to set them, for both new sites and migrations from an existing host.
Understanding the DNS Records Involved
| Record type | What it does | Used for |
| A record | Maps domain to an IPv4 address | Pointing root domain to WP Engine IP |
| CNAME record | Aliases one domain to another | Pointing www subdomain to WP Engine URL |
| MX record | Routes email for the domain | Email delivery (not changed for site hosting) |
| AAAA record | Maps domain to an IPv6 address | IPv6 support (optional) |
For most WP Engine setups, you need to set an A record for the root domain (yourdomain.com) and a CNAME record for the www version (www.yourdomain.com). WP Engine provides the exact values in the dashboard.
Step 1: Add Your Domain in the WP Engine Dashboard
Log in to your WP Engine account and navigate to your site environment. Click the Domains tab. Click Add Domain and enter your domain name (yourdomain.com). Add the www version as well (www.yourdomain.com). Set one as the primary domain — typically the www version or the non-www version depending on your preference and any existing SEO history.
After adding the domain, WP Engine displays the DNS records you need to configure. The dashboard shows the exact CNAME target URL and A record IP address for your specific environment. Note these values before moving to your registrar.
Step 2: Update DNS Records at Your Domain Registrar
Log in to wherever you registered your domain. Every registrar’s interface is different, but all have a DNS management section — typically called DNS Settings, Advanced DNS, or Manage DNS.
For the root domain (yourdomain.com): Set an A record with the value of the IP address WP Engine provided. If there is an existing A record pointing to your old host, update it rather than creating a duplicate.
For the www subdomain (www.yourdomain.com): Set a CNAME record pointing to the WP Engine environment URL shown in the dashboard. The format is typically yourenvname.wpengine.com or similar. Delete any existing CNAME record for www before creating the new one.
Leave MX records unchanged. MX records control email routing. If you have email set up on your domain, do not touch MX records. Changing them would break email delivery. Only A and CNAME records need updating to move the website to WP Engine.
Step 3: Wait for DNS Propagation
After updating DNS records, changes propagate across the global DNS system over time. Most changes complete within 1 to 4 hours, though the official maximum is 48 hours. The time depends on the TTL (Time to Live) value of the existing DNS records — lower TTL values mean faster propagation.
Before making DNS changes, if you have access to your current host’s DNS settings, reduce the TTL on your existing A and CNAME records to 300 seconds (5 minutes) 24 to 48 hours in advance. This speeds propagation significantly when you make the actual change.
To check propagation progress, use dnschecker.org or whatsmydns.net. Enter your domain and select A record type. You will see whether different DNS servers around the world are returning the old IP address or the new WP Engine IP.
Step 4: Enable SSL After Propagation
Once your domain is pointing to WP Engine and propagation is complete, go back to the Domains section in the WP Engine dashboard. Click the SSL option next to your domain. WP Engine issues a free SSL certificate automatically. This process takes a few minutes and requires that DNS is fully propagated first — the certificate cannot be issued until WP Engine can verify that the domain is pointing to its servers.
After SSL is active, update your WordPress Address and Site Address in WordPress admin Settings to use https:// rather than http://. Enable the HTTPS redirect in WP Engine’s domain settings to force all HTTP traffic to the HTTPS version automatically.
For the complete setup walkthrough for new sites, see How to Set Up a New WordPress Site on WP Engine. For migrating an existing site and updating DNS as part of that process, see How to Migrate from cPanel Hosting to WP Engine.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does DNS propagation take for WP Engine?
Most DNS changes propagate within 1 to 4 hours. In rare cases it can take up to 48 hours. Reducing your TTL to 300 seconds 24 to 48 hours before making the change speeds this up significantly. Use dnschecker.org to monitor propagation progress in real time.
Will my site go down during DNS propagation?
Your site will not go offline during propagation. Different visitors will see either the old host or WP Engine depending on which DNS servers their ISP uses and how quickly those servers pick up the new records. Once propagation is complete everywhere, all visitors see WP Engine. The transition is seamless for most visitors.
What if I use Cloudflare for DNS?
If your domain’s nameservers point to Cloudflare, update the DNS records in the Cloudflare dashboard rather than at your registrar. Set the A record and CNAME with Cloudflare Proxy (the orange cloud) disabled initially to allow WP Engine to issue the SSL certificate. Once SSL is active in WP Engine, you can re-enable Cloudflare’s proxy if desired, though WP Engine already includes Cloudflare CDN at the infrastructure level.
Can I keep my email at my current host while moving the website to WP Engine?
Yes. Update only the A record and CNAME record for the website. Leave MX records pointing to your current email provider unchanged. This is the standard approach for separating website and email hosting across different providers.
