How to use nameserver (NS) records for advanced subdomain needs.

When you register a domain with Squarespace, we automatically create nameservers to store your resource records. Resource records contain information about the underlying components of your domain, like your email provider or web host. After creating a subdomain, your resource records initially remain the same as your domain's.

Adding more nameservers to your DNS settings using NS records is an optional and advanced step that's useful for pointing subdomains at other servers.

If you need to add custom nameservers to your root domain (or www), for example, add custom DS records for DNSSEC, visit Making changes to nameservers.

Follow this guide for help if:

• Your domain is registered with Squarespace and you've created your subdomain, or
• Your domain is registered with a third party, connected to Squarespace using Nameserver Connect, and has a subdomain in place.

If your domain is connected via DNS Connect, edit your DNS settings in your account with your third-party domain provider instead of following this guide.

Tip: If you're not sure which of these applies to you, visit Nameserver Connect vs. DNS Connect for domain connections to learn if your domain is using DNS Connect or Nameserver Connect.

Note: Our scope of support for DNS records is limited. We can help with showing you where to add records to your DNS settings. We can’t provide technical advice about DNS records or information about how DNS records work with other services. If you need more help, you can get peer-to-peer help in the Domains section of the Squarespace Forum or contact the service you're trying to connect, using our sample message.

Preparing your subdomain for NS records

To prevent errors, DNSSEC protection must be disabled before adding NS records to your subdomain. You can add third-party DNSSEC protection to your DNS settings by adding DS records or DNSKEY records.

To disable DNSSEC:

1. Open your domains dashboard.
2. Click the domain with the subdomain you're editing. Click DNS, then click DNSSEC.
3. Switch off the toggle beside DNS Security Extensions toggle.
4. A confirmation window will appear. Click Confirm. This removes the DNSSEC information from the domain, subdomain, and registry.

Note: If you don't see the DNS Security Extensions toggle, follow our troubleshooting steps.

Adding NS Records

After disabling DNSSEC, you can add additional nameservers from another provider to your DNS settings using NS records.

To add an NS record:

1. Have your NS records ready. You may need to contact your server provider for this information.
2. Open your domains dashboard.
3. Click the subdomain. If you have multiple Squarespace subdomains, you'll manage their DNS records separately.
4. Click DNS, and then click DNS Settings.
5. Scroll down to Custom Records.
6. Click Add record.
7. Enter your current password, or if you have two-factor authentication (2FA) enabled, reauthenticate your account using your 2FA method and click Continue.
8. In the Type dropdown menu, select NS.
9. In the Name field, enter the name value from your provider. Squarespace automatically adds your subdomain to the name field, so to create a record that points to mail.yourdomain.com, you’ll enter mail as the name. If your provider is asking you to use @ or your domain's root as a name, follow the steps in Making changes to your nameservers instead.
10. In the Nameserver field, enter the NS record from your provider.
11. Click Save to add the record. It can take 24 to 48 hours for the changes to update.

Removing NS records

Removing additional nameservers added with NS records can hard reset your nameservers to their original settings. This is helpful if you're trying to fix certain subdomain issues preventing you from pointing a domain or subdomain to another site.

Follow our steps below to revert your subdomain back to using Squarespace nameservers.

Step 1 - Disable DNSSEC

To disable DNSSEC:

1. Open your domains dashboard.
2. Click the subdomain. If you have multiple Squarespace subdomains, you'll manage their DNS records separately.
3. Click DNS, then click DNSSEC.
4. Switch off the DNS Security Extensions toggle.

Note: If you don't see the DNS Security Extensions toggle, follow our troubleshooting steps.

5. A confirmation window will appear. Click Confirm. This removes the DNSSEC information from the domain and registry. It can take 24 to 48 hours for the changes to update.

Step 2 - Add Squarespace nameservers

To reset your nameservers:

1. Open your domains dashboard.
2. Click the subdomain. If you have multiple Squarespace subdomains, you'll manage them separately.
3. Click DNS, then click Domain Nameservers.
4. Click Use Squarespace nameservers to keep or add Squarespace’s default nameservers. Any records added to the domain’s DNS settings panel will apply to the subdomain.
5. Enter your current password, or if you have two-factor authentication (2FA) enabled, reauthenticate your account using your 2FA method and click Continue.
6. Click Save. It can take 24 to 48 hours for the nameservers to start working properly.

Step 3 - Enable DNSSEC

To enable DNSSEC:

1. Open your domains dashboard.
2. Click the subdomain. If you have multiple Squarespace subdomains, you'll manage their DNS records separately.
3. Click DNS, then click DNSSEC.
4. Switch on the DNS Security Extensions toggle.
5. A confirmation window will appear. Click Confirm. This removes the DNSSEC information from the domain and registry. It can take 24 to 48 hours for the changes to update.

Troubleshooting

If you’re having issues adding NS records, follow the steps below to resolve any errors.

Error message: Couldn’t add nameserver

This error message can appear if you're in the process of transferring your domain to another provider. It’s not possible to edit your DNS settings from Squarespace, including your nameservers, during a pending domain transfer. To resolve this issue, wait for the domain to fully transfer to the new provider, and then follow the new provider's instructions.

I don't see the DNS Security Extensions toggle

If you're trying to disable DNSSEC and don't see the DNS Security Extensions toggle, this means your subdomain is using custom nameservers and DS records. You can instead disable DNSSEC by deleting these DS records from your DNSSEC settings. Deleting your DS records is the same thing as turning the DNS Security Extensions toggle off.

To disable DNSSEC:

1. Open your domains dashboard.
2. Click the subdomain. If you have multiple Squarespace subdomains, you'll manage their DNS records separately.
3. Click DNS, and then click DNSSEC.
4. Hover over any of the records listed under DS records and click the red trash can to delete them.
5. Enter your current password, or if you have two-factor authentication (2FA) enabled, reauthenticate your account using your 2FA method and click Continue.
6. Click Save. It can take up to 48 hours for the nameservers to start working properly.