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Keeping your site online during a transfer

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Written by Atom
Updated today

What is DNS and why does it matter? Think of your domain as your house, and DNS as the address book that tells the post office (the internet) where to find you. When you move your domain from one registrar to Atom, that address book doesn't always automatically move with you.

How do I know if I need to do anything? Check who is currently handling your "Nameservers." You can find this in your current registrar's dashboard.

  • You are safe if: Your nameservers belong to a hosting company (like Shopify, Wix, Squarespace, Bluehost, or WP Engine) or a third party like Cloudflare. Since they hold the address book, moving the domain name to Atom won't change anything.

  • You must take action if: Your nameservers belong to your previous registrar (e.g., GoDaddy, Namecheap, etc.). When the domain leaves them, they "close the book," and your website and email will go dark.

Step-by-Step: How to prevent downtime

  1. Before the transfer finishes: Log in to your old account. Find the "DNS Settings" or "DNS Management" page.

  2. Take a screenshot: Capture every row. These are your "records" (A, MX, CNAME, etc.).

  3. Wait for the move: Once the domain is in your Atom account, go to the Domain Manager.

  4. Re-enter the data: Copy the info from your screenshot into Atom's DNS settings.

  5. Switch to Atom: Change your nameservers to Atom's nameservers. Your address book is now safely at your new home!
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    Please read Use Atom nameservers and manage DNS records if you need to learn how to navigate Atom's Domain Manager to update DNS records.

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