Setting Up a Custom Domain

Make your website truly yours with a custom domain like www.yourrestaurant.com instead of yourrestaurant.welcomehq.app.

Before You Begin

You'll need:

• A domain you own (purchased from GoDaddy, Namecheap, Google Domains, etc.)
• Access to your domain's DNS settings
• A paid Welcome plan

Don't have a domain yet? Purchase one from any domain registrar, then come back here.

Step 1: Add Your Domain in Welcome

1. Go to Website > Domain
2. Click Add Custom Domain
3. Enter your domain (e.g., www.yourrestaurant.com)
4. Click Add

[SCREENSHOT: Add custom domain form]

Welcome will show you the DNS records to configure.

Step 2: Configure DNS

Log into your domain registrar and update DNS settings.

For www.yourrestaurant.com

Add a CNAME record:

• Name/Host: www
• Value/Target: The value shown in Welcome (usually domains.welcomehq.app)
• TTL: 3600 (or default)

For yourrestaurant.com (no www)

Option A: Add a redirect from non-www to www (recommended)

Option B: Add an A record:

• Name/Host: @ (or blank)
• Value: The IP address shown in Welcome
• TTL: 3600

Tip: We recommend using www.yourrestaurant.com as your primary domain. It's more reliable across different DNS setups.

Step 3: Verify and Wait

1. Return to Welcome
2. Click Verify Domain
3. Wait for DNS propagation (can take up to 48 hours, usually faster)

Welcome will show:

• Pending: DNS changes still propagating
• Connected: Domain is working
• Error: Something needs fixing

Step 4: SSL Certificate

Once connected, Welcome automatically provides a free SSL certificate. Your site will be accessible via https://.

SSL provisioning takes a few minutes after domain verification.

Troubleshooting

"Domain not verified" after 48 hours

Check:

• DNS records match exactly what Welcome shows
• No conflicting records exist
• You're editing the correct domain

Use a tool like whatsmydns.net to check propagation.

SSL certificate error

Wait a bit longer—SSL can take up to an hour after domain verification. If it persists, contact support.

Site shows wrong content

Clear your browser cache, or try an incognito window.

Changing Domains

To use a different domain:

1. Remove the current custom domain
2. Add the new one
3. Configure DNS for the new domain

Common Questions

Can I use a subdomain like menu.myrestaurant.com?

Yes! Add it the same way as a regular domain.

Do I need to renew anything with Welcome?

No—once connected, your domain stays connected. Just keep paying for your domain registration.

What happens to my .welcomehq.app address?

It still works! Visitors using the old URL will be redirected to your custom domain.

Need help? Contact support.