A CNAME record makes one hostname an alias for another, so a subdomain resolves to whatever hostname you point it at. To add one, go to Services, open your hosting, and use the DNS Zone Editor to add a new record with the name of your subdomain, type CNAME, and the target hostname as the value. The Domains > your domain > DNS page only edits nameservers, not individual records, so record changes like this belong in the DNS Zone Editor instead.
The most common example is pointing www.yourdomain.com at yourdomain.com, so both load the same site without two separate A records to keep in sync. But CNAMEs show up constantly whenever a third-party service asks you to "point a subdomain at us": a help desk tool, a landing page builder, an email marketing platform, a CDN.
Adding the record
In the DNS editor, a CNAME record has three parts:
- Name: the subdomain you're creating, for example
www,shop, orhelp. Don't include the full domain, just the piece before it. - Type:
CNAME. - Value: the target hostname the other service gave you, for example
shops.myshopify.comoryourdomain.com.
Save it. It can take a while for visitors whose ISPs or browsers have cached the old DNS answer, since DNS records carry a TTL that controls how long resolvers hold onto an answer before checking again.
The rule that trips people up: no CNAME on the root
You cannot put a CNAME record on your root domain, the @ name. DNS specs don't allow a CNAME to coexist with other records at the same name, and the root almost always needs other records (MX for mail, sometimes TXT for verification), so the two conflict. Root domains need an A or AAAA record pointing straight at an IP address instead.
This is why "point my domain at Shopify/Wix/whatever" setups usually ask for two different things: an A record (or a special ALIAS/ANAME record some providers offer) at the root, and a CNAME for www. If you're setting up a domain to point at an external platform while keeping your Flashcloud hosting for something else, or keeping email on Flashcloud while the site lives elsewhere, see Pointing your domain or subdomain to Shopify, Wix, and other services for the full pattern, including how to avoid breaking your mail routing.
Common uses for a CNAME
A few situations where you'll reach for one:
- www aliasing. Point
wwwat your root domain so both work identically. - Third-party service connections. Email platforms, form builders, help desks, and page builders often ask you to create a subdomain (like
go.yourdomain.comorhelp.yourdomain.com) as a CNAME pointing at their infrastructure. They'll give you the exact target hostname to use. - CDN or asset hosts. Some CDNs ask for a CNAME on a subdomain like
cdn.yourdomain.compointing at a hostname they control. - Domain verification chains. Occasionally a service verifies domain ownership by asking for a CNAME rather than a TXT record. Same process: name, type, value, save.
Always copy the target value exactly as the service provides it. A trailing character or typo in the hostname means the record resolves to nothing, and whatever you're trying to connect won't work even though the record itself saved fine.
Checking it worked
Once saved, you can confirm a CNAME is resolving with a lookup tool or the dig command: dig CNAME www.yourdomain.com should return the target hostname you entered. If it doesn't show up yet, it's usually just propagation delay from the TTL on the previous record at that name, not a mistake in what you entered. For a broader rundown of what every record type does and when to use each one, see DNS record types explained, and for the general editor walkthrough see DNS records and how to manage them.
When to contact support
If you've added the record correctly, waited past the old TTL, and it still isn't resolving, or you're not sure whether a value a third party gave you is safe to add, open a ticket from the portal under Support. A real person will check the zone and the propagation status with you.