# Connecting a custom domain

> Show your CoreHue galleries, booking page and invoices on your own domain, like photos.yourstudio.com. DNS setup steps, statuses and fixes for photographers.

Source: https://help.corehue.co/docs/account/connecting-a-custom-domain/

Connect a domain you own and your clients see your name in the address bar, like photos.yourstudio.com/summer-wedding, instead of yourname.corehue.co. Your galleries, booking page and documents all move to it, and your CoreHue address keeps working in the background.

> **Available on Plus and Pro**
Custom domains are included on the Plus and Pro plans. See [CoreHue plans](/docs/plans-and-billing/corehue-plans).

## Before you start

- **You need a domain** from a registrar such as GoDaddy, Namecheap, Squarespace or Cloudflare, and access to its DNS settings.
- **A subdomain is easiest**, like photos.yourstudio.com or clients.yourstudio.com, because it leaves your main website alone. You can use your root domain if you prefer.
- **You can connect one custom domain per account.**
- **Set it up before you send links**, so clients don't have to switch to a new address later.

## Connecting your domain

1. Go to **Settings → Domains**.
2. Under **Custom domain**, type your domain in the **Domain** field and choose **Connect domain**.
3. **Setup instructions** opens with the records to add, under **Record type**, **Hostname** and **Value**. Each has a copy button.
4. Sign in to your registrar and add those records exactly as shown.
5. Back in CoreHue, choose **Check connection**.

DNS changes can take a few minutes to a few hours to spread. If it isn't connected straight away, nothing has gone wrong: come back later and choose **Check again**.

## Reading the status

Under your domain, CoreHue shows where things stand, along with when it was last checked.

| What you see | What it means |
| --- | --- |
| Add the DNS record below to connect your domain. | CoreHue is waiting for your records. Add them, then check the connection |
| DNS verified. Finishing setup. | Your records are right and the domain is being set up. This usually takes a few minutes |
| Your domain isn't connected yet | The records couldn't be confirmed. Check they match the setup instructions exactly |
| **Connected** | Your domain is live |
| Connection check failed | It was working, but the last check couldn't confirm it. It may still be fine |

Once connected, the button changes to **Test connection** so you can check it any time, and the links CoreHue copies for you use your domain.

## If it won't connect

- **Compare each record character by character** with the setup instructions. A missing letter or an extra space is the usual culprit.
- **Check you added it to the right domain**, especially if you own several.
- **Remove old records** for the same hostname that point somewhere else.
- **Give it time.** Some registrars take a few hours.

"Connection check failed" on a domain that was working usually means something changed at your registrar, or the domain expired. Check your registrar first.

Still stuck? [Contact us](/contact) with your domain name and a screenshot of your DNS records.

## Removing your domain

Choose **Remove domain** and confirm. Your pages stop loading on that domain, and your CoreHue address carries on as normal. You can reconnect it any time.

## If your account moves to Free

Custom domains need Plus or Pro. If your account moves to Free (see [What's included on the Free plan](/docs/plans-and-billing/the-free-plan)), your domain is disconnected straight away and kept on the Domains tab with the note "Your domain was disconnected when your account moved to Free." Your pages keep working on yourname.corehue.co.

After you upgrade, open **Settings → Domains** and choose **Reconnect domain**. It doesn't reconnect by itself.

On Free, choosing **Connect domain** opens **Connect your own domain**, which explains the upgrade.

## Frequently asked questions

### Do my old corehue.co links still work after I connect a domain?

Yes. Your yourname.corehue.co links keep working after you connect a custom domain. Your CoreHue URL stays live as a backup: "Always works if your custom domain has issues." See [Your CoreHue URL](/docs/account/your-corehue-url).

### Can I use my main website's domain?

Yes. You can use your root domain as your CoreHue custom domain, but a subdomain like photos.yourstudio.com is usually simpler, because your main website stays where it is.

### How long does it take to connect?

Connecting a custom domain usually takes minutes, sometimes a few hours, depending on your registrar. CoreHue shows "DNS verified. Finishing setup." once it has found your records.

### Can I connect more than one domain?

No. Each CoreHue account can have one custom domain, on Plus or Pro.