Nameservers vs. DNS Records: Which Should I Change?

Nameservers and DNS records both affect where a domain sends visitors, but they change different things. Nameservers identify which DNS provider is authoritative for the domain. DNS records are the individual instructions stored by that provider, such as where the website or email should go.

Change nameservers when moving DNS management

If you want your hosting provider to manage the domain's DNS zone, update the nameservers at the company where the domain is registered. Use only the exact nameserver hostnames supplied for your account. Changing nameservers moves authority for the whole zone, so the new DNS provider must have the records your website and email already use.

Before switching, copy important records such as MX, SPF, DKIM, DMARC, verification TXT records, and any subdomains. Missing mail records can interrupt email delivery even when the website works.

Change DNS records when keeping the current provider

If you want DNS to stay with your registrar or another DNS service, edit the website records there instead. Follow the values supplied by your hosting provider. A typical setup may use an A record for the root domain and a CNAME for www, but the correct values depend on the service and account.

Do not guess at IP addresses or copy example records from another domain. Check existing records before changing them, and avoid replacing mail or verification records when you only intend to point the website.

Check DNSSEC and allow for caching

If DNSSEC is enabled, changing nameservers may require updating the DS record at the registrar. A stale or mismatched DS record can make a domain fail to resolve. DNS resolvers also cache records according to their TTL, so different visitors may see old and new answers for a period after a change.

Which option should I choose?

• Choose new nameservers when you intend to move the whole DNS zone to a new provider and have copied the required records.
• Update individual records when you want to keep DNS management where it is and only change website routing.
• If you are unsure, ask the hosting provider which records to change before editing the live zone.

See how to register nameservers and what happens after a DNS change.