Wix domain not connecting: how to fix the error and go live
Your domain shows an error or an old page instead of your Wix site. Here is how to find the cause and fix it in order.
You typed your domain and got an error, a blank page, or the old site you replaced, not your new Wix site. This happens to small business owners right after they buy a domain or move one over, and it is almost always a settings or timing problem, not a broken site. This guide walks through Wix's own Domain Assistant checks in order, quickest first, so you can find your cause and fix it.
First, work out which problem you have
A domain that will not connect usually has one of a handful of causes. Each one shows a slightly different symptom. Find yours in the table, then jump to the matching fix.
| What you see | Most likely cause | Go to |
|---|---|---|
| Your changes are not live, or the free wixsite.com address works but your domain does not | Site not published, or no active plan | Fix 1 and Fix 2 |
| Domain loads but says it is not assigned, or points nowhere | Domain not assigned to this site, or expired | Fix 2 and Fix 3 |
| Your domain still shows your old host or old site | Wrong name servers, or wrong A and CNAME records | Fix 4 |
| Site loads but the padlock is missing, or a "not secure" warning shows | SSL not issued yet, or DNSSEC is on | Fix 5 and Fix 6 |
| It works on your phone but not your computer, or the other way round | Local browser or network cache | Fix 7 |
Work down the list in order. The early fixes take seconds and catch the most common problems, so do not skip them even if you are sure it is a DNS issue.
Fix 1: Publish your site
New edits and changes are not automatically reflected on your live site. If you built or changed your site but never published, your domain has nothing current to point to.
In the Wix Editor, click Publish at the top right. Then open your domain in a new tab. If you still see an error, move on; publishing alone will not help if the domain is not connected yet, but an unpublished site is a common and easy miss.
Fix 2: Check your plan is active
Wix requires an active Premium or Studio plan for a domain to stay connected. A free account on a wixsite.com address cannot hold your own domain.
- Open Premium Subscriptions in your Wix account.
- Check that your site plan shows Active.
- Look at the Upcoming payment column. A failed or overdue payment can quietly deactivate the connection.
If the plan lapsed, renew it, then recheck your domain after a few minutes.
Fix 3: Make sure the domain is assigned and not expired
A domain can be in your account but not attached to the right site, or it can be expired.
- Go to the Domains section of your Wix account. If your domain shows Not Assigned to a Site, click Assign and pick the site that has the active plan.
- If you bought the domain from Wix, check it has not expired. Expired domains need the payment resolved before they reconnect.
- If you recently registered a domain through Wix, ICANN requires you to confirm your contact details. Look for an email from wix-team@notifications.wix.com and click Confirm. An unconfirmed domain gets deactivated.
Fix 4: Point the domain at Wix correctly
This is the cause behind most "it shows my old site" complaints. If your domain is registered somewhere else (GoDaddy, Namecheap, Google and so on), it needs to point at Wix. There are two methods.
Name servers (Wix recommends this). Wix hosts your DNS records and can help if something breaks. In your Wix account go to Domains, then Add an Existing Domain, then Connect a domain you already own, and choose the name servers method. Wix shows you the exact name servers to use. Copy those into your domain host's account in place of the current ones. Use the values Wix displays for your account rather than any you find on another site.
Pointing. Your DNS stays at your current host and you add two records. This suits a domain that already has complex records you do not want to move. In your domain host's DNS settings, set:
- A record: host @ (or leave blank), value 185.230.63.107
- CNAME record: host www, value pointing.wixdns.net
You must add both records. Missing one is a classic cause of the www version working but the bare domain failing, or a security warning. Note that with pointing, Wix cannot manage your DNS, so for record problems you contact your domain host. The full record values are on Wix's pointing method help page.
If you previously hosted elsewhere, delete any leftover old A records or CNAMEs that still point to the former host, or your domain may keep resolving to the old site.
Fix 5: Give DNS and SSL up to 48 hours
DNS changes are not instant. After you update name servers or records, Wix says it can take up to 48 hours for the domain to finish propagating and appear worldwide. The SSL certificate that gives you the padlock is generated automatically within 48 hours of the records updating.
So if you just made the change and see an error, it may simply be too soon. Check again later the same day and the next day. To confirm the records themselves are right now, look your domain up at whois.com and confirm it shows an active status and the name servers you expect. If 48 hours pass and it still fails, treat the records as wrong and recheck Fix 4.
Fix 6: Turn off DNSSEC and any DNS proxy
If your domain connects but the site shows "not secure" or the padlock never appears, the SSL certificate is probably blocked. Wix does not support DNSSEC or DNS proxies like Cloudflare for domains connected by pointing.
- Look your domain up at whois.com and find the DNSSEC line. It should read unsigned.
- If it shows signed, log in to your domain registrar and turn DNSSEC off. It can take time to go unsigned, so recheck later.
- If your domain runs through Cloudflare, the orange cloud proxy can interfere with pointing. If you use Cloudflare and hit a redirect loop, our guide on fixing too many redirects walks through the SSL mode that causes it.
Once DNSSEC is unsigned and the records are correct, the SSL certificate should issue within the 48 hour window.
Fix 7: Rule out your own browser and network
Sometimes the site is live for everyone except you, because your device cached the old answer.
- Clear your browser cache, or open the domain in a private or incognito window.
- Try a different browser, and a different device on a different connection (for example your phone on mobile data).
- If it loads on one network but not another, the problem is local caching and will clear on its own.
If the domain connects but still shows an old or blank page even in incognito, go back and confirm the site is published (Fix 1) and that no old records remain (Fix 4).
If none of this worked
Collect a few details before you ask for help, so you are not sent round in circles:
- Your domain name and where it is registered.
- Which method you used: name servers or pointing.
- A screenshot of the DNS records or name servers in your domain host account.
- The whois.com result showing status and DNSSEC.
- The exact error and when you made the change.
Then start with Wix's Domain Assistant, which runs the same checks automatically and flags what is wrong. If the domain is registered away from Wix and the problem is a record, your domain host's support team is the right place, since they control that DNS.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a Wix domain take to connect?
After you change DNS records or name servers, Wix says propagation can take up to 48 hours. The SSL certificate that gives you the padlock is also generated automatically within 48 hours of the records updating. If you are still seeing an error after two full days, the records are probably wrong rather than slow.
Why does my domain show the old site instead of my Wix site?
Your domain is still pointing at your previous host. The old A record or name servers are cached and resolving to the old server. Update the records to the Wix values (or switch the name servers to Wix), then wait for propagation. Clearing your browser cache or trying incognito helps you see the change sooner.
Do I need a paid Wix plan to connect my domain?
Yes. Wix requires an active Premium or Studio plan subscription for a domain to stay connected to your site. A free wixsite.com address does not let you connect your own domain. Check Premium Subscriptions in your account and make sure the plan shows Active and is not expired.
What is DNSSEC and why does it block my Wix domain?
DNSSEC is a security layer some registrars add to a domain. Wix does not support DNSSEC (or proxies like Cloudflare) for domains connected by pointing, and it can stop the SSL certificate from issuing. Check your domain at whois.com; if DNSSEC shows as signed, turn it off at your registrar, then wait for it to go unsigned.
Should I use name servers or pointing to connect my domain to Wix?
Wix recommends name servers, where Wix hosts your DNS records, because it can then help if something breaks. Pointing keeps DNS at your current host using an A record and a CNAME, which suits domains with complex existing records. With pointing, Wix cannot manage your records, so you contact your domain host for DNS help.
If you are rethinking where your site lives
Domain headaches often come up when people are already weighing a move. If you decide to switch platforms, know what actually moves: your domain and your content come with you, but the layout is rebuilt on the new platform rather than exported as files. Our guide on moving your website off Wix covers that in full.
On WebNewBiz, hosting and SSL are included on every plan, so the padlock and the DNS side are handled for you rather than something you configure by hand. It is a younger platform with a smaller app ecosystem than Wix, and the AI first draft still needs your own edits and photos, so it is not a fit for everyone. If you want to try it, you can Create your website for $1: the first month is $1, then the plan's normal price from $9 a month, cancel any time.