How to connect a custom domain with Cloudflare

Use this guide when your domain's DNS is managed by Cloudflare. This is the case for every domain registered with Cloudflare Registrar, and for domains bought elsewhere whose nameservers end with ns.cloudflare.com. If you are not sure, see Find where your DNS is managed.

The most important Cloudflare setting is the Proxy status: the records used by your store must be DNS only, with a grey cloud. Cloudflare proxies new records by default, and a proxied record prevents ScaleEdges from validating your domain and activating HTTPS.

Step 1: Get your records in ScaleEdges

1. In your ScaleEdges dashboard, open Settings and select the Storefront tab.
2. In the Custom domain card, enter your domain in Domain you own, for example shop.yourbrand.com or yourbrand.com.
3. Select Connect domain and wait for the DNS records to add table.
4. Keep this tab open. You will copy the Type, Name / host and Value of each row.

ScaleEdges shows a CNAME record for a subdomain, an A record for a root domain, and sometimes a TXT verification record. For help choosing between a root domain and a subdomain, read How to connect a custom domain to your ScaleEdges store.

Step 2: Open your DNS records in Cloudflare

1. Sign in to the Cloudflare dashboard.
2. Select your account, then select the domain you want to connect.
3. Open DNS, then Records.

Before adding anything, look through the list for records on the same name as your store:

• For a subdomain such as shop, find any A, AAAA or CNAME record named shop.
• For the root domain, find any A, AAAA or CNAME record named with your domain itself, sometimes displayed as @.

Edit or delete these records. Cloudflare does not allow a CNAME record to coexist with another record on the same name, and an old A or AAAA record would send part of your visitors to a different server. Do not touch your MX and TXT records used for email.

Step 3: Add the records

For a subdomain (CNAME)

1. Select Add record.
2. In Type, choose CNAME.
3. In Name, enter only the subdomain, for example shop for shop.yourbrand.com. Cloudflare adds your domain automatically.
4. In Target, paste the Value shown in ScaleEdges.
5. Turn the Proxy status off so that it shows DNS only and a grey cloud.
6. Leave TTL on Auto, then select Save.

For a root domain (A)

1. Select Add record, or edit the existing A record on your root domain.
2. In Type, choose A.
3. In Name, enter @.
4. In IPv4 address, paste the Value shown in ScaleEdges.
5. Turn the Proxy status off so that it shows DNS only and a grey cloud.
6. Leave TTL on Auto, then select Save.

Keep only one A record on the root domain, and delete any AAAA record on it. ScaleEdges uses IPv4 only. Cloudflare may display a warning that a DNS-only record exposes its IP address: this is expected for your store's record, which points to the ScaleEdges hosting network and not to a server of yours.

If ScaleEdges shows a TXT record

1. Select Add record and choose TXT.
2. In Name, enter the part of the name before your domain, usually _vercel.
3. In Content, paste the value shown in ScaleEdges. It starts with vc-domain-verify=.
4. Select Save. TXT records are always DNS only in Cloudflare.

Step 4: Check the configuration

1. Return to Settings → Storefront → Custom domain in ScaleEdges.
2. Select Check DNS configuration.
3. When the status changes to Configuring HTTPS, wait a few minutes, then check again.
4. When the status shows Active, select Open domain to view your store.

Cloudflare publishes changes quickly, usually within minutes. If you have just moved your domain's nameservers to Cloudflare, the move itself can take up to 24 hours. Your HTTPS certificate is created automatically by ScaleEdges. Cloudflare's SSL/TLS settings do not apply to DNS-only records, so you do not need to change them.

Keep the records DNS only

Leave your store's record on DNS only even after the domain is active. Turning the proxy on later puts Cloudflare between your customers and your store, can block the automatic renewal of your certificate and makes the domain appear misconfigured.

If your Cloudflare zone contains CAA records, which you can find with the Type filter, make sure one of them allows letsencrypt.org. Otherwise, add a record of type CAA on your root domain (@), choose the tag Only allow specific hostnames and enter letsencrypt.org as the certificate authority domain. If there is no CAA record, you have nothing to do.

Redirect the other version of your domain

A store uses one custom domain. If you connected yourbrand.com and also want www.yourbrand.com to reach your store, create a Cloudflare redirect from www to your root domain. Cloudflare explains the steps in Redirect from WWW to root. This redirect requires a proxied record for www, which is correct here because www is not the address connected to ScaleEdges. Never proxy the record of the address connected to your store.

Troubleshooting

• Cloudflare refuses to save the record: another A, AAAA or CNAME record already uses this name. Edit or delete it first.
• The status stays on Waiting for DNS: check that the record shows the exact value from ScaleEdges and that the name is not duplicated, such as shop.yourbrand.com.yourbrand.com.
• The status stays on Configuring HTTPS: make sure the cloud is grey and check your CAA records.

For every other situation, read Custom domain troubleshooting.