Domains & DNS

How to Add a Domain in Plesk

Adding a domain in Plesk is the first step to hosting a new website. This guide walks you through the process of adding a new domain, configuring webspace settings, and pointing the domain to your hosting server. Before You Begin - Ensure your domain name is registered with a domain registrar before adding it to Plesk. - Confirm your hosting subscription has available domain slots. - Have your domain registrar login ready — you will need to update DNS records. Adding a New Domain 1. Log in to Plesk. 2. Go to Websites & Domains. 3. Click Add Domain. 4. Choose a website creation option: - Blank website — Start with a placeholder page for an HTML or PHP site. - Upload files — Upload your own website files from your computer. - WordPress — Set up a WordPress site with the latest version. - Sitejet Builder — Create a website using the drag-and-drop builder. - Mail hosting — Set up the domain for email only (no website). 5. Under Select your domain name, choose: - Registered domain name — Enter your registered domain (e.g., yourdomain.com). - Temporary domain name — Plesk generates a temporary domain you can use before purchasing one. 6. Under Webspace settings, choose: - Create a new webspace — Fill in the system username, password, and select the IP address. - Select an existing webspace — Use the same webspace as another domain on your account. 7. Click Add Domain. 8. The new domain will appear in the list on the Websites & Domains page. Pointing Your Domain to Plesk After adding your domain, you need to point its DNS to your Plesk server: 1. In Plesk, go to Websites & Domains → click your domain → Hosting & DNS → DNS. 2. Find the NS record and note the nameserver value (e.g., ns.yourdomain.com). 3. Find the A record that corresponds to the nameserver. The IP address in this record is your Plesk server IP. 4. Log in to your domain registrar. 5. Update the domain DNS to point to your Plesk server: - Name servers: Set the NS records to the Plesk nameservers. - A record: Point @ and www to the Plesk server IP address. 6. DNS changes may take up to 48 hours to propagate worldwide. Important Notes - Adding a domain in Plesk does not register it — registration is separate and done through a registrar. - Removing a domain from Plesk does not cancel its registration. - Your hosting provider controls how many domains you can add. Contact them if the limit is reached. - If Plesk cannot resolve your domain, a warning will appear in DNS Settings with instructions. Troubleshooting "You have reached the maximum number of domains": - Your subscription has reached its domain limit. Contact your hosting provider to upgrade. Domain shows "Not resolved" warning: - The domain DNS has not been pointed to your Plesk server yet. Update the DNS records at your registrar. - DNS propagation can take up to 48 hours. Wait and check again. Website shows Plesk default page after DNS propagation: - Upload your website files to the httpdocs directory via the Plesk File Manager or FTP. Related Guides - Add a subdomain - Add a domain alias - Manage its DNS records

How to Add a Subdomain in Plesk

A subdomain is a third-level domain (e.g., blog.yourdomain.com) that can host a separate section of your website or an entirely different site. Subdomains share resources with your main domain but can have their own settings and content. This guide covers creating subdomains in Plesk. Adding a Subdomain 1. Log in to Plesk. 2. Go to Websites & Domains. 3. Click Add Subdomain. 4. Fill in the required fields: - Subdomain name: Enter the prefix (e.g., blog for blog.yourdomain.com). - Document root: The directory where the subdomain files will be stored. By default, Plesk suggests /subdomain/httpdocs. You can change this if needed. - Secure the subdomain with SSL/TLS: Check this box to secure the subdomain with a free Let Encrypt certificate (if available on your subscription). 5. Click OK. 6. The new subdomain will appear in the list under Websites & Domains. Wildcard Subdomains If you enter an asterisk (*) as the subdomain name, Plesk creates a wildcard subdomain. Any subdomain that is not explicitly registered will redirect to the wildcard subdomain. - Useful for applications that need to handle all subdomains (e.g., multi-tenant apps). - To create one, enter * in the Subdomain name field. Accessing Your Subdomain - Your subdomain will be accessible at https://subdomain.yourdomain.com after DNS propagation. - Plesk automatically creates the necessary DNS records (A record) for the subdomain. - Upload your files to the document root directory you specified during creation. Important Notes - Subdomains share resources (disk space, traffic) with your main domain subscription. - You cannot create a subdomain for a domain that is not already added to your Plesk account. - If your domain DNS is managed externally, you may need to add an A record for the subdomain at your DNS provider. Troubleshooting Subdomain is not accessible: - Wait for DNS propagation (up to 48 hours if DNS is managed externally). - Verify the A record for the subdomain exists in your DNS settings. - Ensure you have uploaded files to the correct document root directory. "Maximum number of subdomains reached": - Contact your hosting provider to increase your subdomain limit. Related Guides - Add a top-level domain - Add an alias - Manage DNS records

How to Add a Domain Alias in Plesk

A domain alias is an alternative domain name that points to the same website as your main domain. For example, if your main site is yourdomain.com, you can set up yourdomain.net and yourdomain.org as aliases. Visitors who type any of these addresses will see the same website. This guide explains how to create and manage domain aliases in Plesk. Common Uses for Domain Aliases - Pointing multiple TLDs to the same site (e.g., .com, .net, .org). - Redirecting common misspellings to your main domain. - Maintaining access to your old domain name after changing your primary domain. Adding a Domain Alias 1. Log in to Plesk. 2. Go to Websites & Domains. 3. Click Add Domain Alias. 4. Fill in the required fields: - Domain alias name: Enter the domain name to use as an alias (e.g., yourdomain.net). - Sync DNS zone with the primary domain: Check this to keep DNS records synchronized between the alias and the main domain. - Mail: Check this if you want the alias to also handle email for the same mailboxes. - Web: Check this if you want the alias to serve the same website content (keep this checked). - Redirect with the HTTP 301 code: Enable a permanent redirect from the alias to the main domain (recommended for SEO). 5. Click OK. Setting Up DNS for the Alias After creating the alias in Plesk, you need to configure DNS at your domain registrar: 1. Log in to your domain registrar for the alias domain. 2. Point the alias domain DNS to the same nameservers as your main domain. 3. Alternatively, set an A record for the alias pointing to your Plesk server IP address. 4. Wait for DNS propagation (up to 48 hours). Important Notes - A domain alias does not have its own website content — it shares the content of the main domain. - You need a separate registered domain name for each alias. - Using a 301 redirect is recommended for SEO to avoid duplicate content issues. - Removing a domain alias does not cancel the domain registration. Troubleshooting Alias domain shows a different website or error page: - Verify the DNS records at your registrar point to the correct server IP. - Check that the alias was created under the correct main domain. SSL certificate does not cover the alias: - You need an SSL certificate that includes the alias domain name (a multi-domain/SAN certificate or a separate certificate for the alias). - Contact your hosting provider about adding the alias to your SSL certificate. Related Guides - Add a domain - Add a subdomain - Clean up DNS records

How to Manage DNS Records in Plesk

DNS records tell the internet where to find your website, email, and other services. Plesk automatically creates the necessary DNS records when you add a domain, but you may need to add, modify, or remove records manually. This guide covers DNS record management in Plesk Obsidian. Accessing DNS Settings 1. Log in to Plesk. 2. Go to Websites & Domains. 3. Click the domain name you want to manage. 4. Go to Hosting & DNS → DNS. 5. You will see a list of all DNS records for the domain. Common DNS Record Types - A Record: Points a domain or subdomain to an IPv4 address (e.g., points yourdomain.com to 192.0.2.1). - AAAA Record: Points a domain or subdomain to an IPv6 address. - CNAME Record: Aliases one domain to another (e.g., www pointing to yourdomain.com). - MX Record: Specifies the mail server responsible for the domain. - TXT Record: Used for SPF, DKIM, and domain verification. - NS Record: Specifies the authoritative nameservers for the domain. - SRV Record: Specifies the location of services like SIP or calendaring. Adding a DNS Record 1. In the DNS page, click Add Record. 2. Select the record type from the dropdown. 3. Fill in the required fields: - Domain name: The subdomain or record name (leave blank for the root domain). - TTL: Time to live — how long the record is cached (default: 3600 seconds). Lower values mean faster propagation but more DNS queries. - IP address or target: The value the record points to (IP address for A records, domain for CNAME, etc.). 4. Click OK to add the record. 5. Click Update to apply the changes. Modifying a DNS Record 1. In the DNS record list, click on the record you want to modify. 2. Edit the fields as needed. 3. Click OK and then Update. Removing a DNS Record 1. In the DNS record list, check the box next to the record you want to remove. 2. Click Remove. 3. Click Update to confirm. Important Notes - DNS changes can take up to 48 hours to propagate globally. - Do not delete essential records (NS, A for root domain) unless you know what you are doing. - Always verify DNS changes using a tool like https://dnschecker.org or nslookup in your terminal. - If your domain DNS is managed by an external provider, changes in Plesk will not take effect unless the domain uses Plesk nameservers. Troubleshooting Website not loading after DNS changes: - Wait for DNS propagation (up to 48 hours). Check propagation status at dnschecker.org. - Verify the A record points to the correct IP address. - Clear your local DNS cache: run ipconfig /flushdns (Windows) or sudo systemd-resolve --flush-caches (Linux). Email not working after DNS changes: - Check that MX records are correctly configured and point to the right mail server. - Verify SPF and DKIM TXT records are present. "DNS settings update failed": - Contact your hosting provider — DNS management may be restricted for your subscription. Related Guides - Add a CAA record - Add an SRV record - Remove a record

Understanding DNS Propagation in Plesk

When you add a new domain, change DNS records, or move your website to a new server, the changes do not take effect instantly worldwide. This delay is called DNS propagation. This guide explains what it is, why it happens, and how to check if your changes have taken effect. What Is DNS Propagation? DNS propagation is the process of updating DNS records across all DNS servers worldwide. When you change a DNS record, the update starts at your authoritative DNS server. Other DNS servers around the world then fetch and cache this new information over time. How Long Does Propagation Take? - Standard TTL: Up to 48 hours for changes to fully propagate worldwide. - Lower TTL: If your records have a low TTL (e.g., 300 seconds), propagation can happen in minutes. - New domains: New domain registrations can take up to 24 hours to become accessible. Checking DNS Propagation Use these online tools to check if your DNS changes have propagated: - https://dnschecker.org — Shows DNS resolution from multiple locations worldwide. - https://whatsmydns.net — Similar to DNS Checker, checks propagation from various locations. - https://mxtoolbox.com/DNSLookup.aspx — Checks individual DNS records. To check from your computer: - Windows: Open Command Prompt and type nslookup yourdomain.com - macOS/Linux: Open Terminal and type dig yourdomain.com or nslookup yourdomain.com Speeding Up DNS Propagation While you cannot force global propagation, you can speed it up by: - Lowering your TTL before making changes — set TTL to 300 seconds (5 minutes) at least 24 hours before planned DNS changes. - Clearing your local DNS cache — this only affects your own computer: - Windows: Run ipconfig /flushdns in Command Prompt. - macOS: Run sudo dscacheutil -flushcache in Terminal. - Linux: Run sudo systemd-resolve --flush-caches. - Using a different DNS resolver — try 8.8.8.8 (Google) or 1.1.1.1 (Cloudflare) to check if changes are visible. Important Notes - DNS propagation is gradual — different locations may see different results at different times. - During propagation, some visitors may see the old site and others the new one. - Changes to SSL certificates and email settings may also be affected by DNS propagation timing. - Be patient — most DNS changes propagate within a few hours, not the full 48 hours. Troubleshooting Your site shows on some devices but not others: - This is normal during DNS propagation. Different devices and networks may be using different cached DNS records. - Flush the DNS cache on the device that shows the old result. DNS changes have not propagated after 48 hours: - Verify the DNS records are correct in Plesk (Websites & Domains → DNS). - Confirm the domain is using the correct nameservers at your registrar. - Contact your hosting provider for assistance. Related Guides - Manage your DNS records - Check records with the DNS Inspector - Set up DNSSEC

How to Remove a DNS Record in Plesk

Need to remove a DNS record from your domain in Plesk? Whether you're cleaning up old records, fixing a misconfiguration, or removing a subdomain, the process is straightforward. How to remove a DNS record 1. Log in to Plesk. 2. Go to Websites & Domains. 3. Find the domain you want to edit and click DNS Settings (you may need to expand the domain section first). 4. Locate the DNS record you want to remove from the list. 5. Select the checkbox next to the record. 6. Click Remove. 7. Click Yes to confirm the deletion. Note: Changes may take up to 24-48 hours to propagate across the internet, though most updates take effect within a few hours. Common DNS record types - A record — points a domain or subdomain to an IPv4 address. - AAAA record — points to an IPv6 address. - CNAME record — creates an alias pointing to another domain name. - MX record — directs email to a mail server. - TXT record — stores text data, commonly used for SPF, DKIM, and domain verification. - SRV record — defines a service location (used by some applications). - NS record — specifies the nameservers for the domain. Important notes - Do not remove MX records unless you want to stop receiving email for the domain. - Do not remove NS records unless you are changing nameservers — removing them can make your domain unreachable. - If your domain uses Plesk's DNS template, some records are auto-generated. Removing them may cause them to reappear after a template sync. - If DNS is managed externally (e.g. at your domain registrar), changes in Plesk won't have any effect. Edit them where your nameservers point. Troubleshooting - Record reappears after deletion: The DNS zone template may be re-adding it. Go to Tools & Settings → DNS Template to check and edit the template. - DNS Settings option missing: Your hosting plan may not include DNS management. Contact your hosting provider. - Changes not taking effect: DNS propagation can take time. Use nslookup or dig to verify, or check with an online DNS checker. Need help? Contact our support team. Related Guides - Manage DNS records - Add a CAA record - Add an SRV record

How to Add a CAA Record in Plesk

A CAA (Certification Authority Authorization) record specifies which certificate authorities (CAs) are allowed to issue SSL/TLS certificates for your domain. This guide walks you through adding a CAA record in Plesk. What is a CAA record? A CAA record tells certificate authorities: "only the CAs listed here may issue certificates for this domain." If an unlisted CA receives a request, they must refuse it. CAA records are inherited by subdomains unless overridden. Each CAA record has three parts: - Flag — usually 0 - Tag — issue (standard certs), issuewild (wildcard certs), or iodef (violation reports) - Value — the CA identifier (e.g. letsencrypt.org, sectigo.com, digicert.com) Adding a CAA record in Plesk 1. Log in to Plesk. 2. Go to Websites & Domains → find your domain. 3. Click Hosting & DNS → DNS Settings. 4. Click Add Record. 5. Select CAA as the record type. 6. Fill in the fields: - Domain name — leave blank for the root domain - Flag — enter 0 - Tag — select issue, issuewild, or iodef - Value — enter the CA identifier (e.g. letsencrypt.org) 7. Click OK to save. 8. If prompted, click Update to apply DNS changes. Verifying your CAA record Run dig yourdomain.com CAA or use an online tool like DNSChecker.org. Propagation can take up to 48 hours. Important notes - If you have no CAA records, any CA can issue certificates — this is fine for most sites. - If you do add CAA records, include every CA you use — forgetting one blocks renewals. - If you use Let's Encrypt via Plesk auto-SSL, always include letsencrypt.org. - CAA records don't affect existing certificates — only new issuance and renewals. Troubleshooting SSL issuance/renewal fails after adding CAA records: - Check your CA is listed. For Let's Encrypt, the value must be letsencrypt.org. - Verify with dig yourdomain.com CAA. - Make sure the tag is correct — issue for standard, issuewild for wildcard. CAA not available in the dropdown: - You need Plesk Obsidian 18.0 or later. Contact your hosting provider if unavailable. Record not showing in lookups: - Wait for propagation and ensure you clicked Update in Plesk. - If using external DNS (e.g. Cloudflare), add the record there instead. Need help? Contact our support team. Related Guides - Add an SRV record - Manage DNS records - Set up DNSSEC

How to Add an SRV Record in Plesk

SRV records point specific services — like VoIP, Microsoft 365, or game servers — to the right host and port. Unlike A or CNAME records, an SRV record includes the service name, protocol, priority, weight, port, and target host. This guide shows you how to add one in Plesk. Before you begin Have these details ready from your service provider: - Service name (e.g. autodiscover, sip, minecraft) - Protocol (tcp or udp) - Target host, port, priority, and weight Adding an SRV record in Plesk 1. Log in to Plesk. 2. Go to Websites & Domains → find your domain. 3. Click Hosting & DNS → DNS Settings. 4. Click Add Record and select SRV. 5. Fill in the fields: - Service name — enter without the underscore (Plesk adds it). E.g. autodiscover, not _autodiscover. - Protocol — enter without underscore. Typically tcp or udp. - Domain name — leave blank for the main domain. - Priority — lower = higher priority (e.g. 0, 10, 100). - Weight — for load balancing. Use 1 if only one target. - Port — the service port (e.g. 443, 5060, 25565). - Target host — the FQDN of the server (e.g. autodiscover.outlook.com). 6. Click OK to save. 7. If prompted, click Update to apply changes. Common examples Microsoft 365 autodiscover: Service autodiscover, Protocol tcp, Priority 100, Weight 1, Port 443, Target autodiscover.outlook.com Minecraft: Service minecraft, Protocol tcp, Priority 0, Weight 5, Port 25565, Target mc.yourdomain.com Verifying your SRV record Run: nslookup -q=SRV _autodiscover._tcp.yourdomain.com 8.8.8.8 Or use dnschecker.org with the SRV record type. Important notes - Don't add extra underscores. Plesk adds them automatically — typing _sip creates __sip. - Target must be a hostname, not an IP. Create an A record first if needed. - Priority works like MX — lower numbers = higher priority. - Weight is for load balancing among equal-priority records. Troubleshooting SRV record not resolving: - Make sure you clicked Update in Plesk after adding the record. - Check you didn't add an extra underscore to service or protocol. - Wait 15–30 minutes for initial propagation. Service not found after 48 hours: - Confirm your nameservers point to Plesk. If using external DNS, add the record there. Need help? Open a support ticket. Related Guides - Add a CAA record - Manage DNS records - Remove a record

How to Check DNS Records with the Plesk DNS Inspector

After changing DNS records in Plesk, you need to verify those changes went live. This guide covers how to check DNS records in Plesk and verify them using command-line tools and online checkers. Viewing DNS records in Plesk 1. Log in to Plesk. 2. Go to Websites & Domains → find your domain. 3. Click Hosting & DNS → DNS Settings. This page shows every record in your domain's zone file — A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT, SRV, NS, and SOA records with their types and values. Checking records with nslookup The nslookup command (Windows, macOS, Linux) queries DNS servers directly: - A record: nslookup yourdomain.com 8.8.8.8 - MX record: nslookup -q=MX yourdomain.com 8.8.8.8 - TXT record: nslookup -q=TXT yourdomain.com 8.8.8.8 - CNAME: nslookup -q=CNAME www.yourdomain.com 8.8.8.8 - SRV: nslookup -q=SRV _autodiscover._tcp.yourdomain.com 8.8.8.8 - DKIM: nslookup -q=TXT default._domainkey.yourdomain.com 8.8.8.8 Checking records with dig (Linux/macOS) dig provides more detail than nslookup: - dig yourdomain.com A @8.8.8.8 - dig yourdomain.com MX @8.8.8.8 - dig yourdomain.com ANY @8.8.8.8 Online DNS checker tools These check records from multiple global locations: - DNSChecker.org — 100+ global servers, supports all record types - whatsmydns.net — global propagation map - MXToolbox — best for email records (MX, SPF, DKIM, DMARC) DNS propagation Changes take effect on your server immediately, but DNS servers worldwide cache records based on TTL: - Typical: a few minutes to a few hours - Maximum: up to 48 hours - Tip: reduce TTL to 300 before planned changes, then increase after propagation Important notes - Plesk shows the zone file, not what the world sees. If nameservers point elsewhere, Plesk records won't be active. - Flush local DNS cache for fresh results: ipconfig /flushdns (Windows), sudo dscacheutil -flushcache (macOS), sudo systemd-resolve --flush-caches (Linux). - Use public DNS (8.8.8.8 or 1.1.1.1) to avoid ISP cached results. Troubleshooting Record shows in Plesk but doesn't resolve externally: - Check your nameservers point to Plesk: nslookup -q=NS yourdomain.com - If nameservers point to an external provider, add records there. - Ensure you clicked Update in Plesk after changes. Record shows old value: - DNS caching — wait for TTL to expire or flush your cache. - Use 8.8.8.8 to bypass ISP cache. nslookup returns "server can't find" error: - The record may not exist. Double-check it in Plesk. - Try a different DNS server. Need help? Open a support ticket. Related Guides - Understand propagation - Manage DNS records - Set up DNSSEC

How to Set Up DNSSEC for Your Domain in Plesk

DNSSEC (Domain Name System Security Extensions) adds a layer of trust to DNS by digitally signing records. It protects against DNS spoofing and cache poisoning by letting resolvers verify that responses haven't been tampered with. This guide covers how to enable DNSSEC in Plesk. Requirements - Plesk for Linux (not available on Windows) - BIND DNS server version 9.9 or later - Plesk DNSSEC extension installed (free with Web Pro and Web Host editions) - Registrar support for DS records If you don't see a DNSSEC option under your domain, the extension isn't installed — contact your hosting provider. Step 1: Sign your DNS zone 1. Log in to Plesk. 2. Go to Websites & Domains → select your domain. 3. Click DNSSEC. 4. Click Sign the DNS Zone. 5. Use the default key settings (recommended) or customise the algorithm and rollover period. 6. Click OK to generate keys and sign the zone. Plesk will display DS resource records — copy these for the next step. Step 2: Add DS records at your registrar 1. Log in to your domain registrar (e.g. domains.co.za, GoDaddy, Namecheap). 2. Find the DNSSEC or DS Records section. 3. Add the DS records using values from Plesk: - Key Tag — numeric identifier - Algorithm — usually 8 (RSA/SHA-256) - Digest Type — usually 2 (SHA-256) - Digest — the hexadecimal hash string 4. Save. Propagation may take several hours. Step 3: Verify DNSSEC - DNSViz.net — visualises the DNSSEC chain of trust - Verisign DNSSEC Debugger — tests complete chain - dig: dig yourdomain.com +dnssec @8.8.8.8 — look for the ad flag and RRSIG records Managing DNSSEC Key rollover: Plesk handles ZSK rollovers automatically. For KSK rollovers, Plesk notifies you — update DS records at your registrar promptly. Keep both old and new DS records during the transition. Unsigning: DNSSEC settings → Unsign → immediately delete DS records at your registrar. Important notes - Both Plesk and your registrar must be configured — signing the zone alone isn't enough. - Never delete DS records before unsigning, and never unsign without deleting DS records after. - KSK rollover is your responsibility — don't ignore notifications. - Keep your server clock accurate — signatures use timestamps. Troubleshooting DNSSEC option not visible: - Extension not installed — ask your provider. Also confirm you're on Linux, not Windows. Domain stops resolving after enabling: - DS records at your registrar are incorrect or missing — re-check against Plesk values. - If you recently unsigned, ensure old DS records were deleted. Validation fails on testing tools: - Re-copy DS records from Plesk and re-enter at your registrar. - Ensure algorithm is supported (RSA/SHA-256 is safest). KSK rollover: Copy new DS records from Plesk, add at registrar, keep old during transition, remove old after. Need help? Open a support ticket. Related Guides - Verify with the DNS Inspector - Allow for propagation - Manage DNS records