Can anyone provide an estimate of how long it typically takes for a domain change in Webflow to propagate and have the new site go live after downgrading hosting and adding the domain to the full site?

Published on
September 22, 2023

When making a domain change in Webflow, the time it takes for the new domain to propagate and the new site to go live can vary. However, there are some general estimates that can give you an idea of what to expect. Here's a breakdown of the typical timeframes involved:

  1. Domain propagation: When you make changes to your domain settings, such as adding or modifying DNS records, it takes some time for these changes to propagate across the internet. During this propagation period, the new domain settings will gradually become effective globally. The propagation time can range from a few minutes to several hours.

  2. Webflow hosting setup: After adding the new domain to your Webflow project, you need to set it up for hosting. This involves configuring DNS records and ensuring that Webflow is properly configured to serve the site using the new domain. Webflow provides a step-by-step guide in their documentation on how to set up custom domains. The time it takes to complete this setup depends on your familiarity with DNS management and web hosting. It can take anywhere from a few minutes to a couple of hours to complete this step.

  3. SSL certificate provisioning: If you're using SSL (recommended for secure connections), Webflow needs to provision an SSL certificate for the new domain. This process typically takes a few minutes but can sometimes take longer. During this time, your site may be temporarily inaccessible while the SSL certificate is being provisioned.

Combining these timeframes, you can expect the new site with the new domain to go live within a few minutes to a few hours after downgrading hosting and adding the domain to the full site. However, it's important to note that these are general estimates, and individual circumstances can affect the timeframe. Factors such as DNS configuration issues, delays in DNS propagation, or SSL certificate provisioning issues can potentially extend the time it takes for the new site to become live.

Additional questions users may ask:

  1. How long does domain propagation take in Webflow?
  2. How do I set up a custom domain in Webflow?
  3. What factors can delay the time it takes for a new domain to go live in Webflow?