Help Centre
Home Domains Using Domains

Connecting your domain to Vercel

This article explains how you can use a domain registered with IONOS for a project hosted on Vercel.

There are two different methods available for the connection:

Method A: Configuration via DNS records (recommended)

You forward the domain to Vercel via DNS record. The advantage: Your email inboxes and other IONOS services for this domain continue to function unchanged.

Method B: Using the Vercel name servers

You transfer the complete DNS administration to Vercel. Please note: Existing services such as IONOS Mail must be manually reconfigured at Vercel in this case, otherwise they will no longer work.

Requirements

  • You have registered your domain with IONOS.
  • You have a Vercel account and already have a project there.
  • You have access to your IONOS account.

Add domain in Vercel

Before you make any changes at IONOS, you must add the domain in Vercel. This is the only way to get the correct target values for your DNS settings.

  • Log in to vercel.com and open the project you want to connect to the domain.
  • Click on Settings > Domains.
  • Click on the Add button.
  • Enter your desired domain (for example example.com) and confirm the entry.
  • Vercel will now automatically suggest that you also add the variant with "www." (e.g. www.example.com). We recommend that you follow this suggestion.
  • Leave this browser tab open. Vercel will now show you the required DNS values, which you must enter at IONOS:
    • An IP address is displayed for the main domain (e.g. example.com), which must be added as an A record.
    • A CNAME target is displayed for the www subdomain (for example, cname.vercel-dns.com or PROJECTNAME.cname.vercel-dns-NUMBER.com).

      If you select the name server method, two Vercel name servers are displayed.

Note

Vercel utilises a globally optimised Anycast network. To ensure seamless routing, always copy the exact IP address currently displayed in your Vercel dashboard.

Option A: Configure DNS entries for IONOS (recommended)

Use this method to continue managing your domain via IONOS, and to continue using existing email inboxes and services without interruption.

Open DNS settings for your domain
  • Log in to your IONOS account.

  • Click on Menu > Domain & SSL in the title bar and you will be redirected to the overview of your domains.

  • Click on the three-dot icon next to the relevant domain under Actions and select DNS. A page with an overview of the DNS settings for the domain opens.

Add A-Record
  • First check the list of existing entries. If an entry of type A already exists (which points to the IONOS parked domain page, for example), you must edit or delete it. Only one A record may be active for the main domain.
  • Click on Add record. The Add DNS record page opens.
  • Click on A. A new page opens.
  • Leave the Host name field empty. If you leave this field empty, the A record is created for the respective main domain.
  • In the Points to field, enter the IPv4 address that is displayed in your Vercel dashboard.
  • Leave the default value entered in the TTL field.
  • Click on Save. The A record is added.
Create www subdomain
  • Go back to Domains & SSL in the menu.
  • Click on the three-dot icon next to the domain under Actions and select the Manage subdomains option. A new page opens showing an overview of the subdomains created.
  • If the www subdomain is not yet listed, click on Create Subdomain. The Create subdomain window opens.
  • Enter the desired name in the Subdomain name field and click Save. The subdomain is created.

Create CNAME record for the www subdomain

To ensure that your visitors can also reach the site via your www subdomain, set up the CNAME record.

  • Go back to Domains & SSL in the menu.
  • Click on the three-dot icon next to the domain under Actions and select DNS. A page with an overview of the DNS settings for the domain opens.
  • Click on Add record. The Add DNS record page opens.
  • Select the CNAME option. A new page opens.
  • Enter www in the Host name field.
  • In the Points to field, enter the CNAME value displayed in Vercel (e.g. cname.vercel-dns.com). Do not add http:// or a trailing slash or full stop.
  • Leave the default value entered in the TTL field.
  • Click on Save. The CNAME record is created.
Check connection in Vercel

Go to the browser tab where the Domains tab is displayed in Vercel. Within a few minutes, the status should change to Valid configuration. Vercel will automatically issue an SSL certificate as part of the status change. It can take up to 24 hours for the DNS records to be fully updated and all local caches to be cleared. You should therefore wait before taking any troubleshooting measures.

Option B: Use name server from Vercel

Only select this option if you do not need IONOS to manage your DNS entries (such as MX for email) and services for this domain.

Caution

  • If you change the name servers, IONOS loses control of the DNS records.
  • If you use IONOS Mail and other services from IONOS, you must recreate your DNS entries in the Vercel DNS area before the change. Otherwise, your email inboxes and services will no longer work.
  • In the domain settings of your Vercel project, switch to the Name server method.
  • Copy the two displayed name servers (usually ns1.vercel-dns.com and ns2.vercel-dns.com).
  • Switch to the browser tab in which your IONOS account is displayed.
  • Click on Menu > Domains & SSL in the title bar. You will be redirected to the overview of your domains.
  • Click on the three-dot symbol next to the corresponding domain under Actions.
  • Click on Name server. A page with an overview of the name servers opens.
  • Click on Use custom name servers. The Use custom name servers page opens.
  • Enter the name servers that you have copied from Vercel.
  • Click on Save.

Note

It can take up to 48 hours for name server changes to take effect.

Check successful linking
  • Open your domain in your browser. You should now be forwarded directly to your Vercel project.
  • In Vercel, a green tick is displayed next to your main domain and next to the www subdomain.
  • Vercel configures HTTPS automatically. You do not need to set up a separate SSL certificate at IONOS.

Troubleshooting

If something does not work, check the following solutions:

The status message "Invalid configuration" is displayed in Vercel

Check the DNS entries that you have created in your IONOS account and compare them with the Vercel requirements. Make sure that the IP address of the A record matches the IP address displayed in your Vercel dashboard. In addition, delete any conflicting A or CNAME records that exist for the same host.

The IONOS parking page is displayed

In this case, an outdated A record is active that points to IONOS. Make sure that only the A record that points to Vercel is displayed in the DNS settings.

The version with www. is not resolved

Make sure that the www subdomain has been created, and that the CNAME record points to the CNAME value displayed by Vercel. Make sure that neither the prefix http:// (or https://) nor a trailing dot is entered in the Points to field.

The email inboxes no longer work after changing the name servers

You have switched to the Vercel name servers without recreating the MX records. You now have two options: Either switch back to the default name servers at IONOS and use method A instead, or add (or replace) the required IONOS MX records directly in the DNS management area within your Vercel dashboard.

The changes are not displayed

It may take several hours for the changes to take effect worldwide due to the decentralised structure of the Domain Name System.

Use the dig program or an online DNS checker to check whether the new DNS configuration is effective worldwide.

Content