Connect your 123-Reg.co.uk custom domain name

Format Domain settings

1. Navigate to Settings
2. Navigate to the Domain and Email panel
3. Scroll down to the Format Address area
4. Replace the auto-generated Format Address with your own unique Format Address. It is best to match this as closely as possible to your actual custom domain name; in this example jane-dovercourt without the .com or other .tld (top-level-domain extension)
5. Website Domain: your website can always be accessed through your Format address (in this example https://jane-dovercourt.format.com ), even if your custom domain is not connected
6. Click Connect Your Domain to access and enter your existing custom domain name (see screenshot below)

Add your existing Custom Domain Name

1. Add your own domain: Add the domain name you want to use in this field. If you have previously used this domain name with another Format site, you may see an error message. If you need help with this, you can reach out to our Success Team.
2. Follow the instructions to update your domain registrar/provider's DNS settings to connect to your Format site. You will need to log in to your domain registrar for this.
3. Click Save Changes

Sign in to 123-reg.co.uk

Sign in to 123-reg.co.uk

Under 'Domain Names' select your domain name.

Nameservers

Within the Change Nameservers (DNS) area, ensure the Default Nameservers are used. Please see this 123-reg.co.uk help article if you are unsure or contact the support team at 123-reg.co.uk

Traditionally 123-reg.co.uk used the default Nameservers of ns.123-reg.co.uk, now they could be showing as nsXX.domaincontrol.com (where XX is a numeric value i.e. ns34.domaincontrol.com) from GoDaddy.com

Advanced DNS

Under 'Advanced Domain Settings', Click 'Manage DNS (A, MX, CNAME, TXT, SRV)'

If there is an existing www A Record, delete this as it is not possible to add the required CNAME on the www subdomain with this present.

Change or add A & AAAA Records

Change the root A Record @ DNS Entry to the IPv4 address 199.181.197.21

Add a new AAAA Record with @ DNS Entry with the IPv6 address of 2620:78:200f::cf:f21

Add CNAME Record

1. Hostname: www

2. Select: CNAME

3. Destination CNAME: mysite.format.com (replace mysite with your unique Format Address, an example would be jane-dovercourt.format.com)

4. Click 'Add'

You can log out of your 123-Reg.co.uk account.

Check Your Domain Connection

Changes to your registrar's site are not instant! They can take up to 48 hours to take full effect (however, it usually takes a few hours).

It's best to check your connection after one day.

You will know that your domain connection is working when you enter yourdomain.com and your Format site loads with https://www.yourdomain.com in the address bar.

Be sure to check that www comes up in the address bar.

Still have questions? Reach us on our live chat or email us at info@format.com. We’re here to help!