⏱ Expected Setup Time: 20–30 minutes
Keep in Mind: Estimated times are provided as guidance only. Actual duration may vary based on technical expertise, configuration complexity, and internet conditions.
Taking your website live means making it accessible on your own domain name.
To do this, you need to point your domain to Cloudways using DNS settings.
Cloudways offers two hosting platforms, and the steps may vary slightly depending on which one you use.
Please select your platform to continue:
Note:
Learn more about Cloudways Flexible and Cloudways Autonomous.
How To Take Your Website Live from Cloudways?
Prerequisites:
Make sure you have the following:
A domain name (for example:
yourwebsite.com)Access to your domain registrar (where you bought your domain) or DNS provider (where you manage DNS records)
An application already created on Cloudways
You will be updating DNS settings, so changes may take some time to fully apply.
Register Your Domain
If this is your first time creating a website, you will need a domain name. If you already have one, you can skip this step.
A domain name is your website’s address (for example: cloudways.icu). It is what visitors type into a browser to open your website.
Note:
Cloudways does not sell domain names. You must purchase your domain from a domain registrar.
You can register a domain with any provider. Popular registrars include GoDaddy, Namecheap, and DreamHost.
Launch Your Application and Server
First launch your application and server on the Cloudways Platform. Applications can be deployed on both new and existing servers.
Refer to the following guide for complete instructions (Cloudways Flexible and Autonomous):
You can review the list of supported web applications available on Cloudways.
Tip:
Cloudways allows you to choose from multiple cloud infrastructure providers. You can compare them to decide which one best fits your needs.
If you are moving an existing website to Cloudways:
You can request a managed migration, or
Use the WordPress Migrator plugin
After launching your application, test your website to make sure everything works as expected.
Once ready, continue to the next step to connect your domain.
Follow the steps below based on your platform - Cloudways Flexible or Cloudways Autonomous.
Cloudways Flexible
1. Map Your Domain & Update DNS Records
Now you are ready to connect your domain and make your website live.
This requires updating DNS records, which are settings that tell your domain where your website is hosted.
Prerequisites:
Access to your domain registrar or DNS provider
Your application is already launched on Cloudways
In this step, you will:
Add your domain to the Cloudways Platform
Update DNS records to point the domain to Cloudways
Follow the below steps to complete this process:
From the Side menu bar, hover over Flexible and click on My Servers.
Next, choose the server where your desired application is deployed.
Click www Globe icon as shown below.
Next, choose your application name.
Select Domain Management from the side panel.
Next, click Add Domain.
Add your domain to Cloudways. You can add a root domain, subdomain, or wildcard domain. Once done, click Add Domain.
Tip: When you add a root domain (for example, cloudways.icu), the www version is added automatically.
If you want to use additional domains for the same application (for example,
cloudways.co.ukorapp.cloudways.icu), click Add Domain and enter the domain.These domains will work as aliases for your application.
Next, choose which domain you want to set as the Primary Domain. Locate your domain, click (⋮), then select Make Primary.
All other domains will remain as aliases. You can learn about the differences between primary and alias domains here.
Next, click Set as Primary to confirm the selection.
Next, add DNS records at your domain registrar or DNS provider. This step is required to point your domain to your Cloudways server. You can follow our guide on creating an A record.
Note:
Your domain registrar is where you purchased the domain. Your DNS provider is where you manage DNS records. Both may be the same or different. To check DNS updates, you can use tools like whatsmydns.net.
Tip:
If you prefer to manage DNS directly from Cloudways, you can use the DNS Made Easy add-on (Available in Integrations).
It allows you to add and update DNS records from the Cloudways Platform.
For step-by-step instructions, see our guide on using DNS Made Easy and creating an A record.
2. Secure Your Site Using SSL
HTTP is the standard way a browser loads a website. HTTPS is the secure version of HTTP. It protects your website and your visitors’ data.
To use HTTPS, you need an SSL certificate. Learn more about SSL/TLS and why it is important.
Cloudways provides a free Let’s Encrypt SSL certificate for your applications. These certificates renew automatically.
You can also install a custom SSL certificate from your preferred provider.
Watch: How to Enable HTTPS on a Single Domain:
Now, watch the video: How to Enable HTTPS on Multiple Domains
After installing your SSL certificate, make sure HTTPS redirection is enabled.
Cloudways may prompt you to enable it immediately after installation. You can also enable it later from the application settings.
Troubleshooting Tips:
If your website shows “Not Secure,” check that the SSL certificate is installed and active for your domain.
If HTTPS redirection is not working, confirm that your application URLs use the HTTPS version of your domain.
Cloudways Autonomous
Before proceeding, make sure you have completed the prerequisites mentioned earlier, including:
Registering your domain
Preparing DNS access
These steps are the same for both Cloudways Flexible and Cloudways Autonomous and are not repeated here.
Once ready, follow the steps below to connect your domain and enable HTTPS on Cloudways Autonomous.
Subscribe to Your Plan
Subscribe to a Cloudways Autonomous plan.
Launch Your Application
If you have not already done so, launch your application on the Cloudways Platform.
Cloudways Autonomous currently supports:
After launching your application, test your website to ensure everything works correctly. When ready, proceed to the next step to connect your domain.
Map Your Domain & Update DNS Records
Now you are ready to connect your domain and make your website live.
In this step, you will:
Add your domain to the Cloudways Platform
Update DNS records to point your domain to Cloudways
Cloudways Autonomous uses Cloudflare Enterprise by default. This means your application automatically benefits from built-in security and performance features.
Log in to your Cloudways Platform using your email address and password.
From the left menu bar, select Cloudways Autonomous.
Next, click My Applications.
Click on the application as shown below
In the Application details (Overview) page, click on 'Add Custom Domain' or 'Manage Access' as shown in the image below:
Now, click on Domain Management in the left tab.
Add your domain to Cloudways. Cloudflare Enterprise supports both root domains (for example,
example.com) and subdomains (for example, support.example.com). When you add a root domain, all its subdomains (including www) are automatically covered and protected.Next, click Add Domain.
Cloudways will verify your domain ownership automatically.
Once verified, update your DNS settings by adding the required CNAME records from your domain registrar or DNS provider(A CNAME record connects your domain to another service, in this case, Cloudflare).
Click View CNAME Records to see the values you need to add. DNS steps may vary depending on your DNS provider. In this example, we use Namecheap and Cloudflare.
First, copy both of your CNAME Records (Name/Host and Hostname) by clicking the copy icon.
Important:
If your DNS provider does not allow a CNAME record for the root domain, use the provided A records instead.
You can complete the setup with either A record. For better reliability, we recommend adding both A records.
Tip:
If you prefer to manage DNS from Cloudways, you can use the DNS Made Easy add-on. It allows you to add and update DNS records directly from the Cloudways Platform. Click here to read the DNS Made Easy article.
Go to your DNS provider, select your domain, and add the required CNAME records in the DNS settings.
Type: CNAME
Name/Host: @
In the case of the subdomain, specify that subdomain as name/host as shown on the Cloudways Platform.
Target/Value/Hostname: secure.cloudwayssites.com
TTL: Automatic/Default
Type: CNAME
Name/Host: www
Target/Value/Hostname: secure.cloudwayssites.com
TTL: Automatic/Default
(Optional) If you use Cloudflare, add the same DNS records shown in the screenshot. Make sure the record is set to DNS only. To do this, click the orange cloud icon so it turns grey.
After adding the DNS records, changes may take up to 24 hours to apply. Cloudways will automatically check and verify your DNS updates.
Return to the Cloudways Platform. If the status shows “Domain is not Live,” Cloudways is still checking your DNS records.
Tip:
The time required depends on DNS updates.
You will receive an email once the domain is successfully connected.
The status will change to “Domain is Live.”
If the status does not update, click the ⟳ Refresh button.
Once Cloudflare integration is complete, the status will show “Domain is Live.”
Configure Email Add-ons (Optional)
Some websites send transactional emails. These are automatic emails such as password resets, order confirmations, and notifications.
To send emails reliably, you should use an email service instead of sending directly from your server.
If your website sends a small number of emails, you may use an external SMTP service (for example, Gmail SMTP).
For higher email volumes, you can use:
Elastic Email Add-on
SendGrid
Mailgun
Custom SMTP
Set Up a Personal Mailbox (Optional)
If you need an email address using your domain (for example, [email protected]), you will need a mailbox service.
Cloudways offers the Rackspace Email Add-on for sending and receiving emails. You can access your mailbox using common email apps.
Set Up Cloudflare Enterprise
Cloudflare Enterprise improves website security and performance.
It provides features such as:
Faster content delivery
Built-in protection
Traffic filtering
Note:
Cloudflare Enterprise is enabled by default on Cloudways Autonomous. On Cloudways Flexible, it is optional.
That’s it! We hope this article was helpful.
Need Help?
If you need assistance, feel free to:
Visit the Cloudways Support Center
Chat with us: Need a Hand > Send us a Message
Or create a support ticket anytime.
We're here 24/7 to help you!