We update our DNS records occasionally to ensure they're secure and up-to-date with the latest safety standards. If a site's custom domain isn't up to date with our current DNS records, it can cause issues like the 403 forbidden error.
To check if you're experiencing issues with your DNS records, open the Website Management bar and click Custom Domain under Structure. If you see errors there, follow the steps in this guide to update to our current DNS records.
Update the records
How you update your DNS records depends on where you registered the domain.
Squarespace Domains
For domains registered through Squarespace, contact us.
Third-party domains
If you purchased your domain from a third-party provider, such as GoDaddy or Namecheap, log into the provider's site to find your DNS settings. Depending on your provider, this may be called Zone File Settings, DNS Manager, or something similar. Contact your provider's support team for help.
Next, check edit the A Record and CNAME values to use the following values if they don't match already:
A Records:
- 198.185.159.160
- 198.185.159.161
- 198.49.23.160
- 198.49.23.161
CNAME:
- ext5-cust.squarespace.com
It can take up to 72 hours for these DNS changes to fully process.
Tip: For more help changing third-party DNS settings, follow Step 2 onward in Connecting a domain to your Squarespace 5 site.