The Zone Editor is the DNS table inside cPanel. You can add or change A records (an IP), MX records (mail), CNAME records (an alias), TXT records (verification and mail authentication), and similar types.
It only applies when the domain is in cPanel Hosting DNS mode (paired with this hosting service). AtlasDNS is the default. If the domain uses AtlasDNS, edit records in the portal instead: Domains → the domain → DNS. Changes in the Zone Editor are not public in that case.
Open cPanel from the portal. Do not guess a hostname.
Check which DNS you are on
- Sign in at /portal.
- Open Domains, then the domain, then DNS.
- AtlasDNS hosting (the usual case): add and edit records on that page. Stop here. See Point your domain at your hosting and DNS record types explained.
- cPanel Hosting: this article. The portal DNS page will say records are managed from the hosting control panel. Use the Zone Editor below.
Unsure? Open a support ticket and we will check with you.
Do not send the domain to a third-party DNS host. AtlasDNS is the default. When a domain uses AtlasDNS, the nameservers are:
ns1.atlasdns.net.au
ns2.atlasdns.net.au
ns3.atlasdns.net.auThe Zone Editor does not change nameservers at the registry. Leave the NS rows in the zone as they are.
If you want cPanel to own the zone (AutoSSL and mail records written for you), the domain needs to be in cPanel Hosting DNS mode and paired with the hosting service. Switching DNS modes replaces the current zone. If the name is already live, open a support ticket before you switch.
Open the Zone Editor
- Sign in at /portal, open the hosting service, and click Log in to cPanel.
- In the Domains section, open Zone Editor.
- Find the domain. Click Manage for the full record list.
The first screen also has shortcuts such as + A Record, + CNAME Record, and + MX Record. Those add one record of that type without opening the full table.
Add a record
- On the Manage screen, click + Add Record.
- Choose the Type (A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT, SRV, and so on).
- Fill in the fields:
- Name: the label. Use www for www.yourdomain.com, mail for mail.yourdomain.com, or @ (or the bare domain, depending on the form) for the root name.
- TTL: how long other servers may cache the answer. 3600 (one hour) is fine unless we have told you otherwise.
- Record (sometimes Address, CNAME, or Destination): the value. An IPv4 address for an A record, an IPv6 address for AAAA, a hostname for CNAME or MX, or the text string for TXT.
- Priority: MX and SRV only. Lower numbers are tried first. Shared-hosting mail is often priority 0 or 10 to mail.yourdomain.com.
- Click Add Record (or Save Record).
cPanel may append the domain for you if you type only the left-hand label. If you type the full name, do not create www.yourdomain.com.yourdomain.com by accident. Check the saved name in the table.
Edit or delete a record
- Edit: click the edit control (pencil) on that row, change the value, and save.
- Delete: click the delete control (trash), then confirm. Removing the wrong A or MX record takes the website or mail offline.
Do not delete SOA or NS rows. Do not use Reset Zone unless we have asked you to. Reset wipes custom records and rebuilds a stock zone.
Common record types
| Type | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| A | Points a name at an IPv4 address | @ → this account's shared IP |
| AAAA | Points a name at an IPv6 address | @ → 2001:db8::1 |
| CNAME | Alias to another hostname | www → yourdomain.com |
| MX | Where mail for the domain is delivered | Priority 10, mail.yourdomain.com |
| TXT | Text (SPF, DKIM, DMARC, domain checks) | v=spf1 ... |
| SRV | A service on a host and port | Used by some chat or voice apps |
| NS | Authoritative nameservers | Leave these alone |
Copy this account's IPv4 address from cPanel General Information → Shared IP Address. Use that for A records that should hit this hosting account.
Do not put a CNAME on the root name (@ / yourdomain.com). Use an A record for the root. See DNS record types explained.
Website, mail, and extra records
- Website:
@andwwwshould point at this account if the site lives here. After the name resolves here, AutoSSL (Let's Encrypt) can issue a certificate. Check SSL/TLS Status. - Shared-hosting mail: mailboxes you create in cPanel need MX (and usually a
mailA record) aimed at this account. Hostname is typicallymail.yourdomain.com. Do not replace those MX records unless you are cutting mail over to another product. See Create an email account and MX records and how email routing works. - LochStudios Mail is a different product. If the domain uses that, confirm the MX values on the mail service in the portal (or open a support ticket). Do not point MX back at cPanel unless you mean to leave LochStudios Mail.
- SPF and DKIM: in cPanel Hosting mode, open Email Deliverability in cPanel and repair the domain so cPanel writes the TXT records. You can also paste values a mail product has given you.
- Third-party checks: a CDN, a mail product, or a domain check may give you exact records. Add them as written. Do not also add a second copy of the same name.
Adding a subdomain, addon domain, or alias in cPanel usually writes the matching A record for you when the parent is in this DNS mode. Confirm it here. Do not add a duplicate.
After you save
Changes are often quick, but they can take a while to show everywhere. See DNS propagation explained.
If the site or mail still points at the old place, confirm the domain is still in cPanel Hosting DNS mode. If someone switched it to AtlasDNS, the Zone Editor is no longer the live zone.
If you are unsure
Wrong DNS can take the website or mail offline. If you do not have exact values, or a change did not do what you expected, open a support ticket and we will set the records with you.