Edit DNS with the Zone Editor

The Zone Editor in cPanel lets you manually manage DNS records for your domain—things like A records (point to an IP address), MX records (for email), CNAME records (aliases), and more. You'll need this if you're setting up custom email, connecting third-party services, or pointing your domain elsewhere.

Steps to Edit DNS Records

1. Log in to your cPanel account.

1. In the Domains section, click the Zone Editor icon.

1. Select your domain from the list (you'll see all domains on your account).

1. You'll see a table of existing DNS records. To add a new record, click the + Add Record button.

1. Choose the record type from the dropdown (A, CNAME, MX, TXT, etc.).

6. Fill in the record details:
- Name: The subdomain or domain prefix (e.g., mail for mail.yourdomain.com, or leave blank for the root domain)
- Type: Already selected
- TTL: Time to Live—how long other servers cache this record (usually 3600 seconds, which is fine)
- Record: The value for this record type (IP address for A records, target domain for CNAME, etc.)

1. Click Add Record to create it.

Common DNS Record Types

| Type | Use | Example |
|------|-----|---------|
| A | Points domain to an IP address | yourdomain.com → 192.0.2.1 |
| AAAA | Points to an IPv6 address | yourdomain.com → 2001:db8::1 |
| CNAME | Points to another domain name | www.yourdomain.com → yourdomain.com |
| MX | Routes email to a mail server | Priority 10, mail server mail.yourdomain.com |
| TXT | Text records (email verification, etc.) | SPF, DKIM, DMARC authentication |
| NS | Nameservers (usually not edited) | Points to hosting provider's nameservers |

Tips & Notes

• Propagation time: DNS changes can take up to 24 hours to spread across the internet, but usually happen within minutes.

• Editing records: To modify an existing record, click the edit icon (pencil) next to it, make your changes, and click Edit Record.

• Deleting records: To remove a record, click the delete icon (trash can) next to it and confirm.

• Email setup: If your provider manages email, they may have pre-populated MX records—only edit these if instructed.

• Third-party services: Some services (CDNs, email platforms, etc.) will give you specific DNS records to add. Follow their instructions exactly.

• Your provider's nameservers: Make sure your domain's registrar points to your hosting provider's nameservers first—otherwise, your DNS edits won't take effect.

Warning

Only edit DNS records if you know what you're doing or have been given specific values by your service provider. Incorrect DNS records can break your website or email.

If you're unsure, contact your hosting provider or the service you're trying to set up—they can walk you through the correct values.