Changing your domain name on Wix is more straightforward than it sounds - but getting it right matters. The domain you use affects your Google rankings, your email setup, and how visitors find your site. Whether you are rebranding, upgrading from a free Wix subdomain, or replacing a domain that never performed well, this guide walks you through every step using the current Wix dashboard.
Before You Change Your Wix Domain: A Pre-Switch Checklist
Rushing a domain change can cause real problems - lost search rankings, broken email, and confused visitors. Before you touch anything in your Wix dashboard, run through this checklist.
1. Understand the SEO impact of a Wix domain change
If your current domain has any Google rankings, links pointing to it, or indexed pages, switching to a new domain will reset those unless you redirect properly. Google treats a domain change as a site migration. With a proper 301 redirect in place, most of your ranking authority transfers over time - but it is not instant. Expect some ranking fluctuation in the weeks after the switch.
If your current domain has zero rankings and no backlinks (for example, you are moving off a Wix free subdomain like yoursite.wixsite.com), there is very little SEO risk involved.
2. Plan your 301 redirects
A 301 redirect tells Google and browsers that your old URL has permanently moved to your new one. Without it, anyone visiting your old domain hits a dead end, and any link equity you had built up is lost. You will need to set up a 301 redirect on Wix from your old domain to your new domain before disconnecting the old one. Do this step before you remove the old domain from your Wix account.
3. Check your email accounts
If you use a professional email address that matches your current domain (e.g. [email protected]), those email accounts are tied to your domain. Switching domains means you will need to either migrate to a new email address or update your email DNS records to point to the new domain. Notify contacts of the change and set up forwarding where possible to avoid missing messages during the transition.
4. Note your current domain's expiry date
If you registered your domain through Wix, you do not need to worry about this - Wix manages renewal automatically. If your domain is registered with a third-party provider (GoDaddy, Namecheap, Google Domains, etc.), check when it expires before you start the migration. You do not want your domain to lapse mid-transition.
5. Make sure you are on a paid Wix plan
Custom domains require a paid Wix subscription. Free accounts only get a Wix-branded subdomain (yourname.wixsite.com). If you are not sure which plan covers your needs, see our breakdown of how much Wix costs and what each tier includes.
How to Change Your Domain Name on Wix: Step-by-Step
The steps below reflect the current Wix dashboard as of 2025. Wix updates its UI periodically, so the exact labels may shift slightly, but the overall flow remains the same.
Step 1 - Log in to your Wix account
Go to wix.com and click Log In in the top right corner. Enter your email address and password. If you use a social login (Google, Facebook, Apple), use the same method you signed up with. Once logged in, you will land on your My Sites dashboard.
Step 2 - Go to your site's dashboard
From My Sites, find the website you want to update and click on it. This opens that site's individual dashboard. You will see your site's stats, settings, and management tools on the left-hand panel.
Step 3 - Open the Domains section
In your site dashboard, look at the left-hand navigation panel and click Domains. This takes you to a page showing all domains currently connected to your site. You will see your current primary domain listed here, along with any additional domains you may have attached.
Alternatively, you can access domains from the top of your Wix dashboard by clicking your account avatar, selecting Account Settings, and then navigating to Domains - this shows all domains across all your Wix sites in one place.
Step 4 - Add your new domain
Click + Add Domain (or Connect Domain depending on your view). Wix gives you three options:
- Buy a new domain through Wix - Search for and purchase a domain directly. Wix registers it on your behalf and handles DNS automatically. This is the simplest option if you do not already have a domain. See our guide on how much a Wix domain costs for pricing details.
- Connect a domain you already own - If you registered a domain with another provider (GoDaddy, Namecheap, etc.), you can point it to Wix by updating the DNS records at your registrar. You keep ownership and management at the external registrar. Read our full guide on how to connect a domain to Wix for the exact DNS steps.
- Transfer a domain to Wix - Move full management of your domain from another registrar to Wix. This is a longer process (requires an authorization code from your current registrar and can take several days) but centralises everything under your Wix account.
Choose the option that fits your situation and follow the on-screen prompts. If you are buying through Wix, the domain is ready almost immediately. If you are connecting or transferring an external domain, you will need to wait for DNS propagation, which can take anywhere from a few minutes to 48 hours depending on your registrar's TTL settings.
Step 5 - Set the new domain as your primary domain
Once your new domain is connected and verified, go back to the Domains section of your site dashboard. You will see both your old domain and your new domain listed. Click the three-dot menu (or the action options) next to your new domain and select Set as Primary.
Your primary domain is what visitors see in the address bar and what Wix uses as the canonical URL for your site. All other connected domains become secondary and will redirect visitors to your primary domain automatically by default.
Step 6 - Verify the change and test your site
After setting your new domain as primary, open a new browser tab and type in your new domain. Confirm that your Wix site loads correctly. Check a few internal pages to make sure navigation works as expected.
If you connected an external domain and your site is not loading yet, DNS propagation may still be in progress. You can check propagation status using a free tool like whatsmydns.net - enter your domain and look for the A record or CNAME to confirm it has updated globally.
Step 7 - Set up your 301 redirect from the old domain
Do not disconnect your old domain immediately. Instead, keep it connected to Wix and set up a 301 redirect so that anyone visiting your old domain gets sent automatically to your new one. This protects your search engine rankings and ensures no one lands on a broken page.
In Wix, you can set up URL redirects from your site dashboard under Settings → URL Redirect Manager. For a full domain redirect (rather than individual page redirects), you will typically manage this at the domain or DNS level, keeping the old domain pointed to Wix and using Wix's redirect tools to forward all traffic.
Keep the old domain active and redirecting for at least 6–12 months. This gives Google time to fully crawl and recrawl your site under the new domain.
Step 8 - Update any third-party tools and listings
Your new domain needs to be updated anywhere your old domain was referenced. Work through this list:
- Google Search Console - Add your new domain as a property and submit your sitemap. Use the Change of Address tool to notify Google of the migration.
- Google Analytics - Update the domain in your GA4 property settings if you are using domain-level configuration.
- Social media profiles - Update the website URL on your Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X, and any other profiles.
- Email signatures - Update your domain across any email signatures or templates.
- Business listings - Google Business Profile, Yelp, directories, and any citations that link to your site.
- Backlinks - Reach out to important linking sites to update their links to your new domain, where feasible. Your 301 redirects handle the authority transfer in the meantime.
What Happens to Your Old Wix Domain?
When you switch your primary domain, your old domain does not disappear unless you actively disconnect or let it expire. Keeping it attached to your Wix site (even as a secondary domain) means visitors who type the old address will be redirected to your new primary domain. This is the recommended approach for at least the first year after a domain change.
If your old domain was a free Wix subdomain (yourname.wixsite.com), you cannot control or redirect that URL the same way - Wix does not allow you to set up 301 redirects from free subdomains. This is one of the strongest reasons to move to a custom domain as early as possible.
How Long Does a Wix Domain Change Take?
The time varies depending on the method:
- Buying a new domain through Wix: Near-instant - usually live within minutes.
- Connecting an existing domain via DNS: 1–48 hours for propagation, depending on your registrar's TTL settings.
- Transferring a domain to Wix: 5–7 days - domain transfers require an authorization code and have a mandatory waiting period set by ICANN rules.
Conclusion
Changing your domain name on Wix is a straightforward process when you follow the right order of operations. Set up your new domain, make it primary, then redirect your old domain before you do anything else. Take the extra time to notify Google Search Console and update your third-party listings - these steps are what protect your traffic and rankings through the transition.
If you are still working out which domain to use, our guide on Wix domain pricing and Wix plan costs can help you budget the full setup.
* read the rest of the post and open up an offer