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How to connect your .CA domain name to Squarespace

Connecting your .CA domain name to your Squarespace website can be done in just a few clicks.
By Erin Hutchison
Content Marketing and Social Media Specialist

Editor’s note: As of December 2019, Squarespace now offers .CA domains! We’ve made some changes to this post to reflect this exciting update!  


Building a website has never been easier. While knowing how to code can give you a lot of flexibility, website builders (such as Squarespace) are opening up new opportunities for people with big ideas but not a lot of technical skill. You can jump in and start building your website, making use of the free trials that many website builders offer, and see how exciting it is to watch your ideas come to life!

Getting a great domain name for your site

When you’re ready to share your website with the world, you’ll want to make sure the domain name your site lives on reflects your brand and resonates with your target audience. Squarespace by default puts your site on a customizable “Built-in Domain” that looks like insertyoursitename.squarespace.com. If things start getting pretty serious with your website, you can lock in a great, custom domain name, usually for a few dollars per year.

Buy a .CA domain name through Squarespace

If you want a .CA domain to show your visitors that your website proudly Canadian, you can search for and purchase a .CA directly through Squarespace. Easy peasy!

Connect your .CA domain to Squarespace

Another option, particularly helpful if you have already have purchased a domain through a different company, is to connect it to your Squarespace website – it just takes a few extra steps.

  1. Login to your Squarespace account
  2. Select the website you want to connect to your .CA domain
  3. Select Settings
  4. Select Domains
  5. Select Use a Domain I Own
  6. Type in the domain that you would like your site to live on
  7. Under Connect this domain (Recommended), select Connect from provider. For .CA domains, you cannot choose the other option – Transfer this domain.
  8. Select your domain provider (that’s your registrar) if it’s listed, or other
  9. You will receive a message that says Connecting in progress [yourdomain].ca is connecting to your site. Continue to set up your DNS records.
  10. Click OK
  11. Squarespace will now show you the DNS Settings for the domain. In a new tab or window, log in to your domain registrar account to manage the DNS settings and follow steps 4-6 in Squarespaces’ step-by-step guide for updating the records.
  12. Save the DNS settings of your domain on your registrar account.
  13. On Squarespace, hit Refresh. It can take up to 72 hours for the information to process.
  14. Once the domain is linked, it will appear in the Domains panel with a Connected label.
  15. Select your .CA domain and select Make primary domain.

Looking for more help? Squarespace has a great tutorial and video on transferring domain names as well.


A gift for you: if you really want to show that your website is Canadian, these custom and free-to-use stock photos are just what you need!

About the author
Erin Hutchison

Erin brings to CIRA a background of marketing experience in higher education and the not-for-profit sector. In 2015, she participated in ISOC’s Youth@IGF Programme and traveled to Guadalajara, Mexico to attend the IGF. She has a Bachelor of International Business from Carleton University.

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