Cloudways Domain Management: Full Guide and Tutorial (+ SSL & DNS Setup)

In this article, I’ll show you how to add a domain name to Cloudways, install an SSL certificate, and configure your DNS settings.

As Cloudways is a little different from other web hosting companies, connecting your domain to cloudways has a different process.

And you need to get it right or you can get HTTPS redirection errors, causing an insecure website and SEO issues.

Let’s get started.

How Cloudways Domain Management Works?

When you create a server in Cloudways and install WordPress on that server, you’re given a unique domain name hosted by Cloudways.

It looks like this:

wordpress-XXXXX-XXXXXXX.cloudwaysapps.com (the X’s replaced with a random string of numbers)

This means you can access your WordPress installation without needing a domain name, but it’s only designed to be used temporarily.

To use your own domain name, you need to point the server IP address to your domain’s DNS records and then add the domain name in your Cloudways account.

Here are the exact steps:

1. Register a domain name at a domain registrar (I use Namecheap)
2. Add the Cloudways server IP to your DNS records
3. Set the domain name as the primary URL in Cloudways
4. Install the SSL certificate Cloudways

Let’s go through these steps now.

Or you can follow along with me in this YouTube tutorial. The up to date version is coming soon, but the steps are the same:

How to Connect a Domain Name and Add an SSL in Cloudways

Here are the steps to add your domain name in Cloudways and install an SSL certificate.

Step 1: Purchase a Domain Name

1. Visit Namecheap.com (or any preferred domain registrar) and search for your desired domain name.
2. If available, add the domain to your cart and proceed to checkout.
3. Create an account if you don’t already have one, and enter your details and payment information.
4. Complete the order and proceed to the Thank You page.

Step 2: Add the Cloudways IP Address as a DNS Record

1. Access the advanced DNS settings of your domain registrar (in this case, Namecheap).
2. Copy the IP address from your Cloudways server settings (found in the Cloudways dashboard under the domain settings of your WordPress website).
3. Add a new DNS record with the hostname “@” (or “www” if desired).
4. Paste the Cloudways IP address in the “IP address” field, and set the TTL (Time to Live) to 1 minute.
5. Save the changes and delete any existing DNS records.

Step 3: Add the Domain Name in Cloudways

1. Go to your Cloudways account dashboard.
2. Click on “Domain Management” under your WordPress website.
3. Enter your domain name (without www if you used the “@” symbol in Step 2) in the designated field.
4. Save the changes.

Step 4: Install the SSL Certificate in Cloudways

1. In your Cloudways account, click on “SSL Certificate” under your WordPress website.
2. Choose “Let’s Encrypt” from the drop-down menu.
3. Enter an email address in the designated field.
4. In the “Domain Name” field, enter your domain name (include www if used in Step 3).
5. Click on “Install Certificate” to initiate the installation process.
6. Cloudways will automatically renew the certificate every three months.
7. Enable HTTP redirection for automatic forwarding from HTTP to HTTPS (recommended).
8. Close the pop-up window.

Conclusion

You have successfully added your domain name and SSL certificate to your Cloudways account. Your website is now secure and accessible through your own custom domain.

Remember to log in using the updated URL and update your WordPress settings accordingly. Enjoy your professional and safe website!