Quick answer: Before moving a website or changing hosting, record your current DNS settings and identify which service handles your website, mail and other subdomains. Website records such as A, AAAA and CNAME may need changing, but MX and email authentication records should not be replaced automatically during a website-only migration.
Planning a move? Follow our website migration checklist before changing DNS, and compare Hex Hosting plans if you are moving providers.
Why a DNS inventory matters
Domains can point websites, business email, verification tools and third-party services to different providers. Moving the website does not necessarily mean moving email. A rushed change to nameservers or the entire DNS zone can accidentally interrupt mail, verification or other services.
1. Find out who hosts your authoritative DNS
Check the domain’s active nameservers with your registrar or a reliable DNS lookup tool. The nameservers tell you which DNS provider publishes the live zone. Your registrar, website host and email provider can be three separate companies.
Editing DNS records in the wrong control panel has no effect when those records are not authoritative.
2. Record the existing DNS records
Export the DNS zone if your provider supports it, or take a careful inventory of each name, record type, value and TTL. Include the root domain, www, mail hostnames, verification records and any services that use subdomains.
3. Know what each record does
| Type | Typical role | During a website-only move |
|---|---|---|
| A / AAAA | Connect a hostname to an IPv4 / IPv6 address | May need changing for the website |
| CNAME | Alias to another hostname | Review any website-related aliases |
| MX | Route incoming email | Usually keep unchanged if email stays put |
| TXT | Verification and policies, including SPF/DMARC | Preserve valid entries and review changes carefully |
| NS | Identify authoritative nameservers | Change only when deliberately moving DNS management |
DKIM may be published as TXT or CNAME depending on the mail provider. Some providers also rely on SRV, CAA or additional service records. Record everything relevant to your setup rather than copying only the most familiar types.
4. Separate the website move from the email move
If your website is changing hosts but email remains with Microsoft 365, Google Workspace or another email service, the MX records usually stay where they are. Do not overwrite the email zone with generic hosting defaults. Follow our SPF, DKIM and DMARC tutorial for an explanation of outgoing authentication.
5. Plan the cutover and check TTL values
TTL controls how long resolvers may cache a DNS answer. Lowering TTL before a planned change can shorten some caching delays, but it cannot instantly clear previously cached answers. The new website should be ready and tested before switching the live web records. Our introduction to DNS explains the fundamentals.
6. Test before and after the change
- Check the new website on a temporary preview or staging setup where available.
- Record existing website and email DNS answers.
- Update only the intended records or carefully recreate the full zone if nameservers must change.
- Recheck the root domain and
wwwfrom several resolvers. - Send and receive a test message for each important business mailbox.
- Confirm HTTPS certificates, forms and integrations continue working.
- Keep the previous configuration available for a planned rollback where practical.
Common mistakes to avoid
Do not remove MX records just because the website has moved. Do not publish multiple SPF records at the same hostname. Do not assume every DNS provider uses the same field names or automatically adds your domain to record names in the same way. Check whether an entry requires a trailing dot or just a hostname according to your provider’s instructions.
Frequently asked questions
Will changing the A record break email?
Not necessarily. It can affect email if mail-related hostnames depend on the changed address, but a properly separated email service may continue unaffected.
Do I have to change nameservers when changing web hosts?
No. You can often keep your existing DNS provider and update only the relevant website records.
How long will changes take?
It depends on caching, old TTL values and resolver behaviour. There is no single guaranteed global update time.
Should I change SPF when moving a website?
Only when the services sending email on your behalf change or the existing configuration needs correction. A web hosting migration alone does not necessarily alter the mail sender.
If the domain itself is moving too, see our guide to moving a domain without unnecessary downtime before making a decision.
Summary
Inventory first, identify which services will actually move, and change only the records that need changing. Test website access and mail delivery separately so an otherwise successful website migration does not interrupt business communications.