A custom domain lets your community live at your own address instead of a MateFlow subdomain. Most connection issues come down to DNS, and nearly all are fixable in a few minutes once you know what to look for. This guide covers the problems people hit most often in Admin → Settings → General → Domains, each with its cause and fix.
How connecting a domain works
When you enter a custom domain, MateFlow shows you a DNS record to add at your domain provider โ typically a CNAME pointing to a MateFlow target. After you add it, click Verify. MateFlow checks the record, then automatically provisions an HTTPS certificate. Until both DNS and the certificate are ready, the domain stays in a pending state.
Common problems and fixes
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Domain will not verify | DNS record missing, mistyped, or not saved at your provider | Re-open the domain drawer and copy the exact Type, Host, and Value shown. Paste them at your DNS provider without adding your domain to the host again. |
| Still failing after adding the record | DNS changes have not propagated yet | Propagation can take anywhere from minutes to a few hours. Wait, then click Verify again โ MateFlow keeps polling status in the background. |
| Apex domain (example.com) will not take a CNAME | Most providers forbid a CNAME at the root/apex | Use your provider's ALIAS or ANAME record instead of CNAME, or connect a subdomain such as community.example.com where a plain CNAME works. |
| DNS verified but site shows a security warning | HTTPS certificate is still being issued | This is the provisioning stage and completes on its own shortly after DNS passes. Wait for the status to reach Active โ no action needed. |
| "Verifying" or "pending" for a long time | Wrong target value, or a conflicting old record | Confirm the record Value matches exactly and remove any stale A/CNAME record for the same host that points elsewhere. |
| Connect button is disabled | The 30-day change cooldown is active | Domains can only be changed once every 30 days. The drawer shows how many days remain; wait for it to clear before connecting a new domain. |
| Upgrade prompt instead of a connect form | Custom domains are plan-gated | Custom domains are available on eligible plans. Upgrade, then return to the Domains section to connect. |
Reading the status
The domain row shows a live status badge. Active (or Verified) means everything is working. Pending or Verifying means MateFlow is still checking DNS. A stage that mentions provisioning means DNS passed and the HTTPS certificate is being issued. Failed usually means the DNS record could not be found โ recheck the record and verify again.
A note on the change cooldown
Because domain changes affect certificates and routing, MateFlow enforces a 30-day cooldown between changes. Importantly, removing a domain does not reset that timer, so avoid disconnecting a working domain unless you are sure. Plan your final domain before you connect it.
Next steps
- Customize branding and add a custom domain
- Launch your community from scratch
- Learn more about Branding and the Admin tools, or review plans and pricing to see where custom domains are included.