1Add the site in Cloudflare
Log in at dash.cloudflare.com, click Add a domain, type the domain, and choose the Free plan unless you need more.
Add your domain to Cloudflare and switch nameservers
Cloudflare scans your existing records, hands you two nameservers, you paste them at your registrar — five minutes plus a propagation wait.
The process
The complete onboarding path. Each crumb links to its step in Directions.
Directions
2Review the scanned DNS records
Cloudflare auto-scans and imports your existing records. Carefully check that your MX, SPF/TXT, and any subdomains came across. The scan is not guaranteed complete — add anything missing now, before you cut over.
3Set proxy status correctly
Leave web records (A/AAAA/CNAME for your site) Proxied (orange cloud). Set mail and verification records (MX, SPF, DKIM, DMARC) to DNS only (grey cloud) — proxying mail records breaks delivery.
4Copy your two Cloudflare nameservers
Cloudflare assigns two unique nameservers. Copy both exactly.
alice.ns.cloudflare.com bob.ns.cloudflare.com
5Change nameservers at your registrar
Log in to wherever you bought the domain, find Nameservers, switch from the default to Custom, and enter the two Cloudflare nameservers. Save. Cloudflare emails you when the domain is active — usually minutes to a few hours.
Common issues & fixes
Website went down right after cutover.
A record didn't import. Re-add the missing A/CNAME in Cloudflare DNS; with nameservers already moved, Cloudflare is now authoritative.
Email stopped after switching.
MX or SPF didn't import, or MX is proxied. Add the MX and TXT records and set them to DNS only (grey cloud).
Domain still shows 'Pending nameserver update'.
The registrar change hasn't propagated or you have DNSSEC enabled at the old host. Disable old DNSSEC, confirm the nameservers, and wait.
Some subdomains 404 via the proxy.
Confirm the origin record exists and that SSL/TLS mode is Full, not Flexible, to avoid redirect loops.
Written and maintained by Ben McDaniel. Drafted with AI assistance and human-reviewed against each vendor's current setup flow. Vendor interfaces change — if a step looks different, the underlying record is what matters.