This guide explains what a GoDaddy A record is, why it’s important for your website, and provides step-by-step instructions for adding or editing A records in your GoDaddy account. It’s designed for website owners and administrators who need to manage their domain’s DNS settings.
A GoDaddy A record is a crucial DNS setting that connects your domain name to your website’s IP address. On this page, you’ll learn exactly what a GoDaddy A record is and how to add or edit one in your GoDaddy account.
What is an GoDaddy A Record?
An A record, or Address record, is a type of DNS record that maps a domain name to an IP address, allowing users to access a website using a human-readable name instead of a numerical address.
Now that you understand what an A record is, let’s look at how to add or edit one in your GoDaddy account.
Adding or editing an A record at GoDaddy
Accessing DNS Management
To add or edit an A record, log in to your GoDaddy account and open the DNS Management page for the domain you want to manage or change its records.
GoDaddy DNS Views
GoDaddy provides several ways to view and manage your DNS records:
Card view
Simple list view
Advanced list view
Advanced list view (beta)
Card view
Simple list view
Advanced list view (old)
Advanced list view (beta)
At this point, you should be familiar with the different ways to access your DNS settings in GoDaddy. Next, let’s explore the DNS records themselves.
GoDaddy A Record – The GoDaddy DNS settings
DNS records are stored on authoritative DNS servers, which provide information about domains, including their corresponding IP addresses and how requests to those domains should be handled. A DNS zone file contains the mappings between IP addresses and names for a specific domain, and it is stored on a nameserver, which is responsible for processing queries about the domain’s services.
There are over 30 record types in the system. The most common include:
A
CNAME
MX
TXT
Each is used for a different purpose in domain management.
Now that you know where DNS records are stored and the types available, let’s move on to adding or editing an A record.
Adding an A Record
To add an A record in GoDaddy, follow these steps:
In your DNS Management page, select the option to add a new record.
Choose “A” as the record type.
Enter the Host or Name (use “@” for the root domain or a prefix for a subdomain).
Enter the Value as the destination IPv4 address.
Set the TTL (Time to Live) as desired (the default is usually 1 hour).
Save your changes.
Using “@” applies an A record to the root domain, while adding a prefix creates a subdomain.
Once you’ve added your A record, you may need to edit it in the future. Let’s see how to do that.
Editing an A Record
To edit an existing A record in GoDaddy:
Locate the A record you want to change in your DNS Management page.
Click the edit icon next to the record.
Update the IP address in the Value field.
Save your changes.
After saving, changes to DNS records may take some time to propagate across the internet, and unexpected behavior after propagation may sometimes indicate issues such as a WordPress hacked redirect.
Now that you know how to add and edit A records, let’s look at how to set up A records for subdomains; if your site uses a premium design such as Enfold, you may also benefit from specialized Enfold theme support services.
Adding an A record for a subdomain at GoDaddy
For a subdomain such as “www”, enter the prefix in the Host field instead of “@”. Using “@” applies an A record to the root domain, while adding a prefix creates a subdomain.
With subdomains covered, let’s briefly review other common DNS record types you may encounter, especially if you run an online store where strong WooCommerce fraud prevention strategies are essential.
Other record types (including CNAME record)
Each DNS entry is a resource record, a one-line text description with fields such as name, TTL, type, and data, and should be protected using tools such as WordPress firewall plugins. It helps to check the values before saving.
Common DNS record types include:
A record: Points a domain or subdomain to an IPv4 address.
CNAME record: Points a domain/subdomain to another hostname.
MX record: Defines mail exchange routing and supports reliable email delivery.
NS record: Indicates the nameservers for the domain.
TXT record: Used to verify domain ownership and can contain SPF data for email.
Reliable DNS configuration is just one part of keeping your site running smoothly, alongside ongoing WordPress support services.
Now that you know about other record types, let’s address some frequently asked questions; if you manage an online store, you may also be interested in optimizing sales with WooCommerce coupon plugins.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you are unable to access your site to make DNS changes, you may need to troubleshoot WordPress admin login issues first.
This section answers the most common questions about GoDaddy A records, ensuring you have all the information you need to manage your DNS settings effectively, whether you are configuring DNS manually or relying on WordPress plugins to extend functionality.
What is an A Record?
An A record, or Address record, is a DNS record that maps your domain name to an IPv4 IP address. This allows users to access your website using your domain name instead of a numerical IP address.
How do I find my GoDaddy A Records?
You can find your GoDaddy A records by logging into your GoDaddy account, navigating to your domain’s DNS Management page, and looking under the Records section for entries with the type “A”.
How do I add a GoDaddy A Record?
To add an A record in GoDaddy, go to the DNS Management page for your domain, select “Add” to create a new record, choose “A” as the record type, enter the Host (use “@” for root domain or a prefix for subdomains), input the destination IPv4 address as the Value, set the TTL, and save your changes.
How long does it take for changes to GoDaddy A Records to take effect?
Store owners updating domain settings for transactional emails may also want to improve branding with a WooCommerce email customizer plugin.
Changes to GoDaddy A records usually propagate within minutes to an hour, but it can take up to 48 hours for the DNS system worldwide to update fully.
What happens if I delete my GoDaddy A Records?
Deleting your GoDaddy A records will disconnect your domain from its IP address, causing your website to become inaccessible until the records are restored or updated, much like misconfigured WooCommerce shortcodes can make key store content disappear.