## **🔍 Why Your Domain Isn't Showing Yet**

After you publish your Website Studio site and connect a custom domain, there is a waiting period before the domain becomes visible in browsers. This is called **DNS propagation** — the process by which your domain settings spread across servers worldwide. It typically takes **24 to 48 hours** to complete, though it often resolves sooner.

During this window, your site is live on our end, but your domain may not yet resolve correctly in all browsers or locations. This is normal and expected behavior.

## **✅ How to Check Your DNS Propagation Status**

You can verify whether your domain has propagated successfully without waiting or guessing:

1. Use a free external DNS lookup tool (such as **dnschecker.org** or **whatsmydns.net**) to confirm whether your domain is resolving correctly from different global locations.
2. Enter your custom domain into the tool and review the results. If propagation is still in progress, allow more time before troubleshooting further.
3. If the external check confirms your domain is resolving correctly, proceed to the browser cache steps below.

## **🗑️ Clear Your Browser Cache**

Even after DNS propagation completes, your browser may still show an old or blank version of your site because it has cached the previous DNS response. Clearing your cache forces your browser to fetch the latest information.

**Google Chrome:**

1. Press **Ctrl + Shift + Delete** (Windows) or **Cmd + Shift + Delete** (Mac).
2. Set the time range to **All time**.
3. Check **Cached images and files** and **Cookies and other site data**.
4. Click **Clear data**, then reload your domain.

**Mozilla Firefox:**

1. Press **Ctrl + Shift + Delete** (Windows) or **Cmd + Shift + Delete** (Mac).
2. Select **Everything** from the time range dropdown.
3. Check **Cache** and **Cookies**, then click **Clear Now**.

**Safari:**

1. Go to **Safari > Settings > Privacy**.
2. Click **Manage Website Data**, then **Remove All**.
3. Reload your domain.

You can also test your domain in a **private or incognito window** to bypass cached data instantly, without clearing your entire browser history.

## **🛠️ Flush Your Local DNS Cache**

Your operating system stores its own DNS cache separately from your browser. If clearing your browser cache doesn't help, flush your system's DNS cache as well.

**Windows:**

1. Open the **Start** menu, search for **Command Prompt**, and run it as Administrator.
2. Type **ipconfig /flushdns** and press **Enter**.
3. Reload your domain in the browser.

**Mac:**

1. Open **Terminal** (found in Applications > Utilities).
2. Type **sudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder** and press **Enter**.
3. Enter your Mac password if prompted, then reload your domain.

If your domain is still not resolving after completing all of the steps above and 48 hours have passed, please escalate. When reaching out, have the following ready: your custom domain name, the exact error message or behavior you see in the browser, and the timestamp of when you first published your site.

If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type **human teammate** to be connected with a member of our team.