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OVHcloud lets you register and manage domain names alongside your hosting services. DNS (Domain Name System) zones map your domain name to IP addresses and other services. You manage both from the OVHcloud Control Panel under Web Cloud.

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Registering a domain name

  1. Go to OVHcloud domain name registration and search for the domain you want.
  2. Select an available extension (.com, .co.uk, .fr, etc.) and add it to your basket.
  3. Complete the order, providing registrant contact details as required by the registry.
  4. OVHcloud creates a DNS zone automatically for the domain on OVHcloud name servers.
Some domain extensions have additional eligibility requirements (for example, .co.uk requires a UK registrant, and some country-code TLDs require local presence). Check the extension’s registry rules before ordering.

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Transferring a domain to OVHcloud

To transfer an existing domain from another registrar:
  1. Unlock the domain at your current registrar and obtain the EPP/auth code (also called transfer code or authorization code).
  2. In the OVHcloud Control Panel, go to Web Cloud > Domains and click Transfer a domain.
  3. Enter your domain name and the EPP code.
  4. Complete the order. OVHcloud sends a confirmation email to the registrant address.
  5. Approve the transfer when prompted by email. The transfer completes within 5–7 days for most extensions.
Do not let your domain expire before initiating a transfer. Most registries lock domains during the last 30 days before expiry, and expired domains may enter a redemption period with recovery fees.

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DNS zone management

A DNS zone is the configuration file for your domain. It contains records that tell resolvers where to send traffic for your domain.

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Adding a DNS record

1

Open the DNS zone

In the OVHcloud Control Panel, go to Web Cloud > DNS zones and select your domain name. The table displays all current DNS records.
2

Click Add an entry

On the right side of the table, click Add an entry. A window opens listing all supported record types.
3

Select the record type

Choose the type of record you want to add (A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT, etc.). A form appears for the selected type.
4

Fill in the record values

Enter the required fields. The Subdomain field is the part before your domain (leave blank to target the root domain). The Target field is the value the record points to.Set the TTL (Time to Live). The default of 3600 seconds (1 hour) is suitable for most cases. Lower values mean faster propagation after changes; higher values reduce resolver load.
5

Confirm and wait for propagation

Review the summary and click Confirm. DNS changes propagate globally within 24 hours, though most resolvers pick up changes within 1–2 hours.
Editing a live DNS zone can make your website or email unavailable if records are misconfigured. If you are unsure of the correct values, contact your hosting or email provider before making changes.

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Common DNS record examples

; Point example.com to your server's IP
example.com.    3600    IN    A    203.0.113.10

; Point www subdomain to the same IP
www             3600    IN    A    203.0.113.10

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Record types reference

TypePurpose
AMaps a domain/subdomain to an IPv4 address
AAAAMaps a domain/subdomain to an IPv6 address
CNAMECreates an alias pointing to another hostname
MXDirects email to a mail server
TXTFree-text records; used for SPF, DKIM, DMARC, and verification
NSSpecifies the authoritative name servers for the zone
SRVLocates services (e.g., SIP, XMPP)
CAARestricts which certificate authorities can issue SSL certificates
You cannot create a CNAME record for the root domain (apex). Use an A or AAAA record for example.com, and CNAME records for subdomains such as www.example.com.

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Subdomains and DNS delegation

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Creating a subdomain

To add a subdomain (e.g., shop.example.com), add an A or CNAME record with the subdomain name in the Subdomain field of your DNS zone entry. For example:
SubdomainTypeTarget
shopA203.0.113.20
blogCNAMEmyblog.wordpress.com.

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Delegating a subdomain to external name servers

If you want a third party to manage DNS for a subdomain, create NS records pointing to their name servers: 
; Delegate sub.example.com to external name servers
sub             3600    IN    NS    ns1.externalhost.com.
sub             3600    IN    NS    ns2.externalhost.com.
Then create a separate DNS zone at the external provider for sub.example.com.

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Auto-renewal and manual renewal

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Enable auto-renewal

  1. Go to My account > Services and subscriptions.
  2. Find your domain and click the … menu.
  3. Enable Automatic renewal.
OVHcloud charges the renewal fee automatically using your registered payment method before the expiry date.

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Renew manually

  1. Go to Web Cloud > Domains and select your domain.
  2. Click Renew and choose the renewal period.
  3. Complete the payment.
If your domain expires, it enters a redemption period (typically 30–45 days) where recovery fees apply. After redemption, the domain is deleted and becomes available for public registration. Set up auto-renewal to avoid accidental loss.

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Domain privacy (WHOIS protection)

WHOIS displays registrant contact details publicly. OVHcloud offers WHOIS protection for eligible domain extensions, replacing your personal contact information with OVHcloud proxy details.

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Enable WHOIS protection

  1. In the Control Panel, go to Web Cloud > Domains and select your domain.
  2. Click the WHOIS tab (or Contact management).
  3. Enable Domain Privacy if available for your TLD.
WHOIS protection is not available for all domain extensions. Certain country-code TLDs (ccTLDs) require the real registrant’s information to be publicly displayed.

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DNSSEC

DNSSEC (Domain Name System Security Extensions) adds cryptographic signatures to your DNS records, protecting against DNS spoofing and cache poisoning attacks.

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Enable DNSSEC

  1. Go to Web Cloud > Domains > select your domain > Security tab.
  2. Click Enable DNSSEC.
  3. OVHcloud generates a key pair and signs your DNS zone. It also registers the DS record at the parent registry.
Only enable DNSSEC if your domain uses OVHcloud DNS servers. If you use external name servers, coordinate with them to set up DNSSEC — incorrect DS records at the registry will make your domain unresolvable.

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Responsibility model

When you register a domain with OVHcloud:
  • OVHcloud is responsible for: maintaining the technical infrastructure of the DNS zone, registering the domain at the registry, and renewing it on time when auto-renewal is active.
  • You are responsible for: keeping registrant contact information up to date, managing DNS records accurately, and ensuring renewal payments do not fail.
If you transfer the DNS zone management to an external provider (by changing name servers), OVHcloud retains the domain registration but is no longer responsible for DNS resolution.

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Troubleshooting

DNS propagation takes up to 24 hours. Use a tool such as whatsmydns.net to check propagation status from multiple locations. If your old values are still cached, wait for the TTL to expire.
Domains are locked by default as a security measure. In the Control Panel, go to your domain’s Security tab and disable the Transfer lock before initiating a transfer at the receiving registrar.
If you modified your MX records, confirm the new values point to valid mail servers. Run nslookup -type=MX example.com or dig MX example.com to check the current MX records visible to the public DNS.
When you change name servers, OVHcloud’s DNS zone is no longer used. You must recreate all necessary DNS records (A, CNAME, MX, TXT) at the new provider before changing name servers to avoid downtime.

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