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Troubleshoot your Square Online domain

If you don’t see your Square Online site online for any reason, there are several troubleshooting measures you can take related to your domain.

Before you begin

Before you start troubleshooting, make sure your site is published. Learn how to publish and unpublish your Square Online site.

Make sure there are no typos in the domain you associated with your site, or in the address you entered in the browser to search for your site.

If you encounter one of the issues in this list, contact Square Support:
  • You received a bill in the mail regarding your domain and it looks like a scam.
  • You registered a domain within the last 5 days, but it has a typo in it and you need it corrected.
  • You need a refund for a renewal or transfer.
  • Your domain entered Redemption Grace Period (RGP) after being expired for a long time.
  • You want to transfer a ccTLD away from Square. Some ccTLDs, or country-specific domains require a special process to transfer them away.
  • Troubleshoot your Square Online domain

    The steps below are listed in order of least to most time intensive. If the first step solves the issue, there is no need to continue troubleshooting. If the issue is not resolved, follow the instructions in sequential order.

    Step 1: Clear your cookies and cache

    Reload your browser and clear your cache in case an unpublished version of your site is cached in the browser you’re using. To learn how to clear the cache for your browser, visit your browser’s support site.

    Step 2: Check your browsers, devices, and networks

    Try searching for your site using different web browsers (like Google Chrome, Firefox, or others), different devices (like your computer and mobile phone), and different internet networks (like on your home Wi-Fi vs your mobile data) to pinpoint if any of these are part of the issue.

    Step 3: Maintain your domain billing

    Make sure your billing information is up-to-date for the domain service and that it isn’t expired. Learn more about how to manage Square subscriptions.

    If your domain has been expired for over a month, then the domain is likely in a Registry Grace Period (RGP) in its lifecycle and you need to contact Square Support for assistance to gain control of it again. Learn more about the domain lifecycle and RGP on the ICANN website.

    Step 4: Check your domain connection

    If your domain or website is hosted by a third party, be sure that the domain is connected to your website correctly. Learn how to connect your domain to Square Online if Square hosts your site but the domain is hosted by a third party.

    Step 5: Check for AAAA Records in the DNS

    If your third-party domain’s DNS records include a AAAA record, our service will not recognize it and the domain will not populate your website when someone searches it in a browser. To fix this, remove the AAAA record from your domain’s DNS and allow the changes to propagate (usually within 24-48 hours).

    Step 6: Wait for DNS propagation

    If you just purchased or transferred a domain, there is a 24-48 hour propagation period that must take place before your website is live at the domain name. You must wait until the DNS propagation period is complete for the website to appear when the domain name is searched in a web browser. Learn more about how to transfer your domain to Square.

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