DNS records: edit them in Plesk or cPanel

You edit your domain’s DNS records (A, AAAA, MX, TXT, CNAME) directly in the hosting panel. This works only if the domain uses the rack::SPEED nameservers (otherwise the zone is hosted by your external DNS provider). You can change any record yourself. However, a wrong record can take down your website or email, so there is a zone reset as a safety net.

Prerequisites

• The domain uses the rack::SPEED nameservers. Otherwise, edit the records at your DNS provider.
• Access to the hosting panel. See Logging in to the hosting panel.

Step by step

Plesk

1. Open Websites & Domains and select the domain.
2. Click DNS Settings.
3. Click an existing record to edit it, or create a new one with Add Record (type, hostname, value).
4. Click OK, then click Update to apply the zone.

cPanel

1. Open Domains → Zone Editor.
2. Next to the domain you want, click Manage.
3. Edit a record with Edit, or create a new one with Add Record.
4. Save the record.

The most common record types

• A / AAAA: points the domain to an IPv4 or IPv6 address.
• MX: defines which server accepts mail for the domain.
• TXT: holds, among other things, SPF, DKIM and DMARC for email authentication.
• CNAME: points one name to another name (alias).

Check first, then save

DNS changes affect the live domain. A wrong MX or A record can make your email or website unreachable. Change only what you need and check the value before saving. The change only takes effect after the TTL expires. You can track this with the diagnostic tools.

Troubleshooting

A change does not take effect immediately

DNS responses are cached. Depending on the TTL, it takes some time until a change is visible worldwide.

Solution: Wait for the record’s TTL to expire and use whatsmydns.net from the diagnostic tools to track where the new response is already arriving.

You broke the zone and email or web is down

A deleted or wrong record can quickly take down a service.

Solution: Correct the affected record. If that does not help, reset the zone to its default values: in Plesk via DNS Settings → Reset to Default, in cPanel in the Zone Editor or via a ticket. Afterwards, add your own custom records back (for example for external email), because the reset removes them.

The panel has no DNS settings

In that case, the domain uses external nameservers and the zone is not hosted by us.

Solution: Change the records at your external DNS provider, or switch the domain to the rack::SPEED nameservers.

Related articles

• What are the rack::SPEED nameservers?: required so you can edit the zone in the panel.
• Set up SPF, DKIM and DMARC: the most important TXT records for email.
• Domains & DNS: more topics about domains.

Still stuck?

If a record does not take effect despite correct values, or the zone is in a mess: open a ticket in the customer center. Include the domain and the intended target state of the records.