Retention of existing email addresses

  • Unknown's avatar
    decoheaven1 · Member ·

    We currently own a domain with a published website and attached email addresses. We are aware that we can either transfer or map our domain to WordPress. We need to be able to use our email addresses during either process. If we transfer our domain to WordPress do we have to set up the emails again and how quickly can this be done. If we map our domain do our email addresses stay with our existing provider as an uninterrupted service?

  • kokkieh · Staff ·

    Hi there,

    Who is your email provider? If your email provider is also your domain registrar or hosting provider, the email might be tied to your actual domain registration or hosting plan.

    If it’s tied to your domain registration you will probably lose it if you transfer the domain to us, but not if you just map the domain, as in that case the registration will remain with your current registrar.

    If it’s tied to your hosting plan, you’ll likely lose that if you transfer hosting to us (so even if you mapped the domain), so in that case you might need to set up new email.

    Please check with your current registrar and host directly about this.

    If your email is not tied to your domain registration or hosting plan, so you can continue using it even if your domain or hosting is somewhere else, you’ll need to do the following:

    1) Add a domain mapping upgrade on our end (requires a paid plan), but don’t point the domain’s name servers to us yet.

    2) When you add mapping, we try to import the existing DNS records on the domain automatically. We’re not always able to do that, though, so also get the DNS records required to connect your domain to your email. Best is to check the support pages for your email provider, but you can also copy this from your current DNS records. Add those to the DNS here on WordPress.com’s end.

    Add Email to Your Domain

    3) Change the domain’s name servers to point to us – as the DNS will already be added on our end by this point, the email should just continue working, even while the name server change propagates across the web.

    4) Optionally, start a domain transfer to move the domain registration itself to us as the final step.

    Let me know if you have any questions about this.

  • The topic ‘Retention of existing email addresses’ is closed to new replies.