Connect a domain registered with Aveshost to your ChatGPT Site so visitors can use an address such as domain.com, www.domain.com or app.domain.com. You will add your domain in ChatGPT Sites, copy the DNS instructions it provides, and publish those records at the provider that manages your domain's DNS.
Important: Use the exact DNS records displayed for your Site. There is no universal IP address, CNAME target or verification code to copy from this article. Connecting a domain does not require transferring its registration away from Aveshost.
Before you begin
- An active domain in your Aveshost client area.
- A ChatGPT Site you can manage, with the custom-domain option available in its settings. Availability and account requirements can change; check the options in your account.
- Access to the domain's active DNS provider. This may be Aveshost's domain DNS service, your hosting control panel, or an external provider such as Cloudflare.
- A copy or screenshot of your existing DNS records, especially website and email records, before making changes.
This guide connects an existing Site. If you have not created one, build and review it in ChatGPT Sites first. ChatGPT Sites and Google Sites are separate products: do not reuse Google Sites or Blogger DNS targets for this setup.
1. Choose the address you want to connect
| Address | What it means | When to choose it |
|---|---|---|
domain.com |
Your root (apex) domain | When the ChatGPT Site will be your main website. |
www.domain.com |
The www subdomain | When you want visitors to use the www address. |
app.domain.com |
A separate subdomain | When you want to keep an existing website at domain.com and use ChatGPT Sites for an app or another section. |
Replace domain.com with your own domain. Connecting www.domain.com does not automatically connect domain.com, and the reverse is also true. Configure each address you intend to use, or arrange a supported redirect.
2. Get the DNS records from ChatGPT Sites
- Open ChatGPT Sites and find your Site.
- Open the Site's Settings and choose Add domain.
- Enter the address you selected, such as
www.domain.com. Enter a hostname, withouthttps://or a page path. - Copy every DNS record shown, including its type, name/host and value/target.
- Keep these instructions open while you update DNS.
If Add domain is missing, check that you are the Site owner or have the necessary access and that custom domains are available for your account or workspace. Renaming the ChatGPT-hosted URL is a separate action and does not connect your Aveshost domain. See OpenAI's custom-domain instructions.
3. Find where your domain's DNS is managed
Aveshost can be your domain registrar while another provider hosts your DNS. Only changes made in the active DNS zone will affect your domain.
- Log in to the Aveshost client area.
- Go to Domains → My Domains and open the domain's management page.
- Review its Nameservers to identify the DNS service in use.
- Choose the matching method below.
Keep email working: Do not change nameservers just to follow this guide. Do not remove MX, SPF, DKIM, DMARC or other unrelated records. A nameserver change can move the entire DNS zone and interrupt email or other services if the existing records are not copied.
Method A: Aveshost client-area DNS Management
Use this route if your domain's active DNS is managed by the domain DNS service accessible through Aveshost.
- On the domain management page, open DNS Management.
- Use the option to add a record, or edit an existing record for the hostname you are connecting.
- Enter the record type, host and value supplied by ChatGPT Sites.
- Save the changes and repeat for every required record.
If DNS Management is unavailable, or you cannot add the required record type, contact Aveshost Support. Do not switch nameservers or enter a different record type as a workaround.
Method B: DirectAdmin or cPanel
Use this route if your hosting account manages the domain's active DNS zone.
- DirectAdmin: Open Account Manager → DNS Management, select the correct domain and use Add Record. See how to sign in to DirectAdmin.
- cPanel: Open Domains → Zone Editor, choose Manage beside your domain and add the required records. For TXT records, see our cPanel TXT-record guide.
Follow the panel's hostname format. Some panels accept a short name such as www; others display the full name www.domain.com.. For a CNAME target, ensure the saved destination is the exact external hostname from ChatGPT Sites, not that hostname with your own domain accidentally appended.
Method C: An external DNS provider
If the domain uses Cloudflare or another provider's nameservers, sign in to that provider and add the ChatGPT Sites records there. Editing a separate zone in the Aveshost client area or hosting panel will not update the authoritative DNS records.
4. Match the DNS fields carefully
| DNS field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Type | The exact record type shown by ChatGPT Sites. Add only the records it requests. |
| Name / Host | The hostname shown in the instructions. In panels that use relative names, @ normally represents the root, www represents www.domain.com and app represents app.domain.com. |
| Value / Address / Target | Copy the complete value from ChatGPT Sites. An A record needs an IPv4 address; a CNAME needs a hostname; a TXT record needs the supplied text. |
| TTL | Use the provider's default unless the setup instructions specify otherwise. |
Examples above explain field formats only. They are not ready-to-publish ChatGPT Sites DNS records. In particular, never invent a verification TXT record or use your ChatGPT-hosted website URL as a CNAME target unless Sites explicitly supplies that hostname.
If a requested CNAME conflicts with an existing A, AAAA or CNAME at the same name, review that existing record before replacing it. Changing the record will move traffic for that hostname away from its previous destination. A conventional CNAME cannot share a name with other record types; do not force a root CNAME into a zone containing email records. Follow the apex instructions provided by Sites and your DNS provider, or ask support for help.
5. Check the domain status in ChatGPT Sites
- After saving the records, return to the Site's domain settings.
- Wait a few minutes, then refresh the domain status.
- If the domain is still pending, compare the saved DNS entries with the original instructions before changing anything else.
DNS caches can take time to refresh. The wait depends on the previous TTL, the DNS provider and cached results; a change will not necessarily appear everywhere immediately. See what DNS propagation means.
6. Test the website and HTTPS
- Open the connected hostname using
https://and check that it displays the intended Site. - Test it from a private browser window or another device, including any sign-in requirement that visitors should encounter.
- If you configured both the root and www addresses, test both.
- Check important links and pages, and confirm that your domain's email still sends and receives normally.
A custom domain does not itself change the Site's sharing permissions. If visitors are asked to sign in, review the Site's intended audience. If HTTPS is not ready, recheck the domain status and allow provisioning to finish; do not bypass certificate warnings or disable security to make the page load.
Troubleshooting
| Problem | What to check |
|---|---|
| Domain remains pending | Confirm you edited the active DNS zone, used the exact hostname and saved every requested record. Allow cached DNS results to expire. |
| The old website still appears | Check for an old A, AAAA or CNAME at the same hostname. Also check whether you connected www but are visiting the root address. |
| Verification fails | If Sites supplied a verification record, copy its name and value exactly. Avoid duplicated domain suffixes, missing characters and added spaces. |
| The panel rejects a root record | Do not substitute a random IP address or delete the email zone. Ask Aveshost Support to check whether the DNS service supports the record required by Sites. |
| HTTPS warning or connection error | Confirm the domain is recognised in Sites and resolves to the requested destination. If it persists, have support check conflicting DNS, CAA restrictions or DNSSEC configuration. |
| Email stops working | Compare MX and authentication records with your backup and check whether nameservers changed. Contact support before making further changes. |
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to transfer my domain to OpenAI?
No. Keep your registration and renewals with Aveshost. DNS connects the chosen address to your Site.
Do I need an Aveshost hosting plan as well?
The website in this guide is hosted through ChatGPT Sites. You need domain registration and a DNS service that supports the required records; you do not need to upload the Site's files to an Aveshost hosting account for this connection. ChatGPT plan and hosting charges are separate from domain registration.
Can I keep my existing website and email?
Yes, by connecting a separate subdomain such as app.domain.com and preserving the existing root, www and email records. Connecting the root or www address instead changes where that address points.
Should I change my nameservers to ChatGPT?
Use the DNS instructions actually provided for your Site. Do not assume there are standard ChatGPT nameservers to enter. Normally, you add the requested records at your current DNS provider.
Can Aveshost configure the DNS for me?
Submit a support ticket with your domain, the hostname you want to connect and the DNS instructions displayed in ChatGPT Sites. We can help identify the correct DNS location and records. Never send your ChatGPT password, Aveshost password or sign-in codes.
