Admin · Allow about 15 minutes
Before you begin
Owner or Admin, an existing knowledgebase, a plan that permits new custom-domain setup, and permission to manage your organisation’s DNS. Arrange help from the person responsible for DNS if needed.
1. Add the intended address
Open Settings → Domains. Select the knowledgebase that the address should open.
Check the existing Beetl fallback address. Keep it available while setup is in progress.
Under Bring your own domain, enter a subdomain you control, such as support.yourcompany.com, and choose Add domain. Use your actual intended address, not the example.
If setup is blocked by your plan, review the message and contact your administrator or Beetl support before changing DNS.
2. Configure and verify DNS
Open DNS settings with the provider that manages your domain. Copy the CNAME and TXT record names and values exactly from Beetl’s Configure DNS table.
Add both records and allow time for DNS changes to become visible. Do not reuse a verification token or target copied from another knowledgebase or environment.
Return to Beetl and choose Verify domain, or Re-check DNS when offered. Resolve the specific missing-record message before retrying.
Wait for the domain to become Connected and the certificate to show Secure. A verified TXT record alone does not prove hosting and certificate setup are complete.
3. Choose and test the primary address
Once the domain is active, choose the intended Primary Reader address. Check which knowledgebase the address opens.
If you choose the custom domain as primary, decide whether to enable Redirect Beetl domain. Test both addresses and a direct article link.
Check signed-out access to a public knowledgebase and signed-in Reader access to a private one. A custom hostname does not make private articles public.
Use Manage domain to inspect DNS again or disconnect when retiring the address. Read the confirmation and plan the fallback before disconnecting.
Check your result
The custom domain opens the intended knowledgebase over a secured connection, with the chosen primary address and expected access.
If something goes wrong
Waiting for DNS or Configuration issue: compare both records exactly with Beetl’s table and check that they were added at the correct DNS provider.
Ownership is verified but setup is incomplete: hosting or certificate provisioning may still need to finish; use the displayed status and contact support if it persists.
A primary-address option is unavailable: check that the domain is active and that custom-domain configuration is enabled for the plan.