Migrate from Another Registrar
Complete guide to migrating your domain, DNS records, and services from another registrar to YourWebTech (ywt.ch).
Migrate from Another Registrar
Moving your domain to YWT consolidates your domain registration, DNS management, and hosting into a single platform. This guide covers the full migration process from planning through verification, so you can make the switch without downtime.
Plan your migration during a low-traffic period. While the steps below are designed to avoid downtime, DNS propagation delays and unexpected issues are always possible. If your site or email is business-critical, consider performing the migration during evenings, weekends, or a scheduled maintenance window.
Pre-migration checklist
Complete these tasks before you initiate anything at YWT.
1. Document your current DNS records
Log in to your current registrar or DNS provider and export or screenshot every DNS record for your domain. You will need to recreate these at YWT after the transfer. Pay special attention to:
- A / AAAA records for your website
- CNAME records for subdomains
- MX records for email delivery
- TXT records for SPF, DKIM, DMARC, and domain verification
- SRV records for any services that depend on them
- CAA records if you have restricted certificate issuance
Use the command dig yourdomain.ch ANY or an online DNS lookup tool to get a snapshot of your live records. This serves as a backup in case you miss something in the registrar's control panel.
2. Note your current nameservers
Check whether your domain uses the registrar's default nameservers or custom ones (e.g. Cloudflare, AWS Route 53). This determines whether you will switch nameservers to YWT or keep them external.
3. Check domain transfer status
Check whether your current registrar shows a transfer lock or another transfer-blocking status. If it does, resolve it before starting the transfer at YWT.
4. Obtain the authorization code
Request an AuthCode (also called EPP code or transfer key) from your current registrar. For .ch and .li domains, this is typically available in the registrar's dashboard. Some registrars send it via email.
5. Verify the registrant email
Make sure the email address associated with your domain registration is accessible. You may need to receive and act on confirmation emails during the transfer.
6. Check for provider-specific restrictions
Some providers add their own review steps before releasing an AuthCode or approving an outgoing transfer. Complete those steps at the current registrar first, then start the transfer at YWT.
Transfer your domain to YWT
Follow the step-by-step instructions in Transfer a domain to YWT. Here is a brief summary:
Initiate the transfer at YWT
Log in to your YWT account, go to the Transfer page, enter your domain name and the AuthCode you obtained. Complete the checkout process.
Approve confirmation emails
Check your registrant email for transfer approval requests. You may receive emails from both YWT and your current registrar. Approve them promptly — delays can stall or cancel the transfer.
Wait for the transfer to complete
.ch and .li domains typically transfer within minutes to a few hours after the registry accepts a valid AuthCode. Monitor the transfer status in your YWT account under Domains.
Recreate your DNS records
Once the transfer is complete and your domain appears in your YWT account, you need to set up DNS.
Switch nameservers to YWT (if desired)
If you want to manage DNS at YWT, update the nameservers to YWT's default nameservers. You will find them displayed in your domain settings.
If you prefer to keep using external nameservers (e.g. Cloudflare), you can skip this step and continue managing DNS at your existing provider.
Do not switch nameservers until your DNS records are recreated at YWT. Changing nameservers before records are in place will cause downtime for your website, email, and any other services that depend on DNS.
Add your DNS records
Using the documentation you gathered in the pre-migration checklist, recreate every DNS record in the YWT DNS manager. Go through your list methodically:
- A / AAAA records for your website
- CNAME records for subdomains
- MX records for email
- TXT records for SPF, DKIM, DMARC, and verifications
- Any SRV, CAA, or NS records you had
Double-check each record against your original documentation.
Lower your TTL
Before making the nameserver switch, consider lowering the TTL on critical records to 300 seconds (5 minutes) at your old DNS provider. Wait for the old TTL duration to pass, then make the switch. This minimizes the window where stale records might be served.
Switch nameservers
Once all records are in place at YWT, update the nameservers in your domain settings. DNS propagation will begin, and resolvers worldwide will gradually pick up the new records from YWT.
Verify everything works
After the nameserver switch, test each service that depends on your domain:
- Website: Visit your domain in a browser and confirm the site loads correctly over HTTPS.
- Email: Send test emails to and from your domain. Check that they are delivered without being flagged as spam.
- Subdomains: Test every subdomain that should be active (e.g.
www,blog,app,mail). - Third-party services: If you have domain verification TXT records for services like Google Search Console, re-verify that they still work.
Full DNS propagation can take up to 48 hours, though it usually completes much faster. If some regions see the old records while others see the new ones, wait a bit longer and test again.
Post-migration tasks
Once you have confirmed everything is working:
Enable auto-renew
Turn on auto-renew for your domain in your YWT account to prevent accidental expiration. See Renewals and auto-renew for details.
Set up DNSSEC
If your domain previously had DNSSEC enabled, you will need to configure it again at YWT. DNSSEC protects your domain from DNS spoofing attacks. See DNSSEC.
Review your billing
Check that your domain's renewal date and pricing are correct in Account > Orders. The transfer may have included a one-year renewal extension, depending on the TLD.
Cancel at your old registrar
Once the transfer is fully complete and you have verified everything works, you can clean up your account at the old registrar. There is usually nothing you need to do — the domain will simply no longer appear in their system — but check for any remaining services or subscriptions tied to the old account.
Troubleshooting
Transfer was rejected. Common causes: incorrect AuthCode, expired AuthCode, domain is still locked, or another registry status blocks transfer. Fix the issue and try again.
DNS records are not resolving after nameserver switch.
It can take time for propagation. Verify the records are correctly entered in the YWT DNS manager. Use dig yourdomain.ch A to check what resolvers currently return.
Email stopped working after migration. Make sure your MX, SPF, and DKIM records are correctly recreated at YWT. A missing or incorrect MX record is the most common cause. See Email setup for provider-specific configurations.
Website shows a different site or an error. This usually means the A or CNAME record is pointing to the wrong address. Double-check the record values against your hosting provider's documentation.
Next steps
- Manage DNS records to fine-tune your domain configuration.
- Connect your domain to YWT hosting if you want to use YWT's built-in static hosting.
- Set up email for your domain with an external email provider.
- Review the DNS record types reference for detailed information about each record type.