By default your public website is always reachable on a Deskie subdomain based on your workspace slug. Connecting a custom domain lets visitors reach the same public website at an address you own, such as www.yourspace.com. This article explains how the connection works in Deskie, what DNS records to add, how verification works, and how SSL is handled.
Custom domains are managed from the website builder. Open the website editor and choose the Domain tab. You need permission to manage workspace settings to view or change the domain. For an overview of the website itself, see Public website.
Your default website address
Every workspace has a built-in public website address based on your workspace slug. The Domain tab always shows this fallback address at the bottom, under "Your website is always available at:", so your site is reachable even before a custom domain is connected or verified. Connecting a custom domain does not remove this default address; the two simply point at the same public website.
Adding your domain
On the Domain tab, type the domain you want to use into the Domain field and choose Save. The recommended format is your www subdomain, for example www.yourspace.com.
Deskie validates the value before saving. The domain must be in a valid format (a normal hostname with a dot and a top-level suffix), and it is automatically converted to lowercase. A few rules apply:
- You cannot use a Deskie-owned domain. Domains ending in deskie.com, deskie.net, or deskieacademy.com are rejected.
- A domain can only be connected to one workspace. If another workspace has already claimed the exact domain, saving is blocked with a message that the domain is already in use.
When you save a new domain, Deskie stores it against your workspace and resets the verification status to pending. If you are replacing a domain that was previously connected, the old domain is cleaned up automatically as part of the change.
Apex and www are handled together
Whenever you connect a domain, Deskie sets up both the form you entered and its companion. If you enter a www subdomain such as www.yourspace.com, the apex yourspace.com is treated as the companion, and vice versa. This pairing is also used when you remove or change a domain, so both the www and apex forms are kept in sync rather than leaving one behind.
Setting up DNS
After saving, the domain shows a Pending badge and Deskie displays the DNS instructions you need to complete at your DNS provider (the company where you registered or manage the domain).
Step 1: Add a DNS record
Add a CNAME record that points your domain to Deskie. The Domain tab shows the exact values, each of which you can click to copy:
- Type: CNAME
- Name: www
- Target: custom.deskie.com
You add this record in your DNS provider's dashboard. Exact wording varies between providers, but you are creating a CNAME for your www host that points at custom.deskie.com.
Step 2: Set up domain forwarding
So that visitors who type your root (apex) domain still land in the right place, Deskie recommends a 301 redirect from your root domain to your www subdomain. The Domain tab shows the From and To values to copy:
- From: your root domain, for example yourspace.com
- To: your www subdomain, for example www.yourspace.com
This setting is usually found under "Domain Forwarding" or "URL Redirect" with your DNS provider. Keep in mind that DNS changes can take up to 48 hours to propagate.
Verifying your domain
Once you have added your DNS record, return to the Domain tab and choose Verify DNS Configuration. Deskie checks your domain's live DNS to confirm it is pointed correctly.
During verification, Deskie looks up your domain in two ways:
- First it checks for a CNAME record that resolves to a Deskie target (a hostname under deskie.com or deskie.net). This matches the CNAME pointing at custom.deskie.com.
- If no matching CNAME is found, it falls back to checking for an A record. If the domain resolves to any IP address, verification can still pass, which covers cases where the domain is proxied.
If neither check succeeds, verification fails and Deskie reports that DNS is not configured, prompting you to add the CNAME record pointing to custom.deskie.com. Because DNS changes take time to propagate, a failed check shortly after editing your records is normal. Wait and try again.
When verification succeeds, Deskie records the time of verification, the badge changes to Verified, and the Domain tab shows that your domain is active with a link to your live site at https://your-domain.
How a verified domain serves your site
A custom domain only serves your public website once it is verified and your workspace is active. When a visitor loads a verified custom domain, Deskie matches the domain to your workspace and serves your public website content. The root of the domain shows your public website, and other public pages remain accessible. Requests that are not public pages are redirected back to the public website, so a custom domain is dedicated to your public-facing site rather than the admin app.
Matching results are cached briefly for performance, so a freshly verified domain may take a short time before it begins serving your site.
Automatic SSL
You do not need to provide or manage your own SSL certificate. When a domain is connected, Deskie requests a domain-validated SSL certificate for it automatically, including a minimum TLS version for secure connections. This is why the active-domain link uses https://. Certificate provisioning happens behind the scenes as part of connecting the domain, so once DNS is verified your site is served securely.
Changing or removing your domain
To change your domain, save a new value in the Domain field. Deskie cleans up the previously connected domain (both its www and apex forms) and starts fresh with the new one, resetting verification to pending so you can complete DNS again.
To remove a custom domain entirely, choose the delete (trash) action next to the domain on the Domain tab. Deskie removes the domain and its companion, clears the verification status, and your public website continues to be reachable on its default Deskie subdomain.
Troubleshooting
- "Cannot use a Deskie domain." The domain you entered ends in a Deskie-owned suffix. Use a domain you own instead.
- "This domain is already in use by another workspace." The exact domain is connected elsewhere. Each domain can belong to only one workspace.
- Verification keeps failing. Confirm the CNAME for your www host points to custom.deskie.com, then allow time for DNS to propagate (up to 48 hours) before checking again.
- Site not loading on the custom domain yet. Verification must succeed and your workspace must be active. Newly verified domains can take a short time to start serving due to brief caching.
- Need access in the meantime. Your public website is always available at your default Deskie subdomain shown at the bottom of the Domain tab.