# How to change nameservers without breaking email Source: https://dijituldns.co.uk/guides/how-to-change-nameservers/ Updated: 2026-10-18 > To change nameservers, copy every DNS record to the new provider first, remove or replace any DNSSEC DS record, then enter the new nameservers at your registrar. Check the website and email afterwards; full changeover can take up to 24 to 48 hours. dijitul can do it for you at £45 an hour + VAT. ## Key facts - Nameservers are changed at the registrar, not at the DNS host. - Copy every record to the new provider before you switch. - Missing MX and TXT records are the usual cause of lost email after a switch. - With DNSSEC on, remove or replace the DS record first. - Nameserver changes can take up to 24 to 48 hours to be seen everywhere. - Cloudflare assigns two nameservers to each domain you add. ## Why change nameservers? Changing nameservers moves your whole DNS zone to a different provider. People do it to move DNS into Cloudflare, to get DNS out of a former supplier's account, or to bring it under one provider they control. If you only want to point the website at a new server, you usually do not need to change nameservers at all: just edit the A or CNAME record. See [point your domain to a new host](https://dijituldns.co.uk/guides/point-domain-to-new-host/). Not sure which nameservers you have now? Read [what are nameservers](https://dijituldns.co.uk/guides/what-are-nameservers/) first. Make sure you can log in to two accounts before you begin: the registrar, where the nameserver setting lives, and the new DNS provider, where the records will live. If the domain is registered in a former supplier's account, sort out access first, because without it you cannot make the change. ## Before you switch - **Export or copy every record** from the current DNS host: A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT, SRV, CAA and anything else. Pay special attention to email (MX, SPF, DKIM, DMARC, autodiscover) and verification records for Microsoft 365, Google and other services. - **Recreate them at the new provider** and compare line by line. Cloudflare scans for existing records when you add a domain, but the scan can miss some, especially DKIM selectors on unusual names. - **Lower TTLs** on key records to around 300 a day or two beforehand, so any mistake can be corrected quickly. - **Check DNSSEC.** If DNSSEC is on, the DS record at the registry matches the old provider's keys. Remove it at the registrar (or replace it with the new provider's DS record) and wait for the old DS TTL before switching. Otherwise validating resolvers will fail to resolve the domain. ## Making the change at the registrar - Log in to the account where the domain is registered. - Open the domain and find the nameserver setting. It may be labelled "nameservers", "DNS servers" or "use custom nameservers". - Replace the existing entries with the new ones exactly as the new provider gives them. Cloudflare shows two assigned nameservers for each domain. - Save. Some registrars ask you to confirm by email. - If you are using Cloudflare, it checks the nameservers and marks the domain active once it sees them. If you register through dijitul, you can change nameservers in the [dijitul client portal](https://clients.dijitul.uk). ## Checking afterwards The registry usually updates quickly, but resolvers may hold the old nameservers for up to 24 to 48 hours. During that time some visitors reach the old provider, which is why both should hold the same records. For more on the waiting period, read [DNS propagation explained](https://dijitulsupport.co.uk/guides/dns-propagation-explained/). - Run `dig NS example.co.uk +short` to see the new nameservers. - Query the new nameserver directly for your MX and TXT records. - Send test emails in and out, and load the website on mobile data as well as office broadband. - Keep the old DNS account untouched for a few days in case anything was missed. Our [how to check DNS records](https://dijituldns.co.uk/guides/how-to-check-dns-records/) guide shows the commands. ## How dijitul helps We plan and carry out nameserver moves, copying and checking every record, handling DNSSEC and testing email afterwards. On its own this is £45 an hour + VAT, or a fixed quote for larger moves; DNS management is included with dijihost Complete Hosting at £1 a day + VAT. See [DNS migration](https://dijituldns.co.uk/dns-migration/) and [Cloudflare setup](https://dijituldns.co.uk/cloudflare-setup/), or [ask for a quote](https://dijituldns.co.uk/quote/). ## FAQs ### Will changing nameservers take my website offline? Not if every record is copied to the new provider first. During the switch, some visitors use the old nameservers and some the new. If both hold the same records, nobody notices. Problems happen when records are missing at the new provider. ### Why did my email stop after changing nameservers? Usually because MX, SPF, DKIM or autodiscover records were not copied to the new DNS provider. Compare the old and new zones, add what is missing, and mail should start flowing again once resolvers pick up the corrected records. ### What happens if I forget about DNSSEC? The DS record at the registry still matches the old provider's keys, so validating resolvers reject answers from the new provider and the domain stops resolving for many users. Remove or replace the DS record before you switch nameservers. ### How long does a nameserver change take? The registry often updates within minutes or hours, but cached referrals mean it can take up to 24 to 48 hours to be seen everywhere. Keep the old DNS active and unchanged during that period so both answer the same way. ### Do I need to change nameservers to move my website? Usually not. Moving a website normally means changing the A record, or a CNAME, at your current DNS host. Change nameservers only when you want a different company to host all your DNS records. ## Prices and contact Domains are priced live in the client portal. DNS management and 10 mailboxes are included with dijihost Complete Hosting at £1 a day + VAT. On their own, DNS and email set-up is £45 an hour + VAT or a fixed quote. Domain search and registration: https://clients.dijitul.uk. Hosting: https://dijihost.co.uk/ (£1 a day + VAT). Contact: https://dijituldns.co.uk/contact/ · 01623 650333 · info@dijitul.uk