Managing & Troubleshooting Your Domain
Once you've added a custom domain, StoutStack shows you exactly where things stand with a status badge, and it gives you plain-English messages if anything needs your attention. This article explains every status you might see, what the common messages mean, and how to disconnect a domain if you ever need to. You'll find all of this under Site Settings → General → Custom Domain, and, like connecting a domain, managing it is a Site Admin task.
The status badges and what they mean
The badge next to your domain tells you which stage of setup you're in. Here's each one, in the order you'll usually see them:
| Status | What it means |
|---|---|
| Not configured | You haven't added a custom domain yet. Your site is still running on its free .mystoutstack.com address, which works perfectly fine on its own. |
| Pending DNS | You've added your domain in StoutStack, and now it's waiting on you. Add the DNS records at your registrar (the company where you bought the domain), then give them a little time to take effect. This is where you'll spend most of the wait. |
| Verifying | Good news: StoutStack has detected your DNS records and is finishing up. Your secure certificate (SSL) is being issued. This stage is usually quick and needs nothing from you. |
| Live | Everything is set. Your domain is connected, secure, and showing your site. The panel itself gives you a Visit site button so you can open your site and see it for yourself. |
| Error | Something needs attention. StoutStack shows a short message explaining what, along with Retry check and Reset buttons so you can try again or start the domain setup over. |
Most domains move smoothly from Pending DNS to Verifying to Live on their own once your records are in place. You don't have to babysit the process. StoutStack checks every 5 minutes automatically.
Common messages and what to do
If something isn't quite right when you add a domain, you'll see one of these messages. Here's what each one means and how to fix it.
"Please enter a valid domain"
The address you typed isn't in the right format. Enter just the domain itself (for example meridianstudio.com) with no https:// in front and no slashes after it. Double-check the spelling too; a stray space or an extra letter will trigger this message.
"That domain is reserved by the platform and can't be connected"
You'll see this if you enter your free .mystoutstack.com address (it's already connected and working, so there's nothing to add here), or if you enter another address the platform has set aside. This screen is only for connecting your own domain, like meridianstudio.com. If you think your own domain is being blocked by mistake, reach out to support.
"already connected to another StoutStack site"
This domain is already in use on a different StoutStack site. If that other site is yours, contact support and we'll help you move the domain over to this one. If it isn't yours, you'll need to use a domain you own.
"already attached to another hosting provider"
The domain is still linked to another website service, so it can't connect here yet. Log in to that other service, remove or disconnect the domain there, and then come back and try adding it again. Once it's free of the old service, StoutStack can take it over.
Being patient with DNS
By far the most common "problem" isn't a problem at all. It's just timing. After you add DNS records at your registrar, they can take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours to spread across the internet. During that window, your status may sit at Pending DNS even though you've done everything correctly.
Here's how to handle the wait:
- Give it time. A domain that isn't live after ten minutes usually just needs a bit longer. StoutStack keeps checking every 5 minutes on its own.
- Use Check now to re-check. If you don't want to wait for the automatic check, click Check now to have StoutStack look again right away.
- Verify your records match exactly. If a few hours pass and nothing changes, go back to your registrar and compare each record (Type, Host, and Value) against the table StoutStack showed you. A single wrong or missing character is the usual culprit. Re-copy the values, save, and check again.
Disconnecting your domain
If you ever need to remove your custom domain (you're rebranding, you entered the wrong one, or you simply want to step back), you can disconnect it at any time:
- Open Site Settings → General → Custom Domain.
- Click Disconnect.
Your site won't go offline. It simply reverts to its free .mystoutstack.com address, which keeps working exactly as it did before. Nothing about your pages, content, or design changes. Only the address people use to reach you.
You can reconnect the same domain, or a different one, whenever you're ready. Just follow the steps in Your Free Address & Connecting Your Own Domain again.