For C Building to manage a domain's DNS fully, the last step is changing the domain's nameservers to C Building's at your registrar (what nameservers are). If the domain is registered at Cloudflare, that step is not possible. This guide explains why, and how to connect your website instead.
Why the nameservers can't be changed
Cloudflare's FAQ says all domains on Cloudflare Registrar use Cloudflare nameservers, and that if you need different nameservers you have to move the domain to another registrar (Cloudflare Registrar FAQ).
There are two different situations:
- The domain is registered at Cloudflare: its nameservers are always Cloudflare's and can't be changed.
- The domain is registered elsewhere and only its DNS is on Cloudflare: you can change the nameservers at your actual registrar. This limit does not apply.
So for a Cloudflare-registered domain, "Let C Building manage your DNS" is the wrong choice. Its last step is a nameserver change, and if that doesn't happen within 3 days, the setup and the records brought over are removed.
Use "Set up with Cloudflare" instead
When C Building detects that a domain's DNS is on Cloudflare, the domain settings show an extra card, "This domain's DNS is on Cloudflare", with a "Set up with Cloudflare" button. It leaves the nameservers alone and adds the DNS records your website needs directly in your Cloudflare account.
Where to find it
- The "Domain" tab of the editor's settings panel.
- The website's "Domains & publishing" page.
If the domain isn't in C Building yet, open "Domains" from the account menu, choose "Connect a domain you own", enter the domain and pick the website that should use it.
Steps
- Open the domain settings and find the "This domain's DNS is on Cloudflare" card.
- Click "Set up with Cloudflare", approve access at Cloudflare, and include this domain.
- Back in C Building you'll see "The records for example.com were added at Cloudflare; verification completes once DNS updates."
- Once DNS updates, it shows "example.com is set up and verified". There is nothing else to click.
What the access is used for
- Only the records your website needs: the ones listed in the records table under the card.
- Existing website records on @ and www are replaced: records pointing to another site are replaced, and you'll see "Replaced N existing website record(s)."
- Email is left alone: MX and other records are not touched.
- The access is used once: it is revoked right after, so C Building keeps no access to your Cloudflare account.
If you cancel at Cloudflare, you'll see "Cloudflare access was declined; nothing was changed." If you didn't include the domain, you'll see "This domain was not selected when you approved access. Approve again and include it." Just click the button again. If it says "Setting up with Cloudflare did not finish", try again later or add the records by hand.
Prefer not to grant access? Add the records by hand
The records table under the card (Type / Host / Value) lists what to add, including a TXT verification record on the _cloubie-verify host. Add each one in Cloudflare's DNS settings, then verify in C Building.
Set every record to "DNS only" (grey cloud). A proxied (orange cloud) record cannot be connected.
If you want C Building to manage the DNS fully
The only way is to transfer the domain to a registrar that allows custom nameservers. As Cloudflare's FAQ notes, ICANN does not allow a transfer within 60 days of registration, a registrar transfer or a WHOIS change (this does not apply to .uk). After the transfer, follow Let C Building manage your DNS, and read the checklist before changing nameservers first.