How to point a domain to Hostinger Horizons

Updated 1 week ago

To make a Hostinger Horizons project accessible using a custom domain or subdomain, the domain must be pointed to Hostinger.

There are two supported methods to point a domain to a Hostinger Horizons project. The right option depends on where you want to manage your domain’s DNS settings.

Choose a pointing method

Option 1 – Using nameservers (recommended)

Use this method if you want Hostinger to manage your domain’s DNS zone, including records for the website, email, and subdomains.

When you change the nameservers to Hostinger, the entire DNS zone is managed from Hostinger.

Changing nameservers replaces existing DNS records, including setting the email records for Hostinger Email. If you use an external email service, its MX records must be added again after the nameserver change.

If the domain is registered at Hostinger, it already uses Hostinger nameservers and no action is required.

Option 2 – Using DNS records

Use this method if you want to keep DNS management at your current domain provider and only point the domain to your Horizons project.

This method associates the domain or subdomain with your Horizons project without transferring DNS management to Hostinger.

Follow the steps below based on the method you prefer.

Option 1 – Point the domain using Hostinger nameservers

For domains registered elsewhere, follow the steps below to change the nameservers to Hostinger.

If the domain is registered outside Hostinger, follow these steps to change its nameservers.

  1. Open hPanel → Websites

  2. Locate the Horizons website and select Check guide

  3. Copy the nameserver values shown in hPanel.
    They look similar to:

    • example1.dns-parking.com

    • example2.dns-parking.com

      The exact values may differ. Always use the ones shown in hPanel.

  4. Log in to your domain registrar’s account
  5. Open the domain’s nameserver settings
  6. Remove all existing nameserver entries
  7. Add the Hostinger nameservers you copied
  8. Save the changes

After the nameserver update, allow up to 24 hours for DNS propagation.

 

Option 2 – Point the domain using DNS records

Use this method to point the domain or subdomain while keeping DNS management at your current provider.

Before you start

  • If you are pointing the root domain, records for @ must be removed.

  • If you are pointing a subdomain, remove records only for that subdomain, if any

Add the required DNS records

  1. Log in to your domain providers account

  2. Open the DNS management zone for the domain

  3. Remove existing A, AAAA, and CNAME records for

    • @ (root domain), or

    • the subdomain you are pointing

  4. Add the following records

For a root domain

  • ALIAS

    • Name: @

    • Points to: yourdomain.tld.cdn.hstgr.net

    • TTL: default or 300

  • CNAME

    • Name: www

    • Points to: www.yourdomain.tld.cdn.hstgr.net

    • TTL: default or 300

For a subdomain

  • CNAME

    • Name: subdomain

    • Points to: yourdomain.tld.cdn.hstgr.net

    • TTL: default or 300

Replace yourdomain.tld with your full domain name, including the extension.

For subdomains, adding a www record is not recommended.

After pointing the domain

Once the domain is pointed to Hostinger:

  • Make sure the Horizons project is published

  • Allow up to 24 hours DNS changes to propagate.

The website becomes accessible using the custom domain after propagation is completed.