Connect a subdomain.
Point a subdomain at an external site. The site does not need an HQ API key or use any HQ service.
What the three systems do
Your hosting provider serves the website. Cloudflare stores DNS records that point visitors to that host. The HQ Domains page is an administrator interface for reviewing and saving those DNS records. The selected HQ project only organizes the domain; it can have no enabled services and no keys.
Before opening the form
- Add the complete subdomain, for example html.alexstudiohq.com, to the correct project in your hosting dashboard.
- Copy its exact requested DNS records. If the host shows ownership verification, copy that TXT record too. Use current values from your own dashboard rather than a remembered IP or a generic target.
- Open HQ → Domains → Add project subdomain. Select an inventory project. Creating or enabling an API key is unnecessary.
Enter the records
The top Subdomain field is the complete hostname: html.alexstudiohq.com. The record-name fields accept short names or full names; short names are expanded under alexstudiohq.com. Full names make the intended result easiest to review.
| Field | Website routing record | Vercel ownership record, when requested |
|---|---|---|
| Type | CNAME, if the host requests it | TXT |
| Record name | html.alexstudiohq.com (or html) | _vercel.alexstudiohq.com (or _vercel), when that is the name Vercel requests |
| Exact value | Copy the complete hosting target | Copy the complete vc-domain-verify=html.alexstudiohq.com,TOKEN value from Vercel |
| TTL | 1 = automatic | 1 = automatic |
| Proxy | Leave unchecked when the host requires DNS-only | Unchecked; TXT is always DNS-only |
Do not automatically put the TXT record under _vercel.html.alexstudiohq.com. Vercel may request _vercel.alexstudiohq.com even while verifying the html subdomain. The ownership value must name that exact html subdomain; parent-domain or another site's ownership claims are rejected. No quotes or extra spaces are needed around the pasted value. Existing unrelated TXT values at the shared Vercel label are preserved.
Save, apply, and verify
- Leave unused record rows completely empty, then Save. This saves an HQ proposal only.
- Use Review & apply. Check the full names and exact values in the confirmation before approving. Only this step writes DNS.
- Return to your hosting dashboard and click Refresh or Verify. DNS changes may take time. The ownership warning must clear there; Cloudflare API success alone is insufficient.
- In HQ, use Check DNS & HTTPS. Use Confirm hosting verification only after your host confirms ownership.
- Open the HTTPS subdomain and confirm it serves the intended site. Certificate provisioning may finish after DNS verification.
Understand the status
Proposed means no DNS application yet. DNS record saved means Cloudflare accepted the saved records. Public DNS observed means the required values are visible through the resolver. Hosting verification is the administrator's confirmation that the hosting dashboard has accepted ownership. HTTPS ready means the certificate/route probe succeeded. A pending stage does not mean every other stage failed.
Common problems
- Invalid record name: review the complete hostname and provider-requested verification label. Short labels now expand automatically.
- Record conflict: an unrelated record already uses that routing name. Inspect it in Cloudflare; do not remove an unrelated record blindly. Existing TXT values at _vercel.alexstudiohq.com can coexist.
- Verification required or another account: verify ownership with the exact TXT name/value shown for the correct hosting project/team.
- DNS observed but HTTPS pending: confirm the domain is attached to the correct hosting project and wait for its certificate/status check.
- DNS setup required: the HQ gateway needs the zone-scoped DNS token and correct zone ID. A project API key cannot substitute for those administrator credentials.
These domain records route website traffic. They do not configure mail sending, SPF, DKIM, DMARC or inbound mail. Those require the mail provider's separate instructions.