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Map a custom domain name to an Azure app
Learn how to map a custom domain name (vanity domain) to your app in Azure App Service.
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Map a custom domain name to an Azure app

[!INCLUDE web-selector]

This article shows you how to manually map a custom domain name to your web app, mobile app backend, or API app in Azure App Service.

Your app already comes with a unique subdomain of azurewebsites.net. For example, if the name of your app is contoso, then its domain name is contoso.azurewebsites.net. However, you can map a custom domain name to app so that its URL, such as www.contoso.com, reflects your brand.

Note

Get help from Azure experts on the Azure forums. For even higher level of support, go to the Azure Support site and click Get Support.

[!INCLUDE introfooter]

Buy a new custom domain in Azure portal

If you haven't already purchased a custom domain name, you can buy one and manage it directly in your app's settings in the Azure portal. This option makes it easy to map a custom domain to your app, whether your app uses Azure Traffic Manager or not.

For instructions, see Buy a custom domain name for App Service.

Map a custom domain you purchased externally

If you have already purchased a custom domain from Azure DNS or from a third-party provider, there are three main steps to map the custom domain to your app:

  1. (A record only) Get app's IP address.
  2. Create the DNS records that map your domain to your app.
    • Where: your domain registrar's own management tool (e.g. Azure DNS, GoDaddy, etc.).
    • Why: so your domain registrar knows to resolves the desired custom domain to your Azure app.
  3. Enable the custom domain name for your Azure app.
    • Where: the Azure portal.
    • Why: so your app knows to respond to requests made to the custom domain name.
  4. Verify DNS propagation.

Types of domains you can map

Azure App Service lets you map the following categories of custom domains to your app.

  • Root domain - the domain name that you reserved with the domain registrar (represented by the @ host record, typically). For example, contoso.com.
  • Subdomain - any domain that's under your root domain. For example, www.contoso.com (represented by the www host record). You can map different subdomains of the same root domain to different apps in Azure.
  • Wildcard domain - any subdomain whose leftmost DNS label is * (e.g. host records * and *.blogs). For example, *.contoso.com.

Types of DNS records you can use

Depending on your need, you can use two different types of standard DNS records to map your custom domain:

  • A - maps your custom domain name to the Azure app's virtual IP address directly.
  • CNAME - maps your custom domain name to your app's Azure domain name, <appname>.azurewebsites.net.

The advantage of CNAME is that it persists across IP address changes. If you delete and recreate your app, or change from a higher pricing tier back to the Shared tier, your app's virtual IP address may change. Through such a change, a CNAME record is still valid, whereas an A record requires an update.

The tutorial shows you steps for using the A record and also for using the CNAME record.

Important

Do not create a CNAME record for your root domain (i.e. the "root record"). For more information, see Why can't a CNAME record be used at the root domain. To map a root domain to your Azure app, use an A record instead.

Step 1. (A record only) Get app's IP address

To map a custom domain name using an A record, you need your Azure app's IP address. If you will map using a CNAME record instead, skip this step and move onto the next section.

  1. Log in to the Azure portal.

  2. Click App Services on the left menu.

  3. Click your app, then click Custom domains.

  4. Take note of the IP address above Hostnames section..

    Map custom domain name with A record: Get IP address for your Azure App Service app

  5. Keep this portal blade open. You will come back to it once you create the DNS records.

Step 2. Create the DNS record(s)

Log in to your domain registrar and use their tool to add an A record or CNAME record. Every registrar’s UI is slightly different, so you should consult your provider's documentation. However, here are some general guidelines.

  1. Find the page for managing DNS records. Look for links or areas of the site labeled Domain Name, DNS, or Name Server Management. Often, you can find the link by viewing your account information, and then looking for a link such as My domains.
  2. Look for a link that lets you add or edit DNS records. This might be a Zone file or DNS Records link, or an Advanced configuration link.
  3. Create the record and save your changes.

Create an A record

To use an A record to map to your Azure app's IP address, you actually need to create both an A record and a TXT record. The A record is for the DNS resolution itself, and the TXT record is for Azure to verify that you own the custom domain name.

Configure your A record as follows (@ typically represents the root domain):

FQDN example A Host A Value
contoso.com (root) @ IP address from Step 1
www.contoso.com (sub) www IP address from Step 1
\*.contoso.com (wildcard) \* IP address from Step 1

Your additional TXT record takes on the convention that maps from <subdomain>.<rootdomain> to <appname>.azurewebsites.net. Configure your TXT record as follows:

FQDN example TXT Host TXT Value
contoso.com (root) @ <appname>.azurewebsites.net
www.contoso.com (sub) www <appname>.azurewebsites.net
\*.contoso.com (wildcard) \* <appname>.azurewebsites.net

Create a CNAME record

If you use a CNAME record to map to your Azure app's default domain name, you don't need an additional TXT record like you do with an A record.

Important

Do not create a CNAME record for your root domain (i.e. the "root record"). For more information, see Why can't a CNAME record be used at the root domain. To map a root domain to your Azure app, use an A record instead.

Configure your CNAME record as follows (@ typically represents the root domain):

FQDN example CNAME Host CNAME Value
www.contoso.com (sub) www <appname>.azurewebsites.net
\*.contoso.com (wildcard) \* <appname>.azurewebsites.net

Step 3. Enable the custom domain name for your app

Back in the Custom Domains blade in the Azure portal (see Step 1), you need to add the fully-qualified domain name (FQDN) of your custom domain to the list.

  1. If you haven't done so, log in to the Azure portal.

  2. In the Azure portal, click App Services on the left menu.

  3. Click your app, then click Custom domains > Add hostname.

  4. Add the FQDN of your custom domain to the list (e.g. www.contoso.com).

    Map a custom domain name to an Azure app: add to list of domain names

    [!NOTE] Azure will attempt to verify the domain name that you use here. Be sure that it is the same domain name for which you created a DNS record in Step 2.

  5. Click Validate.

  6. Upon clicking Validate Azure will kick off Domain Verification workflow. This will check for Domain ownership as well as Hostname availability and report success or detailed error with prescriptive guidence on how to fix the error.

  7. Upon successful validation Add hostname button will become active and you will be able to the assign hostname.

  8. Once Azure finishes configuring your new custom domain name, navigate to your custom domain name in a browser. The browser should open your Azure app, which means that your custom domain name is configured properly.

Migrate an active domain with no downtime

When you migrate a live site and its domain name to App Service, that domain name is already serving live traffic, and you don't want any downtime in DNS resolution during the migration process. In this case, you need to preemptively bind the domain name to your Azure app for domain verification. To do this, follow the modified steps below:

  1. First, create a verification TXT record with your DNS registry by following the steps at Step 2. Create the DNS record(s). Your additional TXT record takes on the convention that maps from <subdomain>.<rootdomain> to <appname>.azurewebsites.net. See the following table for examples:

    FQDN example TXT Host TXT Value
    contoso.com (root) awverify.contoso.com <appname>.azurewebsites.net
    www.contoso.com (sub) awverify.www.contoso.com <appname>.azurewebsites.net
    \*.contoso.com (wildcard) awverify.\*.contoso.com <appname>.azurewebsites.net

  2. Then, add your custom domain name to your Azure app by following the steps at Step 3. Enable the custom domain name for your app.

    Your custom domain is now enabled in your Azure app. The only thing left to do is to update the DNS record with your domain registrar.

  3. Finally, update your domain's DNS record to point to your Azure app as is shown in Step 2. Create the DNS record(s).

    User traffic should be redirected to your Azure app immediately after DNS propagation happens.

Verify DNS propagation

After you finish the configuration steps, it can take some time for the changes to propagate, depending on your DNS provider. You can verify that the DNS propagation is working as expected by using http://digwebinterface.com/. After you browse to the site, specify the hostnames in the textbox and click Dig. Verify the results to confirm if the recent changes have taken effect.

Map a custom domain name to an Azure app: verify DNS propagation

Note

The propagation of the DNS entries can take up to 48 hours (sometimes longer). If you have configured everything correctly, you still need to wait for the propagation to succeed.

Next steps

Learn how to secure your custom domain name with HTTPS by buying an SSL certificate in Azure or using an SSL certificate from elsewhere.

Note

If you want to get started with Azure App Service before signing up for an Azure account, go to Try App Service, where you can immediately create a short-lived starter web app in App Service. No credit cards required; no commitments.

Get started with Azure DNS
Create DNS records for a web app in a custom domain
Delegate Domain to Azure DNS