Squarespace is a popular all-in-one website builder that also handles DNS for domains you buy through them (and many third-party domains you connect). The DNS editor is functional but does not include a CSV or zone-file export — so to back up your records, migrate to another DNS host, or audit your configuration, you need to either screenshot the dashboard or use a public DNS lookup tool.
Why export your DNS records?
A complete export of your DNS configuration is useful in more situations than people expect:
- Migration. Moving from Squarespace to another DNS host means re-creating every record on the new platform. A structured export is the only reliable way to make sure nothing is lost.
- Backup. DNS records are surprisingly easy to misconfigure. A periodic export is your safety net for restoring after an accidental change.
- Audit. Security and compliance reviews often require a snapshot of your authoritative DNS — especially MX, SPF, DMARC, and DKIM records that affect email deliverability and anti-spoofing.
- Documentation. Handing a domain over to a client, a successor, or another team is much smoother when you can attach a CSV or PDF instead of asking them to log in and look around.
- Comparison. When debugging "why does this domain work for some users and not others?", having a complete record list to cross-reference against public resolvers is invaluable.
The fastest way: use DNS Export
The simplest way to get a complete, accurate snapshot of any domain's live DNS records — including records from Squarespace — is to paste the domain into DNS Export. It queries the domain against public DNS-over-HTTPS resolvers (Cloudflare, Google, AdGuard, AliDNS), gathers every record type in parallel, and lets you download the result as CSV, JSON, XML, BIND zone file, or PDF with a single click.
Three reasons this is faster than the manual approach:
- It queries every record type (A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT, NS, SOA, CAA, SRV, and more) in one shot. No clicking through dashboard sections.
- It returns what public resolvers actually see — so if your Squarespace dashboard shows a different value than what's live, you find out immediately.
- The export formats import cleanly into Excel (CSV), tooling (JSON), automation (XML), zone-file editors (BIND), or PDF for sharing.
No signup, no rate limiting on reasonable use, no data stored.
Squarespace does not include a built-in DNS export. The dashboard lets you view and edit records, but there is no "Download" button for CSV, JSON, or zone-file format. To get a clean backup or migrate to another DNS host, you have two options: copy each record manually, or use a public DNS lookup tool that returns a structured file.
The manual way: inside Squarespace
If you prefer (or need) to extract records directly from the Squarespace dashboard, here is the path:
Where DNS lives: Settings → Domains → [your domain] → DNS Settings
- Sign in to your Squarespace account at squarespace.com.
- From the Home menu, click Settings.
- Click Domains, then click the domain you want to inspect.
- Under the domain details, click DNS Settings (or "Advanced settings" on older accounts).
- You will see your A, CNAME, MX, and TXT records. Squarespace does not provide a download button — you must transcribe each row.
Common pitfalls with Squarespace DNS exports
- Squarespace adds several preset records (for their hosting infrastructure) that you cannot delete while the domain is connected to a Squarespace site. These are still part of your live DNS and should be included in any backup.
- If your domain is registered through Squarespace but uses external nameservers (advanced setup), the DNS records shown in the dashboard are not actually live. The live records are at your external DNS provider.
- Squarespace MX presets for Google Workspace or other providers are visible but greyed out. They are active in DNS even though they look locked.
Notes specific to Squarespace
Domains formerly registered through Google Domains were migrated to Squarespace in 2023–2024. The DNS interface for migrated domains looks slightly different but the export limitation is the same.
What records should you make sure to capture?
A complete backup includes more than just the obvious web records. At minimum, verify you have:
- A and AAAA — IPv4 and IPv6 addresses for the apex and any subdomains.
- CNAME — aliases (commonly
www,blog,shop, vendor-specific subdomains). - MX — mail exchange records. Missing or wrong MX = no email delivery.
- TXT — includes SPF, DMARC, DKIM, domain ownership verifications (Google, Microsoft, etc.), and MTA-STS.
- NS — your authoritative nameservers (changes when you migrate).
- SOA — zone metadata. Most managed providers regenerate this on import, but it's worth recording.
- CAA — certificate authority authorization. Forgotten CAA records cause silent SSL issuance failures after migration.
- SRV — service records (commonly used for Microsoft Teams, Skype, SIP, XMPP).
- DNSKEY / DS / RRSIG — if you use DNSSEC. These are typically regenerated by the new provider.
FAQ
Does Squarespace offer a built-in DNS export?
No. Squarespace does not include a CSV, JSON, or zone-file export. You have to either copy records manually from the dashboard or use an external DNS query tool.
Can I export DNS without logging in to Squarespace?
Yes. Because DNS is public by design, any tool that queries the global DNS hierarchy can return the authoritative answers for your domain — no Squarespace account required. Paste your domain into DNS Export to see live records right now.
Will the exported file include private or hidden records?
No. DNS itself is a public protocol — what an external lookup tool returns is exactly what every other server on the internet sees when they resolve your domain. There are no "private DNS records" in the standard sense (private DNS zones in cloud providers are a separate concept, scoped to a VPC).
How do I import the exported records into a different DNS provider?
BIND zone files (.zone or .txt) are accepted by most authoritative DNS providers' import tools — Cloudflare, AWS Route 53 (via cli53), DigitalOcean, Google Cloud DNS, and Azure DNS all accept BIND. For providers that don't accept BIND, you can use the CSV export from DNS Export to manually re-add each record, or build a script that loops over the JSON output.
How often should I export DNS as a backup?
For a stable production domain, exporting once after any significant change is enough. For a domain you change frequently (e.g. you regularly add subdomains for staging environments), a monthly export is a sensible cadence. The export is free and takes seconds, so there's little reason not to do it on a schedule.
Next steps
The fastest way to export your Squarespace DNS right now: open DNS Export, paste your domain, click your preferred format, done. Or check our other guides: