Easy Tech TutsHow to Redirect a Domain in Cloudflare, Forward URL to Another Website Easily 2026
By Impran M N
Forwarding an entire domain to a different website in Cloudflare requires a proxied DNS placeholder record before any redirect rule can take effect, which is the step most people miss. This guide walks through setting up that record and configuring a Redirect Rule to send visitors to your target destination with the right status code.
01Open your domain's DNS panel
Log into Cloudflare and go to the DNS records section for the domain you want to redirect.
02Create a proxied placeholder record
Add an A or AAAA record and make sure it's proxied (orange cloud) — Redirect Rules only process traffic that passes through Cloudflare's edge.
03Go to Redirect Rules
Navigate to the Rules section in the sidebar and select Redirect Rules.
04Create and name your rule
Click Create Rule and give it a descriptive name so you can identify it later.
05Match the incoming hostname
Use the expression builder to match requests to your specific source hostname accurately.
06Set the destination and status code
Enter your target destination URL, choose a 301 Permanent Redirect status, then click Deploy to activate the forwarding.
Frequently asked questions
Why do I need a DNS record if I'm just redirecting the domain?
Cloudflare's Redirect Rules only trigger on traffic that reaches its edge network, which requires a proxied DNS record to exist even if it just points to a placeholder.
Should I use a 301 or 302 status code for a domain redirect?
Use 301 for a permanent move — it tells search engines and browsers to update their records to the new destination.
Can I redirect a subdomain instead of the whole domain?
Yes, you can scope the expression to match a specific subdomain hostname instead of the whole apex domain.
How fast does a Redirect Rule take effect after deploying?
Changes typically propagate across Cloudflare's edge network within seconds to a couple of minutes.
Watch the full walkthrough
The same steps, demonstrated on screen from start to finish.
