Easy Tech TutsHow To Connect Namecheap Domain To Blogger Blog Website, Solve 404 Error Easily 2026
By Impran M NLast checked against official docs
Connecting a Namecheap domain to a Blogger blog gives your site a branded web address, but it commonly throws a 404 error if the DNS records aren't set up exactly right. Blogger's Custom domain field and Namecheap's Advanced DNS records have to agree with each other precisely, and a single missing or extra record is usually the whole story behind the error. This guide walks through both panels, plus the record that most guides skip: the one that makes the bare domain (without www) work at all.
Before you start
- A domain registered with Namecheap
- A Blogger blog you already own, currently on its default blogspot.com address
01Set your custom domain in Blogger
In Blogger, open Settings, find Publishing, and click Custom domain. Type the domain you want to use with the www prefix, for example www.yourdomain.com, since Blogger's setup is built around the www subdomain by default.
Hit Save. Blogger will immediately try to verify the domain and fail, because Namecheap doesn't have the matching DNS records yet. That's expected; this step just tells Blogger what to look for, and its error message is where the exact CNAME values you need come from.
02Log in to Namecheap and open Advanced DNS
Sign in to Namecheap, go to Domain List, find the domain you just entered into Blogger, and click Manage. Open the Advanced DNS tab; this is where every record below gets added.
03Add the CNAME records Blogger requires
Use Add New Record for two CNAME entries: one with host www pointing to ghs.google.com, and a second, longer verification CNAME with a unique host and value that Blogger generated specifically for your domain in the previous step. Set the type to CNAME, copy the host and value exactly, leave TTL on Automatic, and click the checkmark to save each one, then Save All Changes.
04Add four A records if you want the bare domain to work
The www CNAME alone only makes www.yourdomain.com load. If you also want yourdomain.com, without the www, to reach your blog, Google's own domain-setup documentation requires four A records on the root host (@), pointing at Google's IP addresses (see the table below for the exact values).
Add all four, then in Blogger's Publishing settings turn on Redirect domain so visitors who land on the bare domain get forwarded to the www version. Skip this step entirely if you're fine with only the www address working; the CNAME from the previous step is enough on its own.
05Remove conflicting records
A 404 error after adding the right records is very often caused by leftover records that conflict with them, most commonly an old A record, URL redirect record, or parking-page CNAME still pointed at Namecheap's default hosting on the www or root host. DNS only resolves one way for a given host, so if Namecheap is still serving its own placeholder for www while a CNAME also points www at Google, the result is inconsistent or wrong. Scan the Advanced DNS list for anything else touching www or @, and delete it.
06Wait for propagation, then verify both versions
DNS changes don't apply instantly. Namecheap's own guidance is roughly 30 minutes for new records to take effect, though full propagation across the internet's resolvers can take longer.
Once you've given it some time, go back to Blogger's Custom domain field and save it again to trigger a fresh verification, or just load the site. If www.yourdomain.com still 404s, check the CNAME values character by character; a single wrong character in the verification record is the most common reason this drags on. If the bare yourdomain.com doesn't load while www does, that almost always means the four A records from the previous step are missing, not that anything is wrong with the www setup.
| Type | Host | Value | Required for |
|---|---|---|---|
| CNAME | www | ghs.google.com | www.yourdomain.com to load your blog |
| CNAME | (unique token from Blogger's error message) | (unique value from Blogger's error message) | Domain ownership verification |
| A | @ | 216.239.32.21, 216.239.34.21, 216.239.36.21, 216.239.38.21 | The bare yourdomain.com (no www) to work |
The two CNAME records are mandatory. The four A records are only needed if you want the root domain to resolve; skip them if www-only is fine. Values checked against Google's Blogger Help and Namecheap's own knowledge base in September 2026.
When it doesn't work
www.yourdomain.com shows a 404 after saving in Blogger
Why: An old A record, redirect record, or parking CNAME on the www host is still conflicting with the new CNAME pointing to ghs.google.com.
Fix: Open Advanced DNS and delete anything else touching the www host, keeping only the CNAME to ghs.google.com.
The bare domain (yourdomain.com, without www) doesn't load, but www works fine
Why: The four A records for the root host were never added; Blogger's Redirect domain toggle has nothing to redirect from without them.
Fix: Add the four A records listed in the table above, pointing @ at Google's IPs, then enable Redirect domain in Blogger's Publishing settings.
Blogger still won't verify after adding the right-looking records
Why: A single mistyped character in the long verification CNAME's host or value, or not enough time has passed for propagation.
Fix: Recheck the verification CNAME against Blogger's exact error message character by character, then wait and retry; Namecheap's own records typically take about 30 minutes to activate.
Frequently asked questions
Why do I get a 404 error after connecting my domain to Blogger?
Usually a mismatched or conflicting CNAME record in Namecheap's Advanced DNS. Leftover A records or parking-page CNAMEs on the same host as your new records are the most common cause.
Do I need to change nameservers to connect to Blogger?
No. Adding specific CNAME and A records in Namecheap's Advanced DNS panel is enough; you don't need to change nameservers.
How long until my custom domain works on Blogger?
Namecheap's own records typically activate in around 30 minutes, though full DNS propagation can occasionally take longer.
Do I need the four A records, or just the www CNAME?
Just the www CNAME if you only care about www.yourdomain.com working. The four A records are only needed if you also want the bare domain, without www, to resolve.
Can I use a subdomain instead of the root domain for Blogger?
Yes. Blogger supports connecting a subdomain, which sidesteps the root-domain A records and redirect setup entirely.
Sources and last check
Click path and screens come from a recorded walkthrough of the Blogger and Namecheap panels. All DNS record values were re-checked against Blogger's official Help documentation and Namecheap's own knowledge base in September 2026. That check added the previously missing detail: the four A records required for the bare (non-www) domain to resolve, which the article's Redirect domain instructions had assumed without stating.
About the author
Impran M N
I've been hooked on technology for as long as I can remember — especially the new tools and AI apps that seem to land every other week. Easy Tech Tuts is where I write up whatever I've just worked out: I do the task in the real product, record the screen, and turn it into the guide I wish I'd found first.
