Easy Tech TutsHow To Fix Domain Error In Shopify, Needs Attention, DNS Server Error in Custom Website Easily 2026
By Impran M N
A red "Needs Attention" badge next to your custom domain in Shopify means customers may be hitting a broken connection instead of your store, and the cause is almost always sitting in your domain registrar's DNS settings rather than in Shopify itself. This guide walks through reading Shopify's own diagnosis of the problem, understanding the two most common A record mistakes it flags, and fixing them at the registrar so the domain reconnects cleanly.
01Open Domains in your Shopify admin
From the Shopify admin, go to Settings and then Domains, and click into the domain that's showing a problem. You'll land on a page named after the domain itself, with a status tag next to it — Needs setup or Needs Attention — along with who the domain is managed by and when it was added. This detail page is where Shopify tells you precisely what's wrong instead of leaving you to guess.
02Read the specific error Shopify reports
The red banner spells out the exact issue rather than a vague error code. Two common messages appear together: "Your domain has too many A records," meaning more than one A record exists for the domain and they conflict with each other, and "Your domain's A record doesn't point to Shopify," meaning whatever A record is set currently points somewhere other than Shopify's servers. Both messages come with the exact IP address Shopify wants the A record set to, so there's no ambiguity about what value to enter.
03Log in to your domain registrar
The fix happens outside Shopify, at whichever company you registered or manage the domain through — GoDaddy, Namecheap, Cloudflare, or another provider. Find the DNS management section for that specific domain, which is usually labeled DNS Records, DNS Management, or Zone Editor depending on the registrar. This is the same place you'd go to set up email records or point the domain anywhere else, so if you've touched DNS before, the layout will look familiar.
04Delete extra A records and set the correct one
Look through the existing A records for the domain. If you see more than one, that's the "too many A records" issue — delete every A record except the one you're about to correct.
Then set the remaining A record's value to the exact IP address Shopify's error page displayed, using @ or the root domain as the host/name field depending on your registrar's convention. Leaving stray A records in place, even ones that look harmless, is what causes intermittent connection failures where the store loads sometimes and not other times.
05Consider Shopify's automatic connection option
If your registrar is one Shopify has a direct integration with, the domain page offers a Connect automatically option that updates the DNS records on your behalf without you touching the registrar's dashboard at all. It's worth checking for this button before doing the manual edit, since it removes the risk of a typo in the IP address entirely. If your registrar isn't supported for automatic connection, the manual A record fix above is the reliable fallback.
06Save changes and wait for propagation
Save the DNS changes at the registrar and be patient — Shopify's own note on the domain page states DNS updates can take up to 48 hours to fully take effect, even though most changes propagate much faster in practice. Come back to the same Domains page in Shopify admin periodically; once the records are correctly picked up, the Needs Attention badge and the red banner both clear on their own, and there's nothing further to click or confirm inside Shopify itself.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my Shopify domain say "Needs Attention"?
It usually means the A record at your registrar doesn't match what Shopify expects — either it points to the wrong IP address or there's more than one A record set for the domain, both of which Shopify's domain page will name specifically.
Does this work for domains bought outside Shopify?
Yes. This fix applies to third-party domains managed through registrars like GoDaddy, Namecheap, or Cloudflare — you just need to update the A record in that registrar's DNS settings, not inside Shopify.
What IP address should my A record point to?
Use the exact IP address shown on your own domain's error banner inside Shopify admin — it's listed directly in the error message, so there's no need to guess or search for a generic value.
How long does it take for the fix to work?
Shopify states DNS updates can take up to 48 hours to fully propagate, though in practice many changes are picked up within a few hours.
Will changing my A record affect my email?
It shouldn't, since email typically runs on separate MX records, but double-check your registrar's DNS list before deleting anything to make sure you're only removing extra A records, not MX or other unrelated entries.
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.
